How Well Do You Know Your Sunscreen? Beauty writer and SCV native shares her hottest advice from NYC

 Staring at the sunscreen aisle of your go-to drugstore can be a bit daunting.  With so many different brands, SPF levels and types, sunscreen can feel somewhat like a foreign language.  You know you should be wearing SPF every day and that you should be reapplying, but do you know what type of sunscreen you should be purchasing or how often you should reapply?
Let’s start with the basics.  SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor, and its level is based on comparison: how long it takes unprotected skin to burn versus how long it takes sunscreen-protected skin to burn.  So if it takes five minutes for unprotected skin to burn – most unprotected skin can start to burn within the first 5-10 minutes of direct sun exposure – and you apply SPF 30, your skin will be protected for approximately two and a half hours.
Let me break that equation down for you.  To find out how long an SPF can protect your skin from the sun, and how long until you need to reapply, multiply the SPF number times the amount of minutes it takes your skin to burn.

SPF 30 x 5 = 150 minutes, or 2.5 hours of sun protection

In addition to knowing how to choose an SPF level, it is equally as important to know what to look for when it comes to protecting your skin from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays.  UVA and UVB rays make up a very small percentage of the sun’s rays; however, they exist and they are to blame for skin cancer, dark spots, wrinkles and more.  Think of it this way.  The “A” in UVA stands for “aging,” and it has a long wavelength that can penetrate deep into the skin, reaching layers known as the dermis.  UVA rays are not only cancer causing but also aging.  Well, sort of.  These rays go after the collagen in the dermis, which can lead to early signs of aging.
The “B” in UVB represents sun’s favorite skincare word: burn.  And just because these rays don’t have as long of a wavelength as UVA rays, doesn’t mean that they aren’t dangerous.  UVB rays attack the surface of your skin and are the main cause of skin cancer.
Side note: Did you know it only takes five bad burns in your youth to become susceptible to skin cancer? Five. Which is why it is not only important to wear sunscreen as adults but also to make sure we slather SPF on our kids every day and teach them this important habit, as well.
To combat these dangerous rays, always go with a broad-spectrum sunscreen, as this kind of UV protection can help block the skin from both UVA and UVB rays. Don’t forget to reapply!
When it comes to wearing sunscreen, it is absolutely vital that you wear your SPF 365 days a year – especially if you live in an area like the Santa Clarita Valley, where the sun is always on the prowl.  Even when the sun is hiding behind a gloomy day, you are never off the hook.  Just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean it isn’t there.  Our energy source is more than powerful enough to fight through the clouds and make its mark on your skin without you even realizing it.
Jessie Quinn is New York-based writer and editor with work published in NYLON Magazine, L’Oréal’s Skincare.com and Marvel.com.  She credits her grandmother for teaching her the importance of taking care of her skin and protecting it from the sun by wearing SPF every day – especially on the face and hands.  In her free time, she enjoys trying the latest trends in beauty and skincare and sharing her findings on her blog, The Beauty Pill.  

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