Blog 52: Sunscreen – Why you need it? The right sunscreen for your skin

More than enough has been said & written about the importance of using a proper sunscreen on a daily basis but still there seems to be a serious lack of awareness. It is important to understand that sunscreen is not just a normal cosmetic that you can skip if you like, but it is a protection, a coverage that your skin needs to stay healthy.           

Check out what science has to say about sun induced skin damage & sunscreens,

• Sunscreen is one of the most important cosmetics in your skin care regime.
• It has been proved through several studies that exposure to sunrays induces photoaging that manifests as skin wrinkling, sagging & damage to the skin cells & DNA.
• The most skin damaging range of the UV radiation of sun is UVB (wavelength 290-320nm) & UVA (wavelength 320 – 400nm).
• Children are equally affected by UVA & UVB radiation & use of sunscreen has been found to be protective.
• The exposure to UVA usually remains constant but UVB exposure increases during summer¹.
• It has been observed that sunscreen increases UV radiation tolerability of skin².

Effects of UVA

Usually the effect of UVA manifests after long duration of exposure, even if the dose is low. Hence, you might not feel the effect of UVA exposure immediately, but it works as an intrinsic cause for quick degradation of skin elastin & collagen, resulting into loss of skin elasticity & wrinkling¹. UVA also contributes to the growth of skin cancer². 

Effects of UVB

Epidemiologic data and experimental evidence indicate that ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation includes the most important wavelengths for induction of skin cancer³. UVB radiation also causes pigmentation, sunburn & photoaging of the skin¹. 

Why people avoid sunscreen?

Are you skipping sunscreen because of any of the following,

• Sunscreen irritates & inflames your skin, triggers skin allergies
• Sunscreen makes you all sweaty
• It leaves your skin sticky, making all the dirt & pollution stuck to your face

If one or more than one reasons from the above is making you skip the sunscreen, all you need is to find the right sunscreen, but skipping the sunscreen is certainly not an option.

The Umbrella Sunscreen range from Keya Seth Aromatherapy has been formulated keeping not only the importance of sunscreen but also the common problems faced by sunscreen users in mind.

Sunscreen for oily skin

If you have oily skin & you are skipping the sunscreen as it makes your skin sweaty, pick Umbrella Sunscreen powder with SPF & PA+++. SPF will give you protection against UVB rays & PA+++ will protect your skin from the UVA rays. To top it all, the Umbrella sunscreen powder will give you a makeup finish.

However, you need to pick the SPF value 25 or 50 according to your need. If you are staying out in sun for longer, a higher protection of SPF 50 is right for you. In case you are staying indoors, or you will be out in the sun only for an hour or so, SPF 25 will work fine for you.

For even better protection use Umbrella Sunscreen Solution first & then top it up with the Umbrella powder.

Note: You should use the Umbrella Sunscreen Powder on top of your foundation or moisturizer but use the Umbrella Sunscreen Solutions as the first product on your cleansed skin.   

Sunscreen for sweaty dry skin

There are many dry skinned people who suffer from excess sweat during summer due to the humid weather coupled with high temperature. If you are one of them, the Umbrella Sunscreen Powder will work great for you.

This sunscreen formulation contains pure sandalwood powder which helps in controlling excess sweating triggered by high temperature & humidity. The presence of essential oils keeps it from drying out the skin. Pick Umbrella Sunscreen Powder SPF 25 or SPF 50 according to your sun exposure & you can forget the fear of both the sun & the sweat. If needed first use an Umbrella Sunscreen Solution & then follow with the powder.    

Sunscreen for dry skin

If you have dry skin & you do not run the problem of excess sweating you can easily choose between the Umbrella Sunscreen Powder or the Umbrella Sunscreen Solution. The Umbrella Sunscreen Solutions from Keya Seth Aromatherapy are water based, hence they are light on the skin & give sun protection without causing greasiness.

Pick the SPF value according to the limit of sun exposure.  If you are picking from the Umbrella Sunscreen Solution range, keep in mind that Umbrella Sunscreen Solution SPF 25 has PA++, while the other three higher variants, SPF 40, 60 & 75 contains PA+++, which means higher protection from both UVA & UVB rays.

Sunscreen for Sensitive skin

If sunscreen is causing redness, inflammation or irritation on your skin, it is important that you chose a sunscreen that is formulated with natural ingredients & not chemicals. The sunscreens from Keya Seth Aromatherapy are enriched with natural sun protectants like Carrot seed oil, Raspberry seed oil, Wheat germ oil, sandalwood powder & essential oils hence they are safe even for sensitive skin & will not cause irritation or redness.  

Sunscreen for Normal Skin

If you have normal skin pick Umbrella Sunscreen Powder or Umbrella Sunscreen Solution or both as per your choice, keeping the duration of sun exposure & heat in mind.    

Best sunscreen for long sun or heat exposure during summer

During summer it is not only the sunrays that harm your skin, but the summer heat also works a great deal in scorching your skin. Just like sun rays, excess heat also has the ability to induce signs of skin aging. 

Umbrella Sunscreen Solution SPF 75 with PA+++ not only gives your skin protection from UVA & UVB sun rays but it also contains PROTEX that creates a shield of silica & mica on skin, preventing thermal & free radical damage from atmospheric heat. So, when it comes to long sun exposure, nothing can beat the effectiveness of Umbrella Sunscreen Solution SPF 75. 

If you spend long hours daily in kitchen, using Umbrella Sunscreen Solution SPF 75 & topping it up with Umbrella Sunscreen powder SPF 25 can give you complete protection from the damaging effects of heat from the oven.  

Note: For total sun protection in any weather first apply the Umbrella Sunscreen Solution on cleansed skin & puff the Umbrella Sunscreen powder at the top of your moisturizer or makeup. Chose the SPF value of the sunscreen depending on the level of sun & heat exposure. 

References:

1. DeBuys HV, Levy SB, Murray JC, et al. Modern approaches to photoprotection. Dermatol Clin. 2000; 18:577-590.
2. Yuan C, Wang XM, Tan YM, et al. Effects of sunscreen on human skin’s ultraviolet radiation tolerance. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2010; 9:297 – 301.
3. Leaf A. Potential health effects of global climatic and environmental changes. N Engl J Med. 1989;321:1577–83.