Using sunscreen is important to protect the skin against harmful UV radiation from the sun. By regularly applying sunscreen, you can reduce the risk of sun damage such as burns, premature aging and skin cancer. There are a variety of sunscreens. Different high sun protection factor, physical or synthetic/chemical sunscreen, different consistency, so what to choose? Here you can get answers to the most common questions.
How high a sun protection factor should I use?
SPF stands for Sun Protecting Factor and means in short how long you can stay in the sun without burning compared to if you don't use sunscreen. But there is a little more behind it than that, where you are in the world, weather and season and what you do during the day are also factors that affect how long your skin is protected by sunscreen.
- SPF 15 blocks 93% of UVB rays
- SPF 30 blocks 96.7% of UVB rays
- SPF 50 blocks 98% of UVB rays
Although there is not a big difference, it is important to keep in mind that the higher the SPF, the longer and better your skin is protected against the UV rays.
Which sun protection factor you choose depends on your skin, but as a rule, you should always choose a sunscreen with SPF 30-50 with protection against both UVA and UVB and reapply every two hours and after swimming and sweaty activity. Sensitive skin, mature skin and children should always have SPF 50 as the skin is more fragile and more easily damaged.
What is the difference between physical sunscreen and synthetic/chemical sunscreen?
A physical sunscreen uses natural mineral filters such as zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide that reflect the UV rays away from the skin. This type of sunscreen protects immediately after application because it sits on top of the skin and always protects against both UVA and UVB.
A synthetic filter, also called a chemical filter (basically everything is chemistry :-) ), usually consists of several different filters that protect against UVA, UVB or both. These filters instead absorb the UV rays and convert it into harmless radiation.
Both filters effectively protect against the sun's rays, but with us you can only find physical sunscreens as there are studies that show that some synthetic sunscreen filters can be endocrine disruptors, damage our environment and destroy coral reefs, and that is not something we want to contribute to.
How should I apply my sunscreen?
Often we use far too little sunscreen to get adequate protection.
In the case of a liquid sunscreen, think that you should use about 30-50 ml for application to the whole body. For the face you should use 2 finger length lines, use your index and middle finger to measure up.
In the case of solid sunscreens, a smaller amount is usually required because they do not contain any water. Here you can think about 1 teaspoon per body part and for the face about 1/2 teaspoon.
It is easy to miss parts of the body and if you take too much sunscreen at once, it can feel sticky and be difficult to apply. A good rule of thumb is therefore to apply 2 coats before going out in the sun. Then reapply every two hours and always after bathing or if you have sweated.
Can you use the sunscreen left over from last year?
A sunscreen usually has a shelf life of 6-12 months after opening the package, and it can be even shorter if the sunscreen is stored warm. We recommend that you store your sunscreen in a dark and cool place and that you replace it before each new sun season.