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Sun protection

The long-awaited summer is finally here! The days are getting longer, the hours of sunshine more numerous, and the sun is burning hotter: sun protection should now absolutely be a daily part of your skin protection routine! But not all sun protection is the same, did you know that? Sun protection works according to different principles, but what exactly are they?

Types of sun protection

There are two very different principles of sun protection, chemical and physical. These two work very differently – and we'll explain exactly why!

Chemical filters penetrate the skin and absorb radiation there, but they break down relatively quickly. However, some ingredients are suspected of having hormonal effects, and the filters sometimes contain nanoparticles.

Physical filters don't penetrate the skin. They are natural mineral filters that reflect or absorb UV rays. The downside is that some products leave a thick, sometimes visibly whitish film on the skin. Sunscreens from natural cosmetics brands are based on the physical principle, but they often only protect against UVB radiation.

Chemical and physical sun protection

In the past, there was only protection against UVB rays, but according to a new EU regulation, simultaneous UVA protection is now also required. But what exactly are these types of radiation – and how do they damage our skin? There's a handy mnemonic for that: UVB (B for burning) and UVA (A for aging). This makes it easy to remember which radiation is responsible for which kind of damage: premature skin aging or sunburn.

To help you keep track, the products are also labeled with the corresponding seals, by the way! So it pays to compare, and to take a close look when it comes to sun protection!

Then there's the sun protection factor, with quite a range available in stores, from 5 to 50. But what exactly does it mean? The factor describes how much longer you can stay in the sun than your skin type's natural protection allows. We recommend reapplying about every 2 hours!

So first you have to find your way through the jungle of products to be able to choose the right product for your own individual skin. Sometimes that's a little tricky, but you can relax – we're happy to advise you after a thorough skin analysis on which protection is right for you.

Your team at Skinthetics