The Ultimate Sunscreen Guide: Everything You Need To Protect Your Skin

 

Summer is here and with recent changes in the climate it’s only getting hotter, so it’s become more important than ever to make sure your skin is properly protected. However, with so many products on the market, each with its own lofty claims and simultaneously rumored drawbacks, it’s hard to know which products to pick!

Well, in this short but informative guide, you’ll be able to learn everything you need to know about sunscreen to be able to make an informed decision about which UV protection products you should buy. 

Why is UV Protection Important? 

While we all know that prolonged sun exposure is not good for you, how well do you know the effects that UV light can have on your skin? Yes, in extreme cases it can cause skin cancer, but in reality, there are other far more common side effects that you might already be experiencing. 

UV rays (that’s the bad stuff the sun spits out) can be broadly divided into 3 types: UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C. UV-C is typically absorbed by the ozone layer so it’s nothing to worry about just yet, but UV-A and UV-B are ultraviolet rays that damage your skin. 

UV-A are the ultraviolet rays that cause our skin to age faster and cause hyperpigmentation, this can lead to the early onset of wrinkles, your skin losing elasticity and starting to sag, an increase in the number or darkness of your freckles, and increasingly uneven skin tone.

On the other hand, UV-B causes skin irritation on the skin’s outer surface, typically leading to red, raw, and sensitive skin - this is also what causes the skin death you associate with sunburn. 

In extreme cases, UV exposure can lead to cell mutation which ultimately leads to skin cancer, but as you can see, there are far more common side effects that many of us have already begun experiencing. 

What Kinds of UV Protection Exist & Which Are Ideal For Me? 

Now we know why sun protection is important, we can look at what kinds of sun protection are available and which type of protection is the best fit for you as an individual. Sunscreens can be divided into 3 main types: mineral, chemical & combination. 

Mineral 

Mineral sunscreens work by creating a reflective film on top of the skin’s surface, stopping UV rays from penetrating the skin. As the name suggests, they’re made with minerals and are not absorbed into the skin making them ideal for sensitive skin, but their main downsides are that they are typically thicker making them hard to apply, and usually leave a noticeable white cast on the skin.

Ideal for: sensitive skin, acne-prone skin, kids, pregnant women, and pale complexions

Common ingredients: zinc oxide, titanium dioxide

Chemical

Chemical sunscreens function by absorbing UV rays and converting them into heat to protect the skin. The formulas of chemical sunscreens are often engineered to make them easier to apply and they don’t leave a white cast, however, they break down quicker as the chemicals are expended during the reaction with the sun, and the ingredients used can cause acne if your skin is not cleansed properly after use.

Ideal for: darker complexions, and for use under makeup

Common ingredients: avobenzone, oxybenzone, octinoxate

Combination 

As you might expect, combination sunscreens are sunscreens that take the best features of each sunscreen type and combine them to make a more ideal experience. They typically have reduced white cast when compared to mineral sunscreens and a thinner formula more reminiscent of chemical sunscreens, but also cause less skin irritation than chemical sunscreens. So if your skin needs are somewhere in the middle, then a combination sunscreen may be more appropriate.

What Do The Numbers & Symbols Mean? 

Ever noticed the little SPF & PF ratings on the front of your sunscreen bottle - while we all understand that more is better, knowing what those numbers and symbols mean could influence your purchasing decisions.

If you check the front of your bottle, the PA level indicates how much UV-A protection you are receiving, which each ‘+’ meaning the effectiveness is being increased by 2 or 4 times!

Meanwhile, SPF refers to the sunscreens’ ability to block UV-B rays. As you probably know, SPF 50 is the most ideal level of protection, but SPF 15 will be enough for filtered light exposure such as through your window - yes, you should be wearing sunscreen indoors too - and you should never go below SPF 30 during your outdoor activities. That being said, don’t be suckered into buying products offering over SPF 50 as there is little evidence to show they offer more protection and they are simply more expensive. 

Finally, you may notice a time indicated on the bottle of your sunscreen - this is telling you how long the sunscreen is effective whilst fighting against your skin’s natural sweat and sebum. All sunscreens need to be reapplied multiple times throughout the day to be truly effective, so you should be reapplying anywhere between 1-2 hours of uninterrupted sun exposure. 

Can I Test Out Different Sunscreen Products Before Buying? 

Now you understand a bit more about the kinds of sunscreen products you need and which features you want, there’s still the difficult process of narrowing down the list of potential candidates. Even with all the information provided, you still have to pick between the various brands and formats of sunscreen such as lotions, sprays, and sticks - and let’s not even get started on sunscreens that offer other skin benefits alongside UV protection.

Well, fortunately, there’s a single location where you can go to test out and sample a wide range of different UV protection products: Beauty Play is a K-beauty experience center located in the Myeongdong shopping district. Entrance to the space is totally free, as are many of the fun and exciting skincare and beauty experiences you can enjoy there. Visit Beauty Play and discover the perfect sunscreen for your skin with the help of our beauty experts! 

Beauty Play also has a number of other exciting and informative seminars and experiences running throughout each month, so make sure you check out the Beauty Play blog and follow Beauty Play on Instagram for more amazing opportunities!