Avoiding being hit by the sun’s rays is inevitable especially on the face. The dangers associated with excessive exposure to the sun’s rays cannot also be overlooked. This explains the importance of sunscreens in protecting the skin from sun damage and why it is important to choose the correct one as far as skin care is concerned. Choosing the most suitable sunscreen for your face will depend on the amount of time you anticipate to spend in the sun or the length of duration you actually spend in the sun on a frequent basis. It may be part of your job description or you may be on a vacation on the beach-either way the skin needs to be well guarded against harmful UV rays.
Choosing the best sunscreen
Sunscreens create a perfect face mask for sun protection and as a result a careful evaluation into its qualities will help improve the boost the protection. In addition to that, choosing the perfect sunscreen for the face involves taking into consideration the skin type, the skin condition of the user in question (whether it has acne or rosacea), the skin tone and the age of the skin of the user in question. As a result, for all these qualities to be considered, the sunscreen must be of the recommended SPF factor, good brand, kid friendly, capable of UVA protection and should be water resistant. It should also protect against skin allergies.
1. SPF
A good sunscreen is evaluated based on its ability to protect against UVB rays of the sun. This spectrum of the sun’s rays is most known to cause sunburn. Medical experts recommend sunscreens with Sun Protection Factors of 15 or more- it is the optimum for most skin types but not all. Those with highly sensitive skin or has skin conditions such as lupus should go for SP of 30.
2. UVA Protection
This is another spectrum of the sun’s rays that affect the skin and should be protected against. Unfortunately, it cannot be rated with SPF. However, choosing the perfect face mask for sun protection for this spectrum will involve evaluation of the ingredients of the sunscreen you intend to purchase. The sunscreen should contain one or more of the following ingredients-avobenzone, ecamsule, zinc oxide, oxybenzone, sulisobenzone and titanium dioxide.
3. Brand
Personal preference is also an important factor to take into account in choosing the perfect sunscreen for the facial skin. A sunscreen may be recommended by many experts but if it does not appeal to you or most importantly to your skin, you should not purchase it. It may be a biased attribute to take into consideration but it does help with making the user comfortable.
4. Water Resistance
This is another quality of sunscreen you should take into consideration- a good sunscreen should be both resistant to water and sweats because chances are that you will probably sweat when in the sun. An ineffective sunscreen can be washed off by the sweat or water in cases where constant with water under the sun is inevitable such as in the beach or swimming pool. However, water resistant sunscreens still need to be re-applied on an intermittent basis.
5. Kid friendliness
The skin of small children and babes is delicate and can easily be affected by certain chemicals in sunscreens. In taking this attribute into consideration avoid sunscreens with ingredients containing para-aminobenzoic acid as well as all types of benzephenones. Instead, opt for sunscreens with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide because they do not become absorbed into the skin but still protects when in the sun for long.
6. Ability to protect against skin conditions
A good sunscreen should also be in a position to protect those with skin conditions when out in the sun as it does to those with normal skins. People with rosacea for instance are more susceptible to sunburn and may benefit greatly from using sunscreens with ingredients such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. It is also advisable to avoid sunscreens with alcohol or fragrances if you have skin allergies.
7. Quantity
A good sunscreen should be enough to cover the entire face while out in the sun. This should include the front as well as sideways on both ears. With the perfect amount of sunscreen lotion you can constantly reapply the cream without worrying about it depleting.
Conclusion
Selecting the best sunscreen should be a carefully thought out process and just like clothes, every skin type must be matched to the sunscreen with the perfect qualities that can guarantee its maximum protection. This is of course taking into consideration other factors or parameters other than the skin type.
