A lesson on SPF

Just wear it.

While you probably have heard a thousand times how important it is to wear sunscreen, you may have actually heard the opposite as well. Some people argue that we shouldn't wear SPF because it blocks out the sun’s rays and our natural source of vitamin D. However, this opens up the chance of sun damage and fatal skin cancers, which are far more dangerous than potential vitamin D deficiency. It is recommended to give the skin ten minutes a day in the sun free of a sun blocking barrier, which should provide a sufficient dose of vitamin D. In Northern climates, vitamin D should be supplemented throughout the colder months as the sun’s rays are weaker. If you have any concerns, always consult your doctor to ensure that you have optimum levels of this vitamin crucial for bone health, immunity, and mood.

How to choose an SPF.

There are two types of sunscreen: chemical and physical. Physical sunscreen creates a physical barrier on top of the skin to reflect rather than absorb the sun’s harmful rays. Chemical sunscreen is absorbed into the skin where it can absorb the sun’s rays before they cause damage to the skin. Physical (or mineral) sunscreen is generally more effective and natural, and you don’t have to worry about the efficacy of chemicals that have the potential to be absorbed into the bloodstream. At the end of the day, it is more important to wear any sunscreen than no sunscreen as addressed above, but if you have the option, go for a physical sunblock.

When shopping for sunscreen, here is how to tell the difference. Physical SPF will have mineral ingredients, usually titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. Chemical SPF contains ingredients like oxybenzone, octinoxate, avobenzone, or octisalate. Some products may seem like physical sunscreens by first listing zinc oxide, but then listing one of these chemical barriers, a combination which still makes it a chemical sunscreen.

People often prefer the silkiness of chemical sunscreens over the thicker, whiter consistency of mineral sunscreens, however the right mineral sunscreen can have a lovely texture. My favorite is the Isdin Eryfotona Actinica Ultralight Emulsion Broad Spectrum SPF 50+, which sits great under makeup and also comes in a tinted option for days when you want a little something.