Yesterday we shared with you some facts about moisturizer vs sunscreen [Click here to view]. Today we answer two questions, “What are Sunscreens?” & “What are their active ingredients?”.
What are Sunscreens?
Sunscreen is a pharmaceutical product designed to protect skin from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation (UVR). These products contain a physical blocker (zinc oxide or titanium dioxide) which protects the skin from UVB (UVR which can cause sunburn) and UVA (UVR which damages the skin with more long-term effects, such as premature skin aging). Even though its effectiveness does depend on the amount of physical blocker in the product, they typically have a SPF (sun protection factor) of 30+. The best quality sunscreen will have 6% or more zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide.
Sunscreens are made with 17 active ingredients. These ingredients come into two categories: absorbers (which create a chemical reaction to absorb UVR) and reflectors (which are physical barriers that reflect or block UV rays away from the skin). The majority sunscreens have a mixture of absorbers and/or reflectors. They are available in creams, mousses, lotions and moisturizers.
Throughout the month we will be sharing more tips. If you don’t want to wait and would like to read our full article, just let us know. Just comment on our Facebook wall and we’ll reply back.
