The SPF Lowdown | What You Need To Know

Sunday, July 27, 2014



So everyone knows you're supposed to apply sunscreen before stepping out of the house, but what is SPF? Since summer is here, I gathered some information about SPF and smooshed it into this little post! No one wants to look like the Christmas roast, eh? (: 

A few statistics... 

20 minutes
Is how long one should wait after applying SPF before going into the sun. This allows the SPF to stabilise with the skin and maximise protection!

2 hours
Is how long one should go before reapplying, especially if one is outdoors under direct sunlight!

80%
of visible skin ageing is due to sun exposure! ): 

40 minutes
Is how long waterproof sunscreen maintain their sun protecting properties! 

The lowdown... 

What is SPF, actually? 
SPF stands for 'sun protection factor', which is sunscreen's ability to prevent damage from UVB! 
UVB rays are the main cause of accelerated melanin production.  
To tackle the bastards, SPF of 15 and higher is recommended!

There are two types of UV filters.

1. Chemical filters
 Absorb and convert UV rays to safe energy by the time it reaches the skin 

2. Physical filters
Reflect UV rays away from our skin!

Most sunscreens contain a mixture of different filters, allowing a wider range of protection! 

For more sensitive skin, less chemical more physical filters are recommended (:

When is sunscreen actually needed? 
Any time as long as you're out in the sun. Even if you're in the office, or it's raining or cloudy, slap on that sunscreen! 
80% of UV rays are able to penetrate clouds or are reflected by the ground, the little devils.
The sand reflects 20% of the UV rays as well! 
It may sound scary but don't fret, SPF cures it all (:

Note: This information isn't mine, but rather, collated from different websites and magazines. I have crossed-reference some and most of the figures are the same. (;

~~~~~~~~

A few of my favourite sunscreens or products that contain SPF are...


The Bioré UV Aqua Rich, a liquid-y formulation that is of feather-light texture that sinks into the skin, undetectable. It has SPF 50+ ad is enriched with hyaluronic acid and citrus essence. I love this on days when I'm going to be out in the sun and sweating all day as its consistency is so light, it doesn't mess with my dewy-finish foundations!

The Bobbi Brown SPF 50 UV Protective Face Base is a lotion that claims to prevent premature agin, dark spot formation and sun burn. I don't know how true all of these claims are but it definitely protects my face from the sun with its high SPF! This can be a bit tacky, though, and I would recommend this for drier skin types (:

Kiehl's Actively Correcting and Beautifying BB Cream (what a mouthful) has been my go-to base recently! This was gifted to me and has definitely come in handy for the hot weather! It almost immediately smoothens out my skin tone while providing light to buildable coverage. I use this under matte foundations as it is too dewy for my liking (I am an as-matte-as-possible gal). People have claimed this smells straight-up sunscreen, which they don't face but I say it smells sugary and caramel-y! I really enjoy using this and will continue to do so until I finish it all up! :D



What's your favourite sunscreen? (:


P.S. Sorry I haven't been posting as regularly. My camera's focus was wacky and I had to send it for repairs. Weirdly enough, the focus on my iPhone was broken too, so that didn't work as well. I'm glad to say I've gotten a new camera so yippee!!


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1 comments

  1. great post! very helpful

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