Are you wondering how to get rid of those unwelcome tans and wrinkles on your face? In that case, you might need to consider using a sunscreen. It’s a myth that sunscreens are just for skin protection against the scorching summer heat. The significance of using sunscreen goes much beyond. It is one product you must always carry wherever you go and is certainly not optional.
Sunscreens are crucial in protecting the skin against harmful UV rays and maintaining the skin’s health. With so many options, be it the face sunscreen or sunscreens for your body being available, choosing the right one gets overwhelming. Also, if you look at the packaging of these sunscreen products, the information is full of technical terminology. Knowing the meaning of this terminology is, thus, crucial to know whether you are picking up the right product.
The face, the part of the body most exposed to the sun, must be prioritised. Hence, go for products that act as the best face sunscreen and equally nourish and protect the skin on other body parts.
Why are Sunscreens Essential?
If you are still in a dilemma- whether to buy sunscreen, have a look at its significance and decide for yourself:
- Protects Against Harmful UV Rays
We indeed need that dose of Vitamin D from the sun, but it does not mean we put our skin at risk. Thus, applying the right sunscreen protects your skin from the harmful radiation emitted by the sun’s UV rays. It acts as a protective shield against harmful skin burns and is believed to protect your skin from skin cancer.
- Helps in Avoiding Premature Ageing of Skin
As your face is the most exposed body part to the sun, it may get affected due to excessive heat. Thus, using appropriate sunscreen helps shield your face from scorching heat and harmful UV rays.
It, in turn, helps to avoid unwelcome wrinkles on your face and aids in avoiding premature skin ageing. Using the right sunscreen, thus, helps avoid pigmentation, unwanted spots, and freckles. Maintaining the skin glow just became easy.
- Keeps Your Skin Nourished
Keeping your skin in good health stems from protection and nourishment. Sunscreens carry important proteins, including keratin, collagen, and elastin. These skin protein fibres play a vital role in supporting the structure of your skin. But due to prolonged exposure to sunlight, your skin might lose these proteins. Thus, sunscreens replenish your skin with the right nourishment, ensuring it looks flawless.
- Prevents Unwelcome Tans and Sunburns
Getting those awful skin burns and unwanted suntans? Use sunscreens, especially face sunscreen, to protect your skin from the harsh UV rays of the sun and excessive heat. You must apply sunscreen to other body parts and face to ensure complete skin protection.
Factors to be Considered While Selecting the Right Sunscreen
Being familiar with the significance of using sunscreens, you must now be aware of the factors to be considered before making the final choice.
- Check for SPF Quotient
Ever come across terms like SPF 15 or SPF 100 and wondered what’s it all about? The SPF- Sun Protection Factor protects your skin from harmful UV rays. The more the SPF quotient, the greater the protection from the sun. For instance, sunscreen with SPF 15 offers 93% protection against UV rays, while SPF 30, 50, and 100 offer 97%, 98%, and 99% protection against UV rays.
- Water and Sweat Resistance
Always ensure that the sunscreens that you pick are water and sweat resistant. When you step out for a swim, you surely do not want sunscreen protection to wear off in the water. Also, in the scorching summer heat, you certainly don’t want the sweat to wash off the protective shield of the sunscreen.
So, it is always advisable to purchase a sunscreen product that is water and sweat resistant. It will help ensure skin protection for a longer duration.
- Broad Spectrum of the Sunscreen
Always go for sunscreens that cover a broad spectrum of UV rays. UV rays are differentiated as UVA and UVB, responsible for skin ageing and burns. You might surely want to get protected against both. Thus, picking sunscreen products that protect you from UVA and UVB rays is essential. Always ensure the product’s packaging offers a disclaimer regarding protection from both.
- Chemical vs Physical Sunscreen
The battle between chemical-based sunscreens and physical sunscreens is an old one. Chemical ones give you that moisturised finish along with skin protection. Such sunscreens penetrate deep into the skin and offer protection against harmful UV rays. They take time to start working.
However, physical sunscreens start working when you apply them to your skin. They block the skin from UV rays and provide nourishment. Hence, think wisely before you make your choice.
- Your Skin Type
Everybody has a unique skin type; thus, when purchasing sunscreens, it is important to consider it. If you have dry skin, go for moisturiser-based sunscreens. If you have oily skin, go for oil-free sunscreens that allow your screen to breathe. Also, if you have sensitive skin, check for the ingredients on the packaging and ensure they are safe and gentle.
- Sunscreen Application Preferences
Today, you have multiple options for face sunscreen and its applications. You should select the one, considering your preferences and skin type. For some, gel or cream-based products will do the trick, while a sunscreen spray would be apt for others.
Tips to Wear Your Sunscreen Right
You can follow some of the following tips to ensure that your skin is UV-protected, nourished, and appropriately moisturised at all times:
- Wear sunscreen, especially face sunscreen, every day, whether you are indoors or outdoors.
- For deeper penetration into the skin, rub the sunscreen gently on your skin in a circular motion. Ensure that you apply the sunscreen until it gets absorbed by your skin well. It will just take a few seconds.
- Ensure that, along with the face, you also apply sunscreen to your neck and other body parts for complete skin protection.
- If stepping out of the home, apply the sunscreen at least 30-45 minutes before as it gets absorbed properly. Apply the sunscreen every 2-3 hours in case of longer exposure to sun.
Conclusion
Be it a bright sunny day or a cloudy day, whether you be indoors or outdoors, applying sunscreen is a must. It keeps your skin protected, nourished and moisturised, which in turn helps it to breathe healthily. With so much dust and pollution everywhere and UV rays adding to the mess, sunscreen products are nothing less than a boon. Thus, break the misconception of using sunscreens only for the face and apply them to your entire body to avoid ageing, burns and skin cancer too!