Sunscreen

Which kind is the best sunscreen?

The best sunscreen offers complete protection against ultraviolet (UV) rays and the sun’s radiation. Broadly, there are two main types of sunscreens: chemical and mineral. The primary difference between them is how deep they absorb into the skin, and how great their sun protection is. There are many varieties of sunscreen for the face, so it’s important to know which is the best sunscreen.

Mineral sunscreens sit on top of the skin’s outer surface and protect the skin by reflecting away the sun’s UV radiation before it enters the skin. Because they are on the skin’s surface, mineral sunscreens effectively protect against both UVA and UVB rays, blocking them from absorbing into the skin. Mineral sunscreens offer the best sunscreen protection and take effect as soon as they’re applied. In addition, they don’t clog the skin’s pores (which is important when considering the best sunscreen for the face).

On the other hand, chemical sunscreens don’t form a protective layer on top of the skin but are absorbed into the lower layers of the skin. This means that UV radiation rays can penetrate the skin’s layers before encountering chemical sunscreens. And chemical sunscreens do not offer protection against all forms of UV radiation. For these reasons, mineral sunscreen is generally the best sunscreen for faces, as it fully shields against all kinds of UV rays before they penetrate the skin’s layers.

What does SPF mean?

The best sunscreen will come with a high SPF: sun protection factor. The SPF rating indicates how long someone can stay in the sun without getting sunburnt while wearing that sunscreen, compared with not wearing it. The higher the number, the longer a person is protected against the sun’s UVA and UVB.

Especially when choosing sunscreen for the face, it’s best to pick a product with the highest SPF rating possible. It’s generally recommended to use at least SPF 30 or higher sunscreen for the face.