We all know sunscreen is one of the essential ingredients of our daily skincare routine. Not only will it protect you from pigmentation and premature aging, but also skin cancer.
It is a product that you can find pretty much everywhere, but sometimes you can get confused when choosing one because you may not know which one is right for you.
Some products can mention the label recommended for a specific skin type, but this is not the only thing you need to check; you need to pay attention if they are broad-spectrum or water-proof or how long they work.
And you may also notice many symbols but actually have no idea what they mean, and that is why we will go through some of them here.
Is it a broad-spectrum sunscreen?
A broad-spectrum sunscreen means that it can protect you against UVA and UVB lights.
Not all of the products will protect you from both. UVA can penetrate deeper into the dermis, and prolonged exposure can lead to photoaging and skin cancer, while UVB can only penetrate the epidermis and cause sunburns and skin cancer.
What do the PA+ letters mean?
Some products have the words PA followed by a plus sign (+) on the label, but most people don’t know what this means. PA refers to the protection grade of UVA Rays, and you can find them as PA+, PA++, PA+++, PA++++. Being PA+ some protection against UVA rays and PA++++ Very high protection against UVA.
How do I know how much my SPF will protect me?
SPF means Sun Protection Factor and can determine how much sunscreen will protect your skin from sunburn (UVB).
You will notice there is always a number next to the words SPF. When you see SPF15, this means this product will filter 93% of the UVB rays. SPF30 filters 97% and SPF50 filters 98%.
How do I know if it is water resistance?
If sunscreen is water-resistant, this means that it will stay on your skin even if this is wet. The symbol that is used to determine for long this will last is a drop.
If you notice just one drop, it is Water-resistant, so your sunscreen will be effective for 40 minutes; if, on the other hand, show two drops, this means it is Very water-resistant and effective for 80 minutes when the skin is wet.
Also Read: Home Remedies for Stretch Marks: 5 Ingredients to Try
