Summer is approaching and with that, the question before heading to the beach or anywhere outdoors is always: Did you grab the sunblock? While it should be used every day of the year, it’s even more important during summertime when the days are longer, the sun is stronger and it’s easier to spend more time outdoors. Wondering what sunblock to wear this summer?
When choosing a sunscreen, be sure to read the label and look for:
- Broad Spectrum protection: They protect against UVA and UVB rays . These rays contribute to sunburned skin, skin cancer and premature aging. Products that aren’t broad spectrum must carry a warning that they only protect against sunburn, not skin cancer or skin aging.
- Sun protection factor (SPF) 30 or higher: The SPF number is the level of protection the sunblock provides against UVB rays. Higher SPF numbers means more protection, but the higher the SPF, the smaller the difference becomes:
- SPF 15 – Filters out about 93% of UVB rays
- SPF 30 – Filters about 97%
- SPF 50 – Filters about 98%
- SPF 100 – Filters about 99%
- Water resistant isn’t “waterproof” : No sunscreens are waterproof or sweatproof and manufactures are not allowed to claim that they are. If a label claims it is water resistant it should specify whether it lasts 40 or 80 minutes while swimming or sweating. Make sure to reapply every two hours and even more often if swimming or sweating.
For everyday use there’s also tinted sunblock that not only will give UVA and UVB protection for the skin, but also add color. At Luxe Day Spa in Tampa you can find a tinted moisturizer sunblock from Image skincare that offers broad spectrum, pure mineral protection against UVA and UVB rays. The light and sheer formula delivers a hint of color that subtly evens out skin tone and gives a healthy glow. It is more than a sunblock as it also helps to fight against the effects of blue light and environmental skin stressors that cause dryness, discoloration and other signs of premature aging.
