How To Choose a Safe Sunscreen
Summertime brings more time spent in the pool, attending BBQs, and overall more time enjoying the great outdoors. This also means longer hours spent in the summer sun! Long gone are the days of covering ourselves with baby oil and baking out in the sun for that golden brown skin tone. More and more people are starting to understand how important it is to protect their skin from harmful UV rays and they are embracing sunscreen application (& we are here for it).
With more and more people trying to protect their skin from the sun, it’s no secret that the sunscreen market is booming. With hundreds (if not thousands) of brands selling sunscreen products, how do you commit to using a single brand? Unfortunately, there are a handful of brands on the market that don’t even provide adequate sun protection and others that contain harmful ingredients. We’re giving you the 411 on how to select a safe, effective, and non-toxic sunscreen! Plus we’ll be sharing our favorite sunscreen picks with you.
Why You Should Wear Sunscreen
Okay we feel like this is common knowledge but just in case you need a reminder:
Sunscreen helps protect your skin from skin cancer. Daily sunscreen use can actually reduce your risk of developing melanoma by 50%.
Sunscreen helps prevent premature aging such as fine lines and wrinkles (both of which are costly to reverse).
Sunscreen application helps prevent skin discoloration - the spots we all try to cover up! Dewy, even skin tone is IN and isn’t going anywhere any time soon.
How To Choose a Safe SPF
To truly select a safe sunscreen for your skin, there’s a checklist you should go through.
Read the product label. There are probably a lot of ingredients you don’t know or can’t pronounce but we want you to look out for the words, “broad-sunscreen”. This means the sunscreen provides protection against both UVB (the rays that cause sunburn) and UVA (the rays that cause tanning and premature aging).
Choose an SPF of 15 to 30! Products that claim they have a higher SPF are often misleading and don’t provide the protection you need.
We recommend educating yourself on the pros and cons of mineral and chemical sunscreen products. This will help you determine which sunscreen product might be best for you. Mineral based sunscreens contain an ingredient you might be familiar with, zinc oxide (or some type of product combination made with titanium dioxide). This ingredient essentially forms a protective barrier over the surface of the skin and UV light is reflected away from the skin. On the other hand, chemical based sunscreens contain compounds that absorb UV light and prevent it from penetrating the skin. These compounds fully absorb into the skin and can cause irritation to those with sensitive skin types.
Check all sunscreen products for water resistance. Whether you’re planning to be in the pool, the ocean, or just out and about - water resistant sunscreen is always a good idea. Chances are, even if you won’t be hanging in the water all day, you’ll still be sweating. By purchasing a water resistant sunscreen, you have extra protection from the sun.
Sunscreen Brands That Are Safe
Similar to the other products we use on our skin, we are picky about our sunscreens (and as you might be able to tell from above - it’s for a good reason). The sunscreen products listed below are broad spectrum and are formulated for all skin types, including those with sensitive skin.
For everyday sunscreen use we always recommend Rhonda Allison’s Daytime Defense SPF 30. We talk about this product a lot, and for a good reason! This clean, mineral based product is formulated with Zinc Oxide to provide a natural sun barrier and to protect the skin while also providing antimicrobial, antioxidant, and soothing, healing support.
Don’t discount how much protection your hands need from the sun - especially for those who spend a lot of time in the car or those who work outside. One of our more popular products is Jane Iredale’s HandDrink Hand Cream SPF 15. This product is ultra-hydrating, helps improve and even out skin tone, and is even recommended by The Skin Cancer Foundation as an effective broad spectrum sunscreen. *BONUS* it doesn’t leave your skin feeling greasy - a huge win for hand lotion!
As you can tell - there’s a lot to unpack when it comes to choosing the right sunscreen for you and your family. While it’s easy to quickly order the top selling sunscreen product on Amazon or grab a spray can of sunscreen at Target, it’s not always the safest or most effective option. For more product recommendations reach out to our skincare experts at Gameela Skin, info@gameelaskin.com.