The meaning of the SPF number in sunscreen has caused much confusion. SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. The number afterwards comes from a formula. The formula is used to calculate the number of minutes your skin be safely exposed to the sun before it starts to have negative effects.
Think of it as a stop watch that starts when you step out into the sun. The higher the number, the more minutes it buys you.
Protection increases slightly as the SPF number goes higher by allowing less percentage of rays to hit your skin.
Do SPF 15 and 50 have the same ingredients?
SPF 50s will have more zinc. The higher the zinc the more protection, but also the whiter the cast that it leaves. In fact, you can buy a zinc stick, which is like a chapstick for areas where you’re highly exposed.
Keep in mind that sunscreens do not always protect you from burning. It will definitely extend the amount of time you can safely be in the sun before it starts causing damage. However, for some skin types will burn anyway with or without sunscreen.
Physical vs Chemical?
Physical sunscreens are made of minerals and act like sunglasses for your skin. Zinc is a mineral. It is a finely ground rock that has been finely crushed that sits on the skin. When you apply it, it binds to your skin at the surface and provides a “shade” over your skin.
Physical sunscreen is the best type of sunscreen to use over your face or for sensitive skin types. On the other hand, they tend to be a little greasier because they do not absorb into the skin. Also, they can leave a white cast depending on how high your SPF is.
Chemical sunscreens absorb into the skin right away, they are not greasy and do not leave a white cast. however, they are actually going into your skin and interacting on a cellular level, coating each cell. While they have benefits, the fact that they are going into your cells leaves room for adverse reactions.
New day sunscreens
Some product lines have become more sophisticated with their formulations and are able to dilute the white cast without losing efficacy or adding ingredients.
Now that you know the meaning of the SPF number in sunscreen, which SPF is right for you?
Retinol does pretty much everything. Firstly, retinol helps accelerate the cell turnover rate. The cell turnover rate is how quickly your cells are coming up with a new one, bringing it up to the surface, and purging it. Young skin is constantly regenerating; retinol has that affect on skin in general.
Retinol is meant for temporary use. When you are using it, it forces your skin to exfoliate. This exfoliation process will give you textural repair, as well as remove scarring and hyperpigmentation and acne. In addition, due to its regenerating capacity, it is also used in anti-aging products.
Can you use retinol if you have sensitive skin?
The negative side effects outweigh the benefits of retinol for someone that has sensitive skin. Keep in mind there are different types of sensitive skin. Sensitive skin types include rosacea and can range to a dryer, more mature/sensitive skin.
Using retinol when you have sensitive skin may cause irritation. For instance, rosacea can look like an abundance of skin, which leads clients to exfoliate more often than they should.
However, the reality is that inflammation is causing the skin to get thick and the pores to get big. As a result, the type of exfoliation provided by retinol will make the problem worse. Instead, we recommend using salicylic acid. Salicylic acid will exfoliate the damaged skin and also take down inflammation. Additionally, salicylic acid helps to strengthen the fibres of the skin which greatly helps rosacea.
Rosacea pimples
Sometimes rosacea acne gets confused for regular acne, however, rosacea pimples will never burst. Salicylic acid is the only way to get rid of those pimples.
In conclusion, using retinol when you have sensitive skin is not the best option. Try using products with salicylic acid.
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