Don’t you just hate it when your skin gets darker every time you step out in the sun?
The longer you stay out, the darker you get. And by day end, you look a couple of shades darker than you did before you left your house. |
| Know your enemy. |
The sun emits 2 kinds of rays – UVA and UVB.
UVA rays are the tanning rays. They are the ones that darken your skin. They also damage collagen, giving you those dreaded wrinkles.
UVB rays cause sun burns and skin reddening.
For maximum protection against the sun, you have to block both UVA and UVB rays. |
| Know your friends. |
|
Sunscreen is your saviour from the harsh effects of the sun. But always make sure you choose the one that contains SPF 15 or more, so that you can do more in the sun. |
| Know what SPF is all about. |
Sun Protective Factor or SPF measures how long the sunscreen will protect you from burning. For example, if your unprotected skin normally takes 10 minutes to burn in the sun, and you use a sunscreen with SPF 15, your skin will be protected for 150 mins (10 x 15). So you are sun protected for 2 1/2 hours.
Therefore, the higher the SPF, greater the protection. So SPF 4 gives you 75% sun protection, SPF 15 gives you 93%, while SPF 30 gives as much as 97% UV protection. |
| How to pick the sunscreen best suited to your skin's needs |
| |
 |
|
|
Skin Need |
|
| Current Lifestyle |
Activities |
Non- Oily & Matte |
Normal Moisturising |
Out in the Sun extensively
(High exposure) |
Taking a bus to work, day at the beach, trekking, standing in a queue to pay your bills |
SPF 30 Oil Control |
|
Out in the Sun moderately
(Medium exposure) |
Driving to work in your car, dropping childern to school, walking to your neighbourhood grocer
|
SPF 20 Oil Control |
SPF 15 Moisturising Lotion |
|
| Know that clothes can’t really protect you. |
|
If you think that by covering up with full sleeves, scarves, umbrellas, etc. you are protected, think again. UV rays can penetrate clothes, just like an x-ray. So you need to apply sunscreen every time you step out. |
| Know when to apply sunscreen. |
Always put your sunscreen 20 minutes before you step out. For that is how long it takes for the product to be thoroughly absorbed by the skin.
Also, use sunscreen all through the year. Even during the monsoons and winter. That’s because the UV rays can penetrate cloud cover and still cause skin damage. |
| Know how to get the right protection! |
| |
