When it comes to skincare advice, the most often repeated nugget of information is always ‘use an SPF product to protect your skin from sun damage.’ However, with so many different formulas available, how do know if you using the most suitable product for your skin type and lifestyle?
As, we very much hope, the warm sunny days of summer now lie ahead of us, here are a few pointers to help you make the right choice, and avoid those costly cosmetic buying mistakes that most of us make from time to time!
SPF stands for sun protection factor, which means the level of protection against the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. Just to make it even more confusing, there are two different types of UV ray: UVB and UVA. UVB rays carry the highest level of danger for our skin, and are responsible for sunburn, and have the greater role in causing skin cancers.
UVA rays are able to penetrate the deeper layers of skin, and also play a role in skin cancers, including malignant melanomas. They are thought to be the main source of premature aging of the skin, such as wrinkles and sun spots.
Not all sunscreens are designed to block both UVB and UVA rays, so look for a UVA symbol in a circle when selecting your sunscreen product. It’s also important to select an SPF factor of 30 or above, to ensure the optimal level of protection.
Dermatologist and skin expert, Dr Sam Bunting, explained recently to Women’s Health magazine: “Remember that SPF 30 blocks approximately 96.8% of UVB rays and SPF 50 blocks 98%.”
She added: “That might seem like a minuscule difference on the surface but it equates to 50% more UVB exposure to your skin if you choose the lower SPF factor – over months, years and decades that additional transmitted UV matters.”
When it comes to applying a sunscreen product, apparently many of us simply don’t slather on enough of the stuff. We should be aiming for around a spoonful to cover our whole face. The skin care expert Dr Bunting advises: ‘we tend to under-apply SPF as a general rule so it’s better to aim high to help safeguard against this.’
Another factor which can put people off using sunscreen is the texture. In the past, this might have either been too chalky, which emphasised dry patches and settled in lines and wrinkles, or too oily, which clogged up pores and made the complexion look shiny.
However, a new generation of sunscreens have been designed to overcome these issues.
There are plenty of lightweight formulas available, some of which are oil-free, and some are designed to add a youthful glow to a drier complexion.
If you are prone to blemishes, acne, or shine, look out for labels such as noncomedogenic, which basically means that the product is light and non-greasy, and won’t clog your pores.
If you are looking for a hydrafacial in Essex, please talk to us today.
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