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Your 5-step guide to finding the perfect sunscreen for you

If you are looking for the perfect sunscreen, here's your guide to tell you how to choose the best one!

cooling face mask — All you need to know before getting a sunscreen. Image courtesy: Shutterstock

Published On: 24 Apr 2022, 12:49 pm IST

It’s summer already, which means there’s gonna be sun – out and wild, and pollution at its all-time rise. Let’s not even get into the other stressors that bombard our skin daily. Having a proper daily skincare regime is important for maintaining a glowing and youthful skin. Using sunscreen is essential to protect the skin against UV rays, skin irritation, sunburns etc.

How to choose the perfect sunscreen:

1. Broad spectrum:

All sunscreens give protection from UVB rays that are the main reason behind sunburns and skin cancers. But there are UVA rays as well that too can cause skin cancers and premature aging. Not all sunscreens protect from these. Only a few sunscreens pass this test and are allowed to be labelled as ‘broad-spectrum.

sunscreen tips — Stay safe in the sun! Image courtesy: Shutterstock

2. Sun Protection Factor aka SPF:

SPF is the measure of UVB protection (amount of solar energy required to cause damage or sunburn) of the sunscreen. Before buying, make sure that the sunscreen is at least SPF30 or higher. The higher the SPF number, the better the protection against UVB rays.

3. Non-White Cast, moisturizing, non-sticky:

Let’s face it. Don’t you want a sunscreen which doesn’t make your face all sticky, dry and most of all make you look like a vampire out of the twilight series? Luckily, there are sunscreens which manage to be non-chalky, non-greasy and non-white casting.

Also Read: Slather sunscreen, but also nosh on these 7 foods to avoid tanning this summer

4. Non-comedogenic and harmful chemical free:

It’s simple. Go for sunscreen that lets your skin breathe instead of choking it. Talking of chemicals, all sunscreens have chemicals. You just need to watch out for the harmful ones like Homosalates, Avobenzone, Methylisothiazolinone, etc.

5. Blue light protection:

Now, this is something that 90 percent of sunscreens miss. The blue light rays from the devices and screens are equally harmful if not more. Hence when you’re looking for your next SPF, make sure it protects you from the blue-light rays as well!

How to apply sunscreen

For adequate protection, one should apply 2mg (a teaspoon or two finger rule) of sunscreen to face, behind ear, neck etc. When outside, apply sunscreen every 2 hours as the protective layer gets eroded sweat, sebum and oil. One must apply sunscreen even if staying indoors as UVA rays penetrate through windows.