The fact that India is a tropical country is enough to understand the love-hate relationship Indians tend to have with the sun. With extreme heat in summers in most of the Indian regions, exposure to sun rays can have severe negative effects. Generally, long exposure to the UV rays (Ultraviolet Rays) from the sun can lead to severe skin problems, such as excessive tanning, irritation, inflammation of skin, acne breakouts, and even skin cancer. Heat waves - borne of summer, in its misery and longevity, - are indeed a terrific foe for your skin.
It is not only the summer sun that can result in extreme skin issues, but exposure to sun rays all year long can be hazardous to the skin. Regardless of winters or monsoon, the skin requires protection from the harmful UV rays of the sun.
The best way to protect your skin from the harmful sun rays or UV rays, according to every dermatologist or skin expert out there, is the application of sunscreen. Sunscreen is a sun protection cream that blocks the UV rays from interacting with your skin and thus protecting your skin barrier from damage.
Choosing a sunscreen for your face is as important as choosing any other skin care product or beauty product for your face. But with a plethora of sunscreens available in the market, zeroing down on the best sunscreen can be a difficult task.
Sunscreen and Your Skin Type
As in the case of other skin care products, it is your skin type that plays a major role in deciding the best sunscreen. With different skin types, the needs of skin differ accordingly. To know the best sunscreen for your face, it is important to know your skin type.
Must Read: What SPF is best suited for Indian skin?
There are five different types of skin:
- Normal Skin: As the name suggests, normal skin is skin that is generally balanced in its characteristics which means it is neither dry or oily in texture, it is not prone to acne (every skin experiences some breakouts), or suffer from hyperpigmentation or other skin issues. A normal skin is a balanced skin.
For normal skin, all sunscreen creams can be regarded as the best sunscreen.
- Dry Skin: Skin that appears dehydrated and lacks moisture is referred to as dry skin. Dryness of the skin may be a result of genetics that may prevent the skin to retain water as any skin should. Production of sebum is also generally less in dry skin.
For dry skin, experts suggest using a sunscreen that also helps moisturise and hydrate the skin.
- Oily Skin: When the sebaceous glands produce an excess amount of sebum or oil, the skin tends to appear oily or greasy. Due to the excess sebum production, oily skin is also more prone to acne.
Several sunscreens tend to leave your skin greasy, but if you have oily skin it is best to stay away from such sunscreens. For oily skin, choose a sunscreen that is a non comedogenic or non-greasy cream that gives a matt look.
- Combination Skin: A skin with the characteristics of oily and dry, normal or sensitive skin is known as a combination skin. If you have an oily T-zone i.e. an oily forehead and nose, and either dry, normal or sensitive skin on cheeks, then you have the combination skin type.
Since in combination skin, the person may have oily and either dry, normal or sensitive skin, dermatologists suggest using a sunscreen that does not clogs the skin pores and is non-greasy. Thus, a non-comedogenic sunscreen is the best option for people with combination skin.
If you are still unsure of your skin type then it is best to select a sunscreen that is suitable for all skin types.
SkinQ’s Sun Protect Gel is a sunscreen that was formulated by dermatologists after years of research and study of the Indian skin. To was developed to cater the needs of the Indian skin and is one of the first sunscreen cream that fulfills the requirement of every skin type.
Unlike other sunscreens, the gel form of our sunscreen does not leave behind whitish stains and is non-greasy, Non- sticky and non -comedogenic . Its formulation of SPF with the added benefits of vitamin C also makes it a 2-in-1 product as it protects and also repairs the skin with the help of vitamin C.
SPF40 with Vitamin C, PA++++
SPF level, short for Sun Protection Factor, protects the skin from the radiations emitted by the sun. These radiations have three variants, UVA, UVB, and UVC rays.
UVC rays: UVC rays are the type of UV rays one doesn’t need to be concerned about since it gets absorbed in the atmosphere and does not affect your skin.
UVB rays: Unlike the UVC rays, it is UVB rays that can lead to various skin conditions including cancer, moreover its blend with UVA rays amplifies its reaction.
Here’s where the SPF comes into play. The higher the level of SPF, the more effective it is in protecting the skin from such radiations. Most dermatologists recommend using a sunscreen with a minimum of SPF40, but when it is higher than 50, the additional effects are marginal.
SkinQ’s Sun Protect Gel has SPF40 which is well-balanced and blocks upwards of 97.5% of UVB rays. Sun Protect Gel also comes with PA++++, a component essential to protect from UVA rays.
UVA rays: UVA rays cause the tanning of the skin, making it look dull. PA++++ is the highest rated component in the protection grade of UVA.
Vitamin C:
And finally, the one element that completes the finest trio among sunscreens is Vitamin C. Vitamin C slows down the aging of the skin and also causes skin brightening which makes the skin look radiant and even-toned. It offers advanced protection against hyperpigmentation and melasma. Vitamin C is also an antioxidant that protects you from skin damage. With
SPF40 and PA++++, SkinQ’s Sun Protect Gel is a sunscreen with vitamin C, which makes it a well-balanced and effective sun protection cream.
Myths and Other Tips
Let’s start with busting the myth of gender-based sunscreens. There are no separate skin types when it comes to sunscreen for men or sunscreen for women. Sans the gender aspect, sunscreen cream products that are available in the market are usually based on skin types.
Sunscreen is the most important part of any skincare regime, but when applying sunscreen, you shouldn’t skip other exposed parts, especially the neck. Lather your hands, legs or feet with sunscreen lotions
Short tip to keep healthy your skin
Sunscreen is your best friend and your best armour against the UV rays. Skipping sunscreen can affect you in the long term. A little sun protection can go a long way and is never a bad idea!