Beauty School: Sunscreen Math
Hi everyone,
Even if math isn't your favorite subject, there are some numbers that we just can't miscalculate. Sun Protection Factor (SPF) is one of them and is extremely important for our skin, and should be at the forefront of our summer health practices. Here are some essential sunscreen facts to keep in mind while you bathe:
1. Believe it or not, SPFs don't add up like a simple math problem. For example, if you apply SPF 10 and SPF 30, you won't magically have SPF 40. Sunscreens don't work this way because their active ingredients do not add on top of one another. However, using two SPFs would increase your overall coverage and lessen the chance that you missed a spot while applying. o_0
2. It's weird, but different sunscreens also have different levels of protection against UVB rays, which means that they don't increase proportionally as some people believe. Just because you bump up your protection from SPF 15 to SPF 30, doesn't mean you'll be rewarded with double protection. A higher SPF does provides greater protection from those damaging short waves, so think big!
3. SPF makeup can dilute the SPF in your moisturizer and actually decrease your skin's protection factor. So if you're going to use an SPF moisturizer first, make sure to apply makeup without SPF in order to prevent reduction of your sun protection.
4. Sunscreen isn't just found in a bottle. You should make sure to bring other items – sunglasses, cover-ups, umbrellas, wide-brimmed hats, etc. – when you sun bathe because protective clothing will help to avoid getting too much sun and could come in handy when you've had enough.
5. Since no sunscreen is waterproof, applying your SPF throughout the day is crucial. Even if a product passes FDA tests to claim "water resistance" this usually only lasts for about 40 to 80 minutes.
Do you have any safe sun practices? What sunscreen math do you know?
<3 Mish
Related:
Six Bad Beauty Habits to Break in 2012
DIY Sun Soother
Accessorized: Missing Sunny L.A.!
Rewind Wednesday: Bronze Beauty
Sources: AAD.org, Sciencemag.org
26 comments
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Wow, never knew about #3 and i've been doing that quite often. Using my eucerin spf moisturizer and my missha bb cream.
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I also know a kind of sun protect level which is called PA,PA+,PA++,PA+++, but have no ideal about the specific meaning of that, who knows?
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OOO #3 is something I never knew about~ but I guess also never happened because I wouldn't apply so much things on my skin~~~~ ( like double SPF in 2 diff products.. feels too much)
xoxo HitomiNeko xoxo
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learned something new!
this is very helpful as the weather is getting warmer!!
Thanks!!!
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You should check this post about sunscreens... those SPF's are deceiving...
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:) Here's a sunscreen infographic. Very very useful and informative!
It shows you how long certain Sunscreen last based on your skin type/color.
http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/2011/the-sunscreen-smokescreen/
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Very nice!
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Misspeony
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Living near the beach, great hiking and tons of outdoor activities I've learned that the best way to be protected is to aways wear sunscreen. I live in San Diego so SPF 30 is my go to best friend on normal days. I also wear a lipbalm that has SPF. For days at the beach or doing anything out in the sun I wear SPF 100+ and remember to reapply ever 45 minutes. Spots that most people forget about are TOPS OF YOUR FEET, YOUR EARS & FACE. I can't tell you how many times I've seen sunburned feet, ears and faces while at the beach... If you DO get sunburned aloe vera and this skin healing stuff from Fenix helps a lot. I'm serious about the ear thing too! My friend's ears were BURNT after she spent all day with her hair up for life guard training. Just remember to reapply your SPF, wear clothes for protection against the sun too and also rehydrate your skin after a day in the sun.
x,
Hya
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i'm allergic to sunscreen so whenever its sunny i reach for my sunglasses and floppy hat!
http://cloudsandcuticleoil.blogspot.co.uk/
xx
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All of thoose things I knew, but it's good to be proven. Why would anyone think that SPF 30 and 15 can add up? I usually use Daylong Extreme 50+, especially on my face, back of my neck and shoulders, but when it's after 4pm I use Nivea SPF 25 to 15, depending if it's may or august. But I think (actually, I KNOW 100%) that anyone, no matter how dark skin do you have should use SPF 50 between 10 am and 3 pm, because UV can be really dangerous, and how they say - It's better to prevent than to cure! Also, I don't have a lot of confidence in makeup with SPF. Maybe because once I bougth Clinique's foundation with SPF once, and not that it didn't protect me, it even damaged my skin and for the rest of the summer I had skin problems on my face (I usually really loved Clinique's products, weather it's makeup or skincare). And one more thing that is important as much as protection to me, every time I'm on the sun for more than half an hour (which is pretty much every day in summer) I apply apres sun lotion or/and aloe vera/something with aloe vera in it. I know this is spf protection post, but you should do a beauty school post on skincare after exposing yourself to sunlight, because it's very important, and mostly girls don't know a lot about it and don't care about it. Since I'm in a first dozen comments, hope Michelle reads it and teach us more about it.
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Dermatologists say that SPF of higher than 30 will put too much stress on your face where the skin is more delicate than your body. They recommend up to 30 for your face, and maybe higher if you prefer on your body.
And also, sun screens don't last as long as we'd like, so be sure to reapply them on your face every 3 hours to make sure your skin is protected throughout the day. :)
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I never leave the house without my SPF 50 (bless you Daylong Extreme!) when it starts to get too sunny at the beginning of May. My mum says that I am going to damage my skin because it doesn't get enough of sunlight and Vitamin D. But when I tell her that nowadays everyone is talking about protecting your skin because the sun is too extreme for your skin, she says "Well okay, but SPF 50 is just too much, no one uses that..." She thinks that I am going to regret not exposing myself to sunlight but I just hate tan and the rays are SO dangerous these years. And everyone is like "hehe, you're wearing sunscreen? But it's only May!" ... and then they cry about sunburn when they spend the day in the sun, even during spring. I'm afraid I'll never be able to explain to my mum that you HAVE to protect your skin with a higher SPF... For me, it's like pouring milk into a bowl of cereal. Something you just do.
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WOW!!! this just blew my mind! and to think i thought that it do add up and that i need a foundation with spf and my spf moisturizer for added protection! THANK YOU MICH! it really helped
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my favorite is SPF 60, and I always use my sunglasses and my big straw hat on if I'm going to the beach or anywhere the sun can hit my skin directly
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I had no idea about #3 - great info to know!! I have to remind people all the time though that you don't add an SPF 15 to an SPF 50 and get a 65- so funny!!
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