Sunscreen is an essential skin care product that you can't miss to include in your daily skincare regimen. However, there is a difference between a normal sunscreen and a quality sunscreen that is safe to apply. While buying your sunscreen from a reliable pharmacy Limassol is one way to ensure the quality, there are many other factors to consider to make the best choice. There are several ingredients and qualities that your sunscreen should have. We have come up with a perfect guide for choosing the safest and most effective sunscreen for your skin.
Take a Look at Ingredient Label
While buying sunscreen or any other skin care product for that matter, we often overlook the ingredient corner of the product. It's a huge mistake, and you may have to pay a heavy price for it. When it comes to sunscreen, the first thing that you should do is to read the ingredients label. It is the best way to pick the right sunscreen which is clean and safe for your skin. However, many people are unaware of the ingredients they should consider and the ones they should avoid. But worry no more; keep reading to know the ingredients and features to look for while buying sunscreen.
Mineral vs. Chemical Sunscreen: What to Choose?
If you go through the list of ingredients present in sunscreen, you will find two sections: active ingredients and inactive ingredients. The active ingredients present in the sunblock are responsible for UV protection. On the other hand, the inactive ingredients are the ones that contribute to the feel and look of the formula and preserve it. However, now the question arises which ingredients are good for your skin and which are not!
The most common active ingredients that are present in more than 60% of sunscreens are oxybenzone and oxybenzenes. The sunscreens that contain these chemicals are called Chemical sunscreen. But you should avoid these active ingredients as they are known to be hormone disruptors and possible carcinogens. Not only are they harmful to the environment, but also their exposure can lead to lower levels of testosterone in boys.
These harmful chemicals are also responsible for reducing egg production in fish and causing bleaching in coral reefs. Additionally, these chemical sunscreens can even encourage UVA damage deeper into the skin. To be precise, such sunscreen protects the skin surface from the temporary discomfort of sunburn, but they are just making the condition worse in the longer run. They can cause various skin problems that you might not notice now but will eventually discover years later.
Also known as a physical sunscreen, Mineral sunscreens are the ones that contain zinc oxide alone or in combination with titanium dioxide as active ingredients. They create a protective barrier over the skin's surface that reflects the UV rays away from the skin. Some great benefits of such sunscreens that have zinc oxide and titanium dioxide include broad-spectrum protection, limited skin penetration, absence of skin irritation, and inertness of the ingredients.
Moreover, they are far more effective than their chemical counterparts at blocking UVA rays. For people with sensitive or acne-prone skin, a mineral or physical sunscreen is the best pick. Sun essentials, including sunscreen from Soleil Toujours, make an excellent choice when looking for mineral sunscreens. Soleil Toujours provide 100% mineral-based sunscreen, devoid of harsh chemicals like parabens and oxybenzone.
Go for Broad Spectrum Sunscreen
No matter which sunscreen you use, make sure it is a broad spectrum. It is one of the necessities that you should always consider while selecting sunscreen. Broad-spectrum sunscreens shield against both harmful ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays. Do you know that while all sunscreens block UVB rays, only some are capable of blocking UVA? This is the major cause of skin problems such as sunburn and skin cancer.
Therefore, it is vital to shield yourself from the harmful UVA rays as they penetrate deeper into the skin, increasing the risk of premature aging signs and skin cancer. Besides, you should know that these UVA rays are present year-round, even on cloudy days. So, ensure to choose the broad-spectrum sunscreen that provides comprehensive skin protection.
Select an SPF of 30 or Higher
The SPF value is another significant aspect to take into consideration when purchasing sunscreen. Talking about SPF, the higher, the better! SPF stands for sun protection factor, and it measures how much of the sun's UVB rays are reflected off the skin and not absorbed. The ADA recommends only using an SPF value of either 30 or higher.
For instance, a sunscreen of SPF 15 will filter out about 93% of UVB rays. On the other hand, sunscreen with an SPF value of 100 will filter about 99% of UVB rays. However, unfortunately, no sunscreen can provide complete protection from the sun's rays. Thus, it is better to choose the higher SPF value to get the maximum coverage. Also, make sure the time between the reapplication of your sunscreen is 2 hours.
Check the Water Resistance Quality
When you are heading to the pool or beach on sunny days, you usually opt for water-resistant sunscreen. But it will be a smart move to choose water-resistant sunscreen for regular use as well. It is due to the simple fact that we sweat a lot, especially on hot or humid days.
Though waterproof sunscreens do not exist, thankfully, we have water-resistant options that help to maintain their SPF. Thus, you should pick sunscreens that claim to be water-resistant and can remain effective in water for 40 or 80 minutes. One such effective sunscreen available in the market is the COOLA Classic Sunscreen Stick, with a broad spectrum SPF value of 30. You can easily buy this sunscreen from an online pharmacy Cyprus.
Bottom Line: What Makes a Sunscreen Safe and Where to Buy?
Thus, the factors stated above in the articles will help you hunt down the best sunscreen for you. Apart from them, make sure to steer clear of certain harmful chemicals or ingredients like parabens. Furthermore, don't forget to consider your skin type. If you have dry skin, a sunscreen cream with moisturizing ingredients like hyaluronic acid and ceramides will be an ideal choice. Water-based or gel sunscreens that are oil-free and lightweight are perfect for people with oily skin.
Sunscreen is unarguably the most important skincare item that every person should apply, irrespective of age or gender. There are some sunscreens that are specially formulated for babies. For example, a COOLA Baby Organic Mineral Sunscreen Moisturizer is a Pediatrician-tested sunscreen for babies six months and older. You can purchase it from ePharmaCY, which is the best online pharmacy store that provides non-prescription health and wellness products at a great price. Visit the website to find the best sunscreen essentials that suit your skin type and are safe to apply.