Hello Guys! So, this isn’t going to be another blog post, telling you that you should wear your sunscreen daily and how it is going to save your skin because I am sure you are tired of hearing that. But the fact still is most people are not aware of how important sunscreen really is. Why it works and why is it so important to wear sunscreen even if it’s raining?.
The beauty industry does not stress enough the importance of wearing sunscreen daily. Most people think that sunscreen which is included in makeup products like the foundation or powder is enough for protection. The truth is, IT IS NOT. I will go over the reason for that later in the post.
Most people are still a little confused about how sunscreen works? What does SPF mean? What kind of sunscreen is best for you? How often should you apply it?
If you are just here for my favorite sunscreen product recommendations and want to skip directly to that, it is at the bottom of the page.
Let’s get to the basics first.
What is UV? What are UVA and UVB rays?
UVB: UVB’s are these short high energy wavelengths that actually hit upon the most surface level of the skin which is the dermis. When your dermis is irritated you get redness which appears to be a sunburn. This is what causes aging, freckles, and hyperpigmentation.
UVA: UVA’s penetrate even further into your skin than UVB rays and affects the DNA (cellular levels of your skin). So when your skin is irritated by UVA rays, it causes wrinkling of the skin, and also makes your skin look darker and saggy.
UVA has a more long term damaging effect on your skin.
What is the difference between Chemical Sunscreen and Physical Sunscreen?
Simply put, chemical sunscreens are those that contain chemicals. For example, Oxybenzone. Physical sunscreen contains natural ingredients like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.
Chemical sunscreen works by absorbing the UV rays that enter the skin, which is then changed into heat and released from the skin as infrared rays. Chemical sunscreens are lightweight and blendable, which means it is easier to apply throughout the day and also easy to wear under makeup. It can be a little more irritating on sensitive skin.
Physical sunscreens reflect the UV rays from the top of your skin, without letting it be absorbed by your skin. The reason we get a bit of a white cast from physical sunscreens is because of the ingredients like Zinc oxide. The good thing about physical sunscreen is that it works immediately after being applied and is better for sensitive skin. But, it tends to be a little heavier and visible on the skin compared to chemical sunscreens.
Now that we know the difference between the physical and chemical sunscreen, let’s take a quick look at skin tones and how you might be affected by the sun rays based on your skin tone.
Skin Types:
Fair Skin- it usually takes about +/- 5 to 10 minutes without burning
Olive skin- usually about +/- 15 minutes without burning
Dark Skin- usually about +/- 20 minutes without burning
The more pigmented your skin, the longer you can go without burning. But, I still recommend you to wear SPF daily and reapply it no matter your skin tone and type because prevention is always better.
What Is SPF?
SPF means the Sun protection Factor. These days there are so many on the market from different brands, ranging all the way to 100. Does that mean the bigger the number the better?. The answer is not really or the difference is very minimal. There is not much difference between SPF 30 compared to SPF 50.
Sunscreen and Makeup:
Makeup products like some Foundations and powders do have SPF in them sometimes, but you cannot rely on those for protection. Here’s why- To protect your face from the sun rays, a general rule of thumb is you usually need to use about a quarter teaspoon (1/4) for your face.
Looking at this, an average person who likes to wear foundation, for example, will use about 1 to 2 pumps of foundation. Which does not equal to 1/4 teaspoon of sunscreen. To get to that recommended level of 1/4 teaspoon, it will be more than 8 pumps of the foundation for one application, which is INSANE and practically not desirable. That is the reason you CANNOT RELY ON YOUR MAKEUP FOR SPF.
How to layer sunscreen under makeup?
How I apply sunscreen is at the end of my morning skincare routine. So when I have done cleanser, vitamin C serum, moisturizer, I then apply SPF. I let that dry for about 2 to 3 minutes before I go on with my makeup.
To reapply during the day, I use a facial mist that has SPF in it if I am wearing makeup. I will just reapply sunscreen every 5 hours at home, and if I am out in the sun, I apply sunscreen every 2 hours. If I am on the beach , I reapply it every 1 hour.
Lets talk about some of my favorite sunscreens:
I have 4 Favorite sunscreens that does clog my pores and does not break out my sensitive skin.
SkinCeuticals’ Physical Fusion UV Defense Sunscreen SPF 50:
It not only provides broad-spectrum sun protection from both UVA (burning) and UVB (aging) sun rays, but it is also tinted so it evens out the skin tone and gives radiance. It does not leave behind any oily or white residue, is lightweight, water-resistant for up to 40 minutes.
Supergoop is also great for sensitive skin, has an SPF of 40 does not clog pores, and is very lightweight. If you do not like the white cast, this sunscreen is great for that. It is basically invisible and also works great as a makeup primer.
Drunk Elephant Umbra Tint Daily Defense:
This one has an SPF of 30, has got Zinc oxide, which is something that you should always look for in a sunscreen, and it is slightly tinted as well. It is a very sheer color and matches all skin tones.
First Aid beauty Ultra Repair Pure Mineral Sunscreen Moisturizer SPF 40 :
This is my all-time favorite sunscreen. I swear by this. I remember the first time I ever used it. It does not clog my pores, is great for sensitive skin and it is like a daily moisturizer with the UVA/UVB protection. It’s lightweight and sinks into the skin.
I know this was a long post, but I hope you found this in-depth information on sunscreens helpful. I cannot stress it enough, WEAR YOUR SUNSCREEN DAILY. There is no point in spending money on expensive skincare products if you are not going to wear sunscreen. Not using SPF daily, and applying those Vitamin C serums, AHA/BHA’s serums, retinol, etc, is going to damage your skin more.
If you are only going to do one thing for your skin, that should be to wear sunscreen daily. I saw a huge difference in my skin tone and the overall brightness of my skin once I started wearing sunscreen religiously.
You can go over my entire skincare routine here.
