What's a good sunscreen?

A good sunscreen isn’t just for Summer! Here is why…

 “Wear Sunscreen. If I could offer you one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it.”

Baz Luhrmann

 Do you want to know how to keep you and your family’s skin safe in the summer sun and all year round? If so, taking a moment to read this article will give you the knowledge on how to tell if your sunscreen will give you and your family the best protection by understanding types of sunscreens, what to look for in the ingredients and why we should wear it.

Firstly, the misconception about sunscreen is that it should only be used in sunny conditions such as the summertime and on your holiday, right? Wrong!

Sunscreen should be worn every single day of the year. This is to benefit your skin health, not only will it protect your skin from the harmful UVA and UVB rays it will also slow down the rate of ageing skin, reduce the number of age spots developing, the chances of sunburn and skin cancer.

I frequently get asked a combination of these questions:

How can I stop age spots & pigmentation? / How can I stop/slow down the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles? / How can I slow down the signs of ageing skin or what is the best thing for anti-ageing?  / How can I keep my skin looking young? / What is your top tip for good skin? / What is the secret to youth?

The answer to all these questions is sunscreen, sunscreen, and more sunscreen. A physical one with a factor of 30-50+.

What are Physical and Chemical sunscreens?

There are 2 classes of sunscreens. Physical and Chemical sunscreens.

Physical sunscreens contain ingredients such as Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide which reflect away UVA and UVB rays.

They are made up of large particles that are too large to be absorbed any further down than the top outer surface of the skin known as the Stratum corneum (dead skin).

They are the most stable because they maintain their ability to reflect UV rays away and are not altered by UV light. Because of this, they have an excellent safety record and do not cause any human toxicity.

Chemical sunscreens are made up of smaller particles and are absorbed into the lower layers of the skin. They contain ingredients such as oxybenzone and octinoxate which absorb UVA and UVB rays into the skin and converts them into heat energy.

Several studies in the last decade have also examined the potential hazards of these small molecules being absorbed from the lower layers of the skin and traces have been found in plasma and urine.

Chemical sunscreens need to be re-applied more often than physical filters because UV light changes the properties of these chemical filters decreasing their effectiveness.

When UV light changes the chemical filter composition, they create free radicals. These are known to cause or are suspected to cause skin irritations, allergies, hormone disruptions, skin damage, premature ageing and be carcinogenic.

(EWG: Environmental Working Group, 2015. AlumierMD Educational Paper Sunscreen).

Choosing a good sunscreen.

A good sunscreen is a physical one containing Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide.

Apply regularly and if you are out and about it is recommended to re-apply every 2 hours or sooner if you have been in water or are sweating.

UVA rays penetrate windows so wearing sunscreen as part of your daily moisturiser will protect you whilst indoors, especially if you are sitting or working near a window.

Many clients have commented how they have more age spots on the right side of their face than the other. This is usually from them being in the driver’s seat where UVA rays penetrate the car window.

Why wear sunscreen?

Wearing a physical sunscreen will slow down the ageing process such as age spots, fine lines and wrinkles and it will also decrease your risks of sunburn and skin cancer.

After washing your face in the morning, you should put it on as part of your daily moisturising routine. This way you are protected without having to think about it.

Moisturising (un-tinted or tinted) sunscreens can be worn underneath makeup.

Purchasing your sunscreen

At Skin Happy you have the choice of 2 brands of Physical sunscreens both containing Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide. 1 by Lynton and 3 by AlumierMD:

Lynton Light Protect SPF 50, 50ml (Can be purchased in-clinic or online via the Skin Happy shop).

AlumierMD SPF 40 and 42, 60ml (Can be purchased in-clinic or via the online Alumier Portal which I can give you the link for upon request). These sunscreens are formulated to suit all skin conditions which are free from parabens and chemical filters. I can advise which one would be best suited to your skin type.

AlumierMD Clear Sheild SPF42 is oil free, great for oily, redness and acne prone skin.

AlumierMD Sheer Hydration SPF40 or Moisture Matte SPF40) are available as un-tinted or tinted sunscreens. Tinted sunscreen is great for using as a foundation or simply adding some colour to your skin.

We restore radiance back into your skin to help you feel confident, carefree, and skin happy.

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