I’ve got a few e-mails lately from readers asking for sunscreen recommendations, so I’m devoting this week’s Friday Finds to a few of my favorite sunscreen products. As I’ve described often on your blog, I’m very fair, spent the majority of my childhood outdoors and sunscreen-free and I have a family history of skin cancer. As a total result, I’ve tried tons of different sunscreens, and while I’m in no way a specialist on the problem, I’ve learned a lot about the variations between different formulas and their protection level.
The first thing you want to look for in a sunscreen is UVB and UVA safety. Both types of solar rays can cause tumor, but UVA primarily leads to photoaging (lines and wrinkles, leathery pores and skin, etc) and UVB rays give unpleasant burns. The next thing to consider is whether the product is photostable. A sunscreen is steady if it “doesn’t appreciably degrade when subjected to sunlight”.
A sunscreen can provide great safety, but if that security is nonexistent after a couple of hours and you are not religiously reapplying, you’re in big trouble. I really hardly understand all the research behind figuring out which products are photostable, but I find that if you do a seek out whether a specific sunscreen is photostable, you’ll usually find an answer pretty quickly. Asking your dermatologist for recommendations is a great idea also.
The third thing you want to do before buying a sunscreen is think about your skin type and what you’re utilizing it for. Some sunscreens are very moisturizing and ideal for dry skin while some are a mattifier and help keep makeup from melting off greasy skin. If you’re heading to be swimming or sweating a great deal, it’s smart to get a waterproof formulation.
And be reasonable about how exactly much you’ll use it. I don’t buy photounstable sunscreens because I know I’m too sluggish to reapply it and I buy the squirt formulas for my body since I’m too active each day to slather cream all over. Sunscreen is the most crucial beauty product you may use, so my final advice is to ensure you’re using a good one (high spf, photostable) and you are using it as you’re following directions carefully. And don’t think that you do not need sunscreen because your skin is dark- while African Americans are less inclined to get skin tumor than whites, they’re much more likely to pass away from melanoma.
- It is non-greasy so no greasy residue to be concerned about
- High in Vitamin A,D,E,F
- 1/2 cup sugars
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I currently use or used for an extended period of time with positive results and all are photostable. It offers the most protection of any sunscreen available in the U.S. Though I at first didn’t like Anthelios (my skin was particularly delicate at the time), I am using it regularly for over a month and really love it.
You can read my full review here. That is my go-to body sunscreen as it’s easy and fast to use and dries quickly, leaving no residue on clothes or epidermis. An additional benefit is that it’s waterproof and sweatproof, so it’s especially convenient for athletes or any outdoor activity. It’s my holy grail moisturizer (read the full review here), is the best thing in the world for my combination dry/acne prone skin and works beautifully under makeup. I’d recommend it for just about any skin type, as it’s a great moisturizer but isn’t in any way greasy.
This sunscreen doubles as a primer/mattifyer and it is a godsend to a person with oily skin. That it is the very best mattifyer I’ve ever used, but as my skin has gotten drier lately, I’ve had to give it up. It keeps makeup from melting and is impervious to sweat and water. Another sunscreen that is just as effective as a moisturizer, this product has great protection for a reasonable price and it is available everywhere. It could be heavy for those with oily epidermis, but it works perfectly for normal-dry types.