We need sun protection cosmetics not only on vacation and not only in the south. If during the day you are not in the sun for more than 30 minutes, there is no need to use creams with light filters. But if the time spent in the sun is longer, or you are going to rest outside the city or in the park, in an open cafe, then regardless of the time of year, you need to protect your skin from the sun's rays. You can get sunburned in April, May or September. Even a small amount of harmful ultraviolet radiation is enough to harm the skin, but the consequences are quite serious: premature aging, impaired regeneration, and even cancer. So better safe than sorry.
Principles for choosing sunscreen cosmetics
Face sunscreen is chosen, like all other cosmetics, based on skin type. There are no restrictions for normal skin - choose according toown preferences. For dry - the best option would be a milk or cream with a dense texture and a lot of moisturizing ingredients. For oily or combination skin, a gel or fluid is more suitable.
There are two types of protective equipment: with shielding and blocking effect. It is better to purchase a sunscreen for the face with a blocking effect. This type of cream contains titanium dioxide or zinc oxide, a fine powder that reflects rays. These cosmetics are usually hypoallergenic and highly effective.
Screening creams contain chemicals that often cause an allergic reaction. Therefore, before using them, it is necessary to conduct an allergy test: spread a small area of skin on the inner surface of the forearm with cream and hold your hand in the sun for 20 minutes. If itching and redness appear, the cosmetic product is not suitable for you.
When choosing a sunscreen for your face, pay special attention to the SPF (sun protection) factor. The higher this indicator, the higher the degree of protection from ultraviolet radiation and the more time that can be spent in the sun without harming the skin. When determining the optimal protection factor, skin color and tone should be taken into account - the lighter your skin, the more effective protection should be (higher SPF value):
- For those who have very pale skin with freckles, light gray or light blue eyes, you need to choose a cream with a factor of at least 40-50.
- For those who have fair skin but darker eyesuse cosmetics with SPF around 30.
- For those with darker skin and medium blond, brown hair, a sunscreen with protection up to 20.
- For owners of dark skin and very dark hair, SPF10 will be optimal.
These indicators are relevant for those who have a rest on the Black Sea coast or the Sea of Azov. If you are to the north - the value of SPF should be reduced by 10 units, if to the south - increased by 10.
After the skin is tanned and its ability to block UV light on its own increases, a sunscreen can be applied to the face with a lower SPF value (lower by 10-15 units).
Remember to apply sunscreen cosmetics 25-30 minutes before going out in the sun - it only begins to work after absorption. Don't rub hard - it reduces the effectiveness by 30%, just wait until the sunscreen is absorbed. Reviews of those who used cosmetics with protective filters indicate that the frequency of occurrence of age spots that appear when exposed to the sun decreases, the skin does not burn, does not peel off and does not turn red. With a properly selected cream, drying and dehydration are not observed, the tan falls evenly and there is no feeling of tightness after sunbathing.