This post is a part 2 to the previous post I wrote on sunscreen and its ingredients. I will talk about SPF and what the number means and how much it actually protects, plus the marketing gimmicks that store brands use to sell their product in this new age of sun protection and tan banning!
But first, I'm all about moderation. Everything is good and bad for you! On the topic of sun protection, tanning extensively isn't a good idea, but its always best to have at least 15 minutes of direct sunlight without protection to get your Vitamin D.
So this post is about SPF. What is SPF, what does the number mean, and why do children's sunscreen only indicate SPF50? Can they use the other SPFs, and how much does it protect against?
What is SPF? SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. The number is the factor in SPF, and that determines how much it protects. SPF of 15 will protect your skin 15x more than the amount of time it usually takes to burn. So if your skin usually begins to turn pinky-red and burn within 30 minutes, than an SPF of 15 is (15x30 = ) 450 minutes of protection. Keep in mind that it must be reapply every so often, especially if you are sweating or swimming, even if the product says waterproof it will still come off and have less protection than the initial application.
Next, children's sunscreen; brands usually indicate children's sunscreen as SPF 50. But why 50 and can they use less? Yes they can! SPF 50 usually indicated for children because its the highest SPF with the most protection and who doesn't want they're child protected to the max! I bet now you're thinking, no its not the highest... there's SPF 60, even 100.. and I've even seen 110! Let me tell you why these are a waste of your money.
This is going to tie in with the gimmicks that brands use for marketing and how much UV radiation protection is in sunscreens.
So let's start with the protection; SPF 15 protects approximately 94%, SPF 30 is approximately 97% and SPF 60 is 98%, while the SPF 100 is 98.5% protection against UVA/UVB rays. So if it's not obvious to you yet, here's why its a waste of money to buy any more than SPF 30 or SPF 60 if you really find you need that much protection; companies are jumping on the "bandwagon" of what I like to call tan banning and excessive sun protection because everyone has finally figured out that sun damage is responsible for 90% of your extrinsic premature aging. (I will have another post explaining the aging process, but for now all you need to know is extrinsic aging is the process of again with which external factors affect). These companies are taking advantage of the consumer who doesn't know any better and are putting out products that have SPF of 100 even though it doesn't protect anymore than an SPF 60. And all anyone would need for sufficient protection is SPF 15 and max protection with a SPF30.
With all that being said, I hope you got all the information you need from the last two posts, if you have any questions you can comment below and I will try to answer as quickly as possible! I mentioned in another post that I highly recommend the websites WebMD.com and EWG.com/skindeep.
Thanks again for checking out my blog!
Have a wonderful day, and don't forget your sun protection ;)
Presley Charlotte
Wednesday 25 June 2014
Let's Talk Sunscreen!
In this post I'm going to address the questions I get asked on almost a daily basis! I warn you, there's a lot of information I have on this topic so this may be a bit long!
First, what is sunscreen? People usually comment with "it's a moisturizer with SPF", but that isn't exactly it. A sunscreen is a lotion, spray or crème product containing sun protection in the form of SPF. However, while they are the consistency of a moisturizer per say, you should always apply a moisturizer first and a sunscreen after. Sunscreens are also described as a drug product by most regulatory agencies due to the use of certain active ingredients that block or "screen" the UV rays from the sun. These ingredients are called either a physical blocker or a chemical absorber.
Now, you're probably saying, "what's the difference! They're all the same to me!".
A chemical absorber is an ingredient use in sunscreens that absorb the suns rays. However these are just that, chemicals, and can be absorbed into the skin too so it's best to know which ones to avoid and what percentages to avoid and why. But you're probably also thinking, why, if it's potentially harmful, would there be any of these ingredients in there! It's mostly because they are synthetic and can be man made and cheap to manufacture and use. (Concerning the safety of ingredients and why which are in what, that's another blog post!).
These chemical absorbers are going to be shown in the ingredients list under Active Ingredients and they will show what percentage they are in the product as well. The usual ingredients are
octisalate, oxybenzone, avobenzone, and more. Those three are the most common, but there are chances you'll see a different ingredient instead of one of these three.
