How to Choose a Sunscreen: 5 Expert Tips
We understand what sanskrin is and what you should pay attention to when choosing it.
Today we cannot complain about the meager assortment of sanxrins: it is represented by different brands, it exists in all kinds of textures and has a different protection factor. To find out how not to get lost in the variety of sunscreens, we turned for advice to a physician and the author of the channel “ShBmnk: the medical news that you slept through” Olga Kashubina.
Journalist with a red diploma in medicine and the author of the channel “ShBmnk: medical news that you slept through”
Sanxrin is translated from English as “protective screen from the sun” – a cosmetic product to protect the skin from ultraviolet radiation. Why are the sun’s rays so dangerous? Although they lift our spirits and give us vitamin D, in the absence of protection, the sun negatively affects the skin, which leads to dryness, inflammation, rapid aging and the risk of a malignant tumor – melanoma.
Of course, Sanskrin is not an absolute UV protector. The best way to protect yourself from the sun’s rays is not to sit in the sun or hide your skin under your clothes. But let’s be realistic: it’s hard to hide from the sun in summer, and you don’t always want to. Therefore, Sanskrin was created as a compromise, in order to still open the skin to the sun, reducing the risk of unpleasant consequences.
What to look for to protect your skin from UV rays
1. Sanskrit composition
There are 2 types of formulations: organicthat reflects ultraviolet light like a mirror, and chemicalcapable of absorbing or scattering rays. The latter, although it sounds intimidating, but works for the good. Regardless of which lineup you choose, both do their job pretty well.
2. Degree of protection of Sanskrin
When it comes to SPF, it’s worth remembering that no cosmetic product has 100% sun protection factor. This level of sun protection simply does not exist. But higher protection, from SPF-50, definitely needed by people with fair and sensitive skin, as well as those who are going to spend time in the sun.
All protection below 50 SPF doesn’t make sense. Do not hope that a low SPF like 15 or 20 will give you a beautiful tan, but it will also protect you. It doesn’t work that way. Unfortunately, any tan is harmful. Therefore, the higher the SPF, the better. And when choosing a Sanskrin, this should definitely be taken into account.
When choosing a tool, you should either focus on a proven foreign brand that exactly meets the standards, or choose a tool that has the maximum protection for all factors from the proposed ones.
3. Is there a difference between expensive and budget sanxrin?
It is better to focus not on the cost of a cosmetic product, but on its volume. Based on the fact that in summer or on vacation, the use of Sanskrin should be regular and in sufficient volume so as not to burn the skin (about a teaspoon for each part of the body every two hours), then any remedy automatically ceases to be budgetary. Therefore, sometimes it is worth saving on the brand, but buying a sufficient amount of cream than buying an expensive one and feeling sorry for smearing it on yourself.
Another compromise option can be identified for those whose facial skin perfectly perceives sunscreen and does not give any reactions: choose a 2 in 1 sunscreen, which will be responsible for moisturizing the skin and protecting it from the sun. Thus, you save on buying a moisturizer, replacing it with a multifunctional sunscreen.
But for additional options in Sanskrin, which the manufacturer writes about on the packaging, such as vitamins, you should not pay extra.
4. Which texture is better: cream, spray, oil or fluid?
An unambiguous answer to the question “which is better?” no. Here, in general, a question of application technique. For example, cream – the traditional type of Sanskrin – the easiest to dose, while spray harder to apply evenly. In addition, there is a risk of inhaling the product.
Oil suitable for dry skin, and fluid – for oily, but they give low protection against ultraviolet radiation. These species are suitable for people who spend little time in the sun.
5. What else is important to know about sankrins?
First, the there are no waterproof sunscreens. Even if the package says otherwise, after each bathing, Sanskrin must be applied again, since the water washes away the previous layer of cream. Reapplication of the product is also important for those who are in the sun for a long time.
Secondly, products with high SPF are not a reason to spend more time in the sun. Regardless of the SPF level, the cream should be reapplied every two hours.
Third, if you mix two products with a different sun protection factor, they will not protect you twice as much. A mix of sunscreens with SPF 30 or SPF 20 does not give SPF 50.
6. When is Sanskrin really needed?
Surprisingly, sunscreen may be required even on a cloudy or cool day. In order to understand whether it is worth applying and taking a protective agent with you today, you can look at the weather forecast, which is available on any smartphone. Namely, pay attention to the UV index. The higher the value, the higher the potential skin hazard.
Remember, the sun’s rays on the skin are aggressive – they cause redness, burns, and this, in turn, destroys the DNA of skin cells and increases the risk of developing melanoma. Even if there was no burn, prolonged exposure to the sun on the skin is also destructive for the latter. This also applies to the ultraviolet rays of the solarium.
Interesting fact: in the countries with the highest rates of morbidity and mortality from melanoma, Australia and Brazil, tanning salons are banned at the state level. You can find out more about how to protect yourself from melanoma on the website .