Five Important Things To Consider When Buying Sunscreen

Though a tanned body looks hot and sensual, it’s not worth it if you’re going to risk your skin from sun damage, tanning your body and overexposing yourself from the heat of the sun just to get the perfect tan — there’s a difference between looking all tan and gorgeous and looking like a burnt piece of toast. We’ve been told time and again that using sunscreen is critical for the health of our skin. Depending on your skin type, exposure to the sun may burn or tan your skin. If you’re not careful enough, the harmful UVA and UVB rays can wreak havoc to your skin. If you are planning to get out in the sun a lot this summer, here are some tips to choose your sunscreen that will really help:

Wear Sunscreen Even On Cloudy Days

If you’ve run out of sunscreen and you’re too lazy to go buy one because weather reports suggest cloudy days in the next few days, you’re one of the many people who believe this common misconception. We feel that sunscreen is needed only when we go out in the sun, but the truth is we need to apply sunscreen even on cloudy days since the harmful UVA and UVB rays cannot be filtered by clouds. It is best to apply the sunscreen about 30 minutes before going out, and if you plan to stay outdoors for a long time, re-apply it again after a couple of hours. For extra protection, bring a pair of sunglasses, a hat, or an umbrella to keep your skin safe. If possible, do not step out of the house between noon and early evening because it is during these times of the day when the UV radiation is at its highest.

Look For Date Of Manufacture And Expiry

It is not just your food items that come with expiry and manufacture dates; your cosmetics have one, too. When choosing your sunscreen, always look out for the manufacture date and buy one with the most recent manufacturing date. The fresher the product, the more effective it will protect your skin. Likewise, look for the expiration date, and don’t buy or use a product that has expired. It can damage your skin badly as the ingredients used to make the sunscreen degrades with time.

The Right SPF For Your Skin Type

The various kinds of sunscreen lotions with varying degrees of SPF often confuse us to no end. While buying a bottle of sunscreen, we often don’t know which amount of SPF is good for our skin. Turns out the fairer your skin, the easier it tends to burn under sun exposure. Hence, the SPF should be 30 or higher for fair complexioned individuals. For others, you can opt for one with less than that. But as a general rule, it’s always to opt for the one with the highest SPF.

Check For Dangerous Ingredients

Often, sunscreen lotions contain dangerous ingredients that can be very harmful to your skin and body. Oxybenzone is one ingredient that can disrupt your hormonal activities. Hence, while buying sunscreen, check if it has this ingredient and avoid it at all cost. Don’t judge a lotion by its price. Just because it has a high price tag doesn’t mean it’s the best one in the market. Read the list of ingredients well to see if it fulfills all your checkboxes. Also, look for zinc oxide or titanium oxide in the ingredients as it can make your face look white and can also be harmful to your skin.

Be Extra Careful When Buying Sunscreen For Kids

Kids and infants need protection from the sun, too. Their skin is even more sensitive than ours and needs special care. However, it is not right to apply our sunscreen on them. Instead, find a lotion that is safe for kids and babies. These are gentler on the skin and comes without the harmful para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), and benzophenones. SPF clothes are also a good choice for summer as they provide extra protection to the skin.

These are the basic tips when you plan to buy sunscreen. If you are going to the beach, buy sunscreen that is water and sweat resistant. If you are using a sunscreen spray, take extra care while applying it near your eyes or in front of the kids. Loose fitting cotton clothes can keep our bodies protected as well since they have an SPF of 4. Amid all these precautions and tips, remember that a little sunlight is good for the body as it aids in the synthesis of vitamin D. Just be mindful of how long you’ll be exposed under the sun!