Oxybenzone, however, is the one to look out for. It's been know as an endocrine disruptor (hormone disruptor) and endocrine disruptors will affect everyone but are most harmful to children. Sunscreen products in the store usually have this in a high percentage of 3-6 percent. It's best to find a product without this ingredient or a very low percentage. The lowest I have seen this ingredient is at 1.8% in a spray sunscreen called Sunshades Sport by Melaleuca. (I will have other blog posts reviewing products I order from this company).
On to physical blockers. Physical blockers do just that, they physically block the suns harmful rays by deflecting it off the skin. They are usually in products under the Active Ingredients list as well, and are usually used in place or in conjunction with some of the above three ingredients. I've usually seen them used instead of oxybenzone but I haven't checked the back of every bottle of sunscreen either. Physical blockers are also mineral ingredients that do come from the earth, but with technology now a days you never know when they can man make one of these physical blockers.
The ingredients that are considered physical blockers are titanium dioxide and zinc oxide (think the white nose of a lifeguard at the beach). These ingredients in high doses don't usually blend or rub into the skin very well but more and more brands are making it easier to have a transparent sunscreen while using these. But be aware that in flash photography these products will give a white cast to you face in photos. Usually, if these are used alone they in very high percentages, upwards of 20% even. These have not been deemed harmful in anyway so they are a better choice for your children for sure, and for yourself if you don't mind the "white" look.
I will stop here for this post, but am going to write another one on what is SPF, how high the SPS should be and SPF for children. Thanks for checking out my blog today and keep checking for updates!
Have a wonderful day wherever you may be!
Presley Charlotte
First, what is sunscreen? People usually comment with "it's a moisturizer with SPF", but that isn't exactly it. A sunscreen is a lotion, spray or crème product containing sun protection in the form of SPF. However, while they are the consistency of a moisturizer per say, you should always apply a moisturizer first and a sunscreen after. Sunscreens are also described as a drug product by most regulatory agencies due to the use of certain active ingredients that block or "screen" the UV rays from the sun. These ingredients are called either a physical blocker or a chemical absorber.
Now, you're probably saying, "what's the difference! They're all the same to me!".
A chemical absorber is an ingredient use in sunscreens that absorb the suns rays. However these are just that, chemicals, and can be absorbed into the skin too so it's best to know which ones to avoid and what percentages to avoid and why. But you're probably also thinking, why, if it's potentially harmful, would there be any of these ingredients in there! It's mostly because they are synthetic and can be man made and cheap to manufacture and use. (Concerning the safety of ingredients and why which are in what, that's another blog post!).
These chemical absorbers are going to be shown in the ingredients list under Active Ingredients and they will show what percentage they are in the product as well. The usual ingredients are
octisalate, oxybenzone, avobenzone, and more. Those three are the most common, but there are chances you'll see a different ingredient instead of one of these three.
Oxybenzone, however, is the one to look out for. It's been know as an endocrine disruptor (hormone disruptor) and endocrine disruptors will affect everyone but are most harmful to children. Sunscreen products in the store usually have this in a high percentage of 3-6 percent. It's best to find a product without this ingredient or a very low percentage. The lowest I have seen this ingredient is at 1.8% in a spray sunscreen called Sunshades Sport by Melaleuca. (I will have other blog posts reviewing products I order from this company).
On to physical blockers. Physical blockers do just that, they physically block the suns harmful rays by deflecting it off the skin. They are usually in products under the Active Ingredients list as well, and are usually used in place or in conjunction with some of the above three ingredients. I've usually seen them used instead of oxybenzone but I haven't checked the back of every bottle of sunscreen either. Physical blockers are also mineral ingredients that do come from the earth, but with technology now a days you never know when they can man make one of these physical blockers.
The ingredients that are considered physical blockers are titanium dioxide and zinc oxide (think the white nose of a lifeguard at the beach). These ingredients in high doses don't usually blend or rub into the skin very well but more and more brands are making it easier to have a transparent sunscreen while using these. But be aware that in flash photography these products will give a white cast to you face in photos. Usually, if these are used alone they in very high percentages, upwards of 20% even. These have not been deemed harmful in anyway so they are a better choice for your children for sure, and for yourself if you don't mind the "white" look.
I will stop here for this post, but am going to write another one on what is SPF, how high the SPS should be and SPF for children. Thanks for checking out my blog today and keep checking for updates!
Have a wonderful day wherever you may be!
Presley Charlotte
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