Sexy new bikini… check.
Sunhat and shades… check.
Beach bag filled with cool drinks, snacks and your favourite glossy… check.

Now that you’re all ready to hit the beach, what is THE MOST important item that you can’t leave the house without? Your sunscreen.

That’s easier said than done, though. Every year the supermarket shelves are jam-packed with lotions, oils and spray bottles with SPF ranging from 2 to a trillion (it seems!). How do you know which one will work best for you?
Let’s start with the definition of SPF. SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. So, the higher the SPF, the more your skin will be protected, right? Unfortunately it’s a bit more complicated than that.

In theory, the SPF factor indicates how much time you can spend in the sun. Here’s an example: if your unprotected skin burns after 10 minutes in the sun, you can bask in the rays for 150 minutes if you apply a SPF of 15. Thus 10 x 15 = 150 worry free minutes in the sun. But that’s in theory! Just because you apply a SPF 50 product, it doesn’t guarantee protection for 500 minutes. CANSA (The Cancer Association of South Africa) urges you to reapply sunscreen every 2 – 3 hours. It is also important to reapply after swimming or exercising. Sunscreen gets washed and rubbed off easily. Make sure that your sunscreen is waterproof to ensure that you are protected while in the water.

The higher the SPF, the higher the protection against UVB rays. UVB rays cause sunburn and skin damage. SPF 15 filters out approximately 93% of all incoming UVB rays. The higher the SPF, the higher this percentage goes. Please be aware that no amount of SPF can protect your skin from 100% of the rays.

It is also very important to note that SPF protects your skin against UVB rays, but not UVA. UVA rays cause lasting skin damage and ageing. A broad-spectrum sunscreen is needed to protect against both UVA and UVB. Make sure to read the packaging before you purchase any sunscreen product.

Both UVB and UVA rays can cause skin cancer. Make sure that your skin is always protected, even in winter.
Here are some more tips on protecting your skin from the sun:
 Try to stay out of the sun between 10am and 3pm.
 Make sure to apply enough sunscreen and to apply it evenly.
 Apply to all areas that get exposed to the sun’s rays. Don’t forget to protect your ears and lips.
 Wear protective clothing and hats.
 Wear sunglasses with a UV protection rating of UV400.
 Always apply sunscreen 20 minutes before you go into the sun.
 CANSA advises you to look out for the expiry or manufacturing date as products usually expire two years after manufacture; however, no product should be used once opened after a year.

It is very important to note that everyone needs to use sunscreen, no matter what your age, skin colour or how ‘strong’ your skin is. Just because you don’t burn easily, doesn’t mean that your skin doesn’t get damaged.

Protect yourself! And enjoy the sunshine.

Article by:  Charlene http://www.beautybulletin.com/blog-directory/our-bloggers/pretty-please-charlie