Protect yourself this summer by picking the perfect sunscreen.
Summer is finally here! It feels like we’ve been waiting forever. Before you run out to the beach or local pool, take a look at the expiry date on the sunscreen that’s been collecting dust since last year. Is it expired?
Don’t shrug that expiry date off. Most sunscreens are designed to last three years but if your sunscreen is expired it’s significantly less effective allowing you to be the target for potential sun damage.
If your sunscreen is expired, its time to go shopping but how do you pick the sunscreen that best suits your needs?
Here are a few tips to help you pick the perfect sunscreen:
- Always choose a sunscreen with “broad spectrum” protection, both UVA and UVB sun rays can be harmful to your skin health. By choosing a broad-spectrum sunscreen you’ll be protecting yourself from both.
- Make sure you choose a sunscreen that offers SPF 30 (sun protection factor) or above.
- Let’s be clear, there is no such thing as waterproof sunscreen, no matter what the bottle says. Be sure to reapply every two hours, especially if you’re swimming or sweating.
- Always choose a cream versus a spray. Why? Spray sunscreens are not only harmful to your health if inhaled, but they’re also harmful to the environment. Give Mother Nature a break and use a cream-based sunscreen this summer.
- Check the ingredients! We think about the things we put in our body but forget when it comes to sunscreen that harmful ingredients can be absorbed through the skin. Avoid oxybenzone, avobenzone, octisalate, octocrylene, homosalate and octinoxate. These chemical fillers are easily absorbed into your skin, especially when exposed to heat and can disrupt our hormones and liver.
Remember the good old days when you could just grab any sunscreen that was on sale and feel safe? We know better now. Be sure to pick the perfect sunscreen protection and you’ll be worry-free all summer long!
