This has been my most frequently asked question over the summer: what sunscreen should I use? Sunscreen is a very tough subject and even all the cosmetic chemist experts are learning more about sunscreen everyday. But sunscreen is so important and it is vital to understand how sunscreen works to be able to pick the best sunscreen for you. I’m going to give the quickest crash course on sunscreens and my recommendations for which sunscreen products are my top picks to meet your different needs for sunscreen. 

Cosmetic Chemistry of Sunscreens

• The sun’s rays are known to be the number one cause in accelerated aging due to the oxidation of the skin’s cells and breaking down the skin barrier creating fine lines and wrinkles

• There are three types of sun UV rays: UVA, UVB, UVC

  • UVC is typically absorbed in the ozone layer and doesn’t reach the skin, don’t worry about this guy..

  • UVB is the most concerning and reaches the top layer of skin, the epidermis, that can cause burning, cancer and pigmentation issues

  • UVA rays penetrate the skin past the epidermis, into the dermis which gives the firmness and elasticity behind the skin. These rays are the main concern for accelerated aging.

• To protect your skin from UVA and UVB rays, you need to make sure you wear sunscreen with BROAD SPECTRUM

• There are two types of sunscreen ingredients: physical and chemical

  • Physical sunscreens are ingredients such as titanium dioxide and zinc oxide that create a physical barrier from the sun rays. These ingredients are a very white coloring that reflect the sun (which is why they give ashy looking tones)

  • Chemical sunscreens are ingredients that show up as those scarier chemistry words on sunscreens like Avobenzone or Octocrylene. These ingredients work by absorbing the sun’s rays and not allowing the rays to penetrate the skin. These are very effective for sun protection.

• The formulating challenges: Sunscreens are very hard to formulate especially when you are trying to make the Broad Spectrum Claim and make sure your products meet it’s desired SPF.

  • Physical sunscreens create an ashy-white look on the skin and are harder to get your achievable SPF without looking like you’re just putting on white paint.

  • Chemical sunscreens are becoming a concern for consumers because they can get into the bloodstream more easily and create health problems. And also some chemical sunscreens like oxybenzone and octinoxate have been reportedly shown to bleach coral reefs and damage aquatic environments.

• What does the SPF number mean?

  • SPF stand for Sun Protection Factor

  • Because sunscreens are FDA regulated, they must be tested and proven to meet the SPF they are claiming and also have the manufacturing plant that is FDA approved. 

  • The actual SPF number is calculated in a lab by a standard light that measures how many seconds it takes for the skin to burn with the sunscreen divided by how many seconds it takes for the skin to burn without sunscreen. For example, if it takes 200 seconds for the skin to burn under a standard light and it takes 10 seconds to burn without it, it will have an SPF of 20. 

• The biggest concern is with acne and other skin irritations with sunscreens: Sunscreens tend to clog the skin’s pores because they are trying to cover all of the skin and they need to stay on the skin to make sure you are getting that full protection from the skin, especially long-wear sunscreens. In addition, the other ingredients that help keep the formula together and make it still feel nice are typically not going to let the skin breath or help you with the extra sweat from the heat while in the sun.

• My general sunscreen care recommendations: 

  • Moderate the amount of sun exposure, as mentioned, as our skin’s cells oxidize from the sun, our skin reacts and can create acne, aging and other skin problems 

  • Whatever you do, don’t burn.. this is when your skin really reacts and is trying to recover and heal causing faster aging 

  • Wear 30 SPF Broad Spectrum (this is the golden standard) and always reapply

  • Throw out sunscreens a year old. Typically cosmetic and beauty products are supposed to last two years but sunscreen formulations tend to break more easily which can cause skin irritation/acne and they will lose their effectiveness over time, so it’s better to throw out after a year

  • Make sure to always wash your face well after sunscreen use and moisturize at night with strong antioxidants like Vitamin E to keep your skin strong and healthy

    
    

The SPF products I recommend:

SuperGoop Glow Stick SPF 50: Not the biggest fan of the brand Goop itself because their mission doesn’t always seem to match their products. The products are effective and innovative but the ingredient list doesn’t quite match this wholistic “clean” approach. And if you have seen their documentary on Netflix, you probably can understand what I am talking about. But this product is ground breaking for sunscreens because it is a clear formula with a high SPF and goes on the skin without feeling like it’s being caked on and clogging all your pores.

La Roche Posay Anthelios Clear Skin Dry Touch Sunscreen SPF 60: This brand is highly respected and rightfully so. This is a great sunscreen that tackles it all. It has an SPF of 60, water resistant, it’s “oil free”/non-comedogenic and soaks up any oils produced from sweating and being out in the sun which is all great for acne prone skin.

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Water Resistant Sunscreen SPF 100+: This is a go to for must people because it is affordable and is a well trusted brand. It is a decent product and it does  My only concern is that when you start getting into these extremely high SPFs, you are caking your face and body with sunscreen and not allowing your skin to breath

CeraVe AM Face Moisturizer with Broad Spectrum Protection, SPF 30: If your skin isn’t very sensitive but need a good reasonably priced sunscreen for your face, this is your go to. The formula isn’t good in terms of clean ingredients but it will get the job done at an affordable price!

ILIA Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40: I love a good sunscreen that has some tint or color to it. I have not in fact tried this product yet, but based on the formulation, I encourage you all to go try it and I’m looking forward to trying it as well. This formula is about as clean as it can get for tinted sunscreens and has active ingredients to help with acne and other skincare issues that come with sunscreens and it is all physical sunscreen and has a large shade range to be more inclusive for minority skin tones. 

Your Dermatologist’s in house sunscreen products: Most derm offices carry a whole stack of products that are “medical grade”. During my master’s program, I asked several professors what makes products sold at the dermatologist “medical grade” and better than on the shelf products, and they never gave a straight answer and that is because it is another marketing term. “Medical Grade” products sold at your derm are simply supposed to be dermatologist/doctor approved and are higher in concentration with the active ingredients so the products are supposed to be more effective. Don’t get caught in this trap all the time but they will typically carry your higher end/ better formulated products so they should be more sensitive on the skin and give you full sun protection but you may be paying a pretty penny for something that you could get off the shelf or online.