I remember when picking a sunscreen was just a matter of deciding whether I preferred the scent of Coppertone or Banana Boat. They both had a respectable SPF 15 – so for me it always came down to fragrance. That was 10 years ago. Now there aren’t four or five different sunscreens with the same SPF – there are literally dozens with SPFs ranging from 15 to 70+. Some are spray on, others promise waterproofness and yet others have fancy new ingredients like helioplex. So how do you know which sunscreen is best for you?
How To Find The Perfect Sunscreen
Look for a sunscreen that has broad spectrum coverage. That means that the sunscreen blocks both UVA (these penetrate deeply into the skin and cause wrinkles) and UVB (associated with the lobster red sunburn).
- For UVB look for a sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher. SPF 15 typically blocks about 93% of UVB rays, going up to SPF 30 only affords you about four percent more sun screening – doubling the sunscreen SPF doesn’t double the sun screening efficacy.
- For UVA it is a bit more difficult since there isn’t a scale to determine sun screening efficacy. The best you can do is look for these key ingredients: Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide, Ecamsule, Avobenzone, Oxybenzone, Parsol 1789, or Sulisobenzone.
- If you will be active or in the water look for a water resistant sunscreen. Keep in mind that you will still need to reapply water resistant sunscreens – as they are not waterproof and will lose sun protection efficacy over time.
- Throw out sunscreen that is over a year old – that’s my personal recommendation. Sunscreen does not last forever. It’s efficacy can break down over time. So next time you hit the beach – toss last year’s bottle and make sure a brand new bottle of sunscreen accompanies you.
The Winning Sunscreens for Summer 2008
Some of the sunscreen products I tested felt a bit greasy on my already ultra-oily facial skin – so for those products I asked my friend with dry mature skin to give it at try. Our favorite sunscreen recommendations for body (and face if noted) are:
- DERMAdoctor Body Guard Exquisitely Light SPF 30 (body and face-leaves a matte finish on skin; recommended for oily and blemish prone skin) Price: $25. Available at DERMAdoctor.com.
- Ti Silc GT SPF 60+ contains anti-oxidant Japanese Green Tea to protect against free radicals. (Love it for body. For facial use: if you have dry to combo skin it’s great, but I don’t recommend for facial use if you have oily or blemish prone skin as it tends to be a bit greasy) Price: $30.80. Sharing the number 2 spot is another sunscreen from Procyte, Ti Silc Sheer SPF 45 ($26.60)- glides on easy, water-resistant: lasts through repeated dips in the pool and stays put through vigorous outdoor activity. Available via physicians – see procyte.com for physician locater.
- Jan Marini Antioxidant Daily Face Protection SPF 30 (water resistant and wonderful for oily skin sufferers, leaves matte skin matte and protected). Price: $45. Available at makemeheal.com.
- Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Lotion SPF 55 PA++ (avoid using on the face if you’re oily, awesome for overall body and for those with dry to combo skin) Price: $37. Available at Sephora.com
September 17th, 2008 at 5:07 am
I use SPF 20, but I am not satisfied. Good Post. I think I should use higher SPF sunscreen.
October 6th, 2008 at 11:06 pm
Considering how much money is spent these days on skin care products,I find it interesting how unwilling some people are to pay a little bit more for a quality sunscreen. There are many people who will use just about anything, just to save a few bucks. The sunscreens you feature here might seem a little pricey, but I think it’s worth it for the protection they provide.
Also I think its worth mentioning that sunscreen isn’t just for sunny days. UV rays are present even if the sun is not out, so some sunscreen is necessry even when it is cloudy.