In search of the perfect sunscreen

I wish someone had told the importance of sunscreen when I was in my 20s. It was only when lines and spots caused by the sun started appearing on my face that I started taking sunscreen seriously. I never liked putting on sunscreen. All these years, I thought the higher the SPF, the better it protects my skin from being damaged by the sun. You see, I have acne-prone skin and I hated how thick and oily sunscreen felt on my face. I hated how it clogged my pores. Recently, I realized I had the wrong approach to sunscreen all along.

When picking out the right sunscreen, there are 2 things we have to know. The sunscreen should be able to protect against UVA and UVB rays.

UVB rays are the kind of radiation that damages skin, causes discoloration and sunburn. SPF is a measure of how well the sunscreen will protect your skin from UVB rays. For best protection, choose a sunscreen with a minimum of SPF 15. It blocks 93% of UVB rays. SPF 30 blocks 97% and SPF 50 blocks 99%. The higher SPFs (like 75 or 100) do not really offer much more protection from the UVB rays. So you can see, you really don’t need to go beyond SPF 50.  In fact, most dermatologists recommend going with SPF 15 or 30.

UVA rays are considered scarier than UVB because they can penetrate further into the skin, destroying key substances in skin that give it firmness and elasticity. They are the leading cause of wrinkles. Simply put, UVA causes aging of the skin. To protect against UVA, pick sunscreens that say “broad spectrum” or has “PA+” on the label. If you are choosing one with the latter, pick the one with more “+” signs. It offers more protection against UVA rays. ‘Broad spectrum’ protects against the full range of UVA rays.

Sunscreens don’t last all day. You need to reapply every 2 hours. For the more natural/organic sunscreens such as The Honest Co. Honest Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50+, you will need to reapply every hour. Don’t forget to read the ingredients list on the back. Try to pick the one with zinc oxide as the active ingredient rather than titanium dioxide. It is safer and more effective in protecting your skin. Also, zinc oxide has been tested and approved by FDA for use on babies under 6 months of age.

One more thing, UVA rays can penetrate through glass. So don’t be negligent in putting on sunscreen even if you plan to stay indoors all day. It is a good habit to add sunscreen to your daily morning skincare regiment.

After trying numerous sunscreens from different brands, some personal favorite sunscreens of mine for my acne-prone skin are:

• Cle De Peau Beaute Creme Protection UV SPF 50 PA++++
• Paula’s Choice RESIST Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid SPF 50 Anti-Aging Moisturizer, Broad Spectrum Sun Protection for Oily Skin
• Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel Moisturizing Sunscreen Lotion with Broad Spectrum and Water-Resistant, SPF 30

They feel light enough for my acne-prone skin and protect me from both types of harmful rays. What’s yours?