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Continuing on with the 'summer sun theme' as here in the northern hemisphere we are now into the hot summer months. Summer is no-doubt the best time of the year in any country when everyone is in a much happier mood, the day's are longer, and you can relax by the pool, beach or river and soak up all the beautiful warm rays.
In the past 8 to 10 years I've become obsessed with protecting my skin, especially as I can see effects of sun damage through this annoying hyper-pigmentation that has appeared on my forehead! So I cover every inch of my body with sunblock, going over some area's twice just for good measure!
So let's talk about the sun and spf protection! A few common questions I'm often asked are.
1. What type of sun screen is good to use?
2. Does my spf 15 foundation and my spf 30 sunscreen add to spf45?
3. I feel like I'm putting too many layers on from moisturizer, sunblock, primers, the list goes on.
What order do I apply everything in?
Right lets break it all down.
UVA & UVB - Broad-spectrum protection
When looking for a sunblock make sure it's broad-spectrum meaning UVB and UVA protection. UVB are the short rays that hit the surface of your skin, where you can see and feel the effects, ie: if your not protected your skin burns, peels and goes pink or red in colour. UVA are the deep rays that go into your skin and damage your skins layers, which over a period of time can cause wrinkles, pigmentation's, freckles and also skin cancers. So UVA & UVB protection are a BIG MUST!!!!
Photo credit to the Cancer Society.
1. Choosing the right SPF.
Interestingly enough we all tend to think the higher the factor the better protected you are right? Wrong! Dermatologists claim that a 20spf to 30spf is the right amount of sun protection. The higher the SPF, like a factor 50spf only gives you around 2% extra coverage and contains more chemicals increasing your skin's sensitivity, which can cause break outs, dermatitis and rosacea. Who would've thought right?
2. Does adding your SPF products together = extra coverage?
The short and fast answer is NO, adding up your foundation and sunblock does not equal higher sun protection, it just means you're protected to whatever your highest product is.
3.Wondering what order to apply all those products?
Preparing your skin comes down to your own individual skin type, but basically anyone can follow this process.
* Clean and moisturize with a built in SPF:
After cleansing your face in the morning, apply a moisturizer that already has spf in it. This saves you from having to use an actual sun block and another layer.
*Primer:
If you feel your makeup slips and slides with the heat and humidity, invest in a good primer. There are so many on the market so you will need to do some investigating to suit your skin type, mainly those with sensitive skin. Ask at your makeup counter for testers before you invest in the product as you don't want any break out's. As per my last blog post here, I'm a fan of these fantastic primers below.
Extra Tip: If you have a primer that is super hydrating and gives you enough moisture for the day, cut out your daily moisturizer as your primer will be suffice.
*Foundation:
Apply your foundation as usual. A lot of makeup houses have foundations infused with SPF and the added use of antioxidants. Antioxidants are great as they repair your skin cells when exposed to the sun and air pollution.
*How long in-between each layer?
Make sure you leave 2-3 minutes in between each layer of product for it to really absorb and settle into your skin.
Extra note:
Take into consideration the many ingredients you need to be aware of in products with sunblock additives, especially if you have sensitive skin. Some ingredients may cause your skin to react, so you really do need to do a patch test. Ask a professional dermatologist and research as to what ingredients you should avoid when buying sunblocks, but that's another subject altogether.
And so there you have it. Go forth and protect your skin from those harmful rays.
And, as always, if you have any further questions do let me know, and contact me via the 'Contact Page'.
xo Krystina