There are many false assumptions that Sunscreen is not necessary during the monsoon season. The sun does not go on a vacation during monsoon, therefore neither can the sunscreen. Regardless of season, be it fiery summer or freezing winter, sunscreen is always an essential part of every skincare routine. Although there is a benefit in having a wide range of sunscreen products in the market, there is also a disadvantage in that. Choosing from a wide range of products can be very confusing and most of the time lead to a choice that may not suit the skin due to the ingredients used in the sunscreen. Here is a list of ingredients that are mandatory to be in a sunscreen and the ingredients that are best to avoid without a prescription from the dermatologist. Here is a list things to help find the best sunscreen:

Finding the Perfect Match!

Why is sunscreen used? It is used because it protects you from the dangerous rays that are emitted from the sun such as the UV (unltra-violet) rays. Every sunscreen works differently; some may work by shattering the light, reflecting it away from the skin, while some may absorb the UV rays way before they even reach the skin.

Back in the days, sunscreens were chosen with no hustle, as the product with the highest SPF (sun protection factor) was purchased which rates the effectiveness of the sun protectant against one type of cancer that is caused by UV rays. However now, there are various cancers as well as skin disorders that are caused by the harmful rays of the sun.

When it comes to choosing the perfect sunscreen, one will always go for a broad spectrum or multi-spectrum protection for both UVB and UVA. Now, not many may understand the terminology of ‘Broad Spectrum’ and ‘Multi-Spectrum’ with regards to sunscreen.

Broad Spectrum: A broad spectrum of sunscreen protects the skin from both, the UV as well as UVB. The UVA rays can prematurely age the skin that will result in wrinkling and age spots, whereas UVB rays can nearly burn the skin.

Keep An Eye Out For Ingredients:

Just like you check the ingredients behind a food pack, it is important to look into the content behind the bottle, when selecting a SPF. Ones with zinc and titanium dioxide are known to be long-lasting sunscreens.

Various forms of availability:

Other than gel, water and matte based sunscreens, they are available in the market in the form of wipes, powders and hypo-allergenic sunblocks. Many cosmetics like foundations, compact powders, bronzers and lip balms also contain SPF.

When To Apply And How:

Sunscreen is to be applied 15-20 minutes before stepping out in the sun. This allows the sunscreen to soak into your body, as a result of protecting the skin from the UV rays of the sun. Additionally, for best results reapply the sunscreen on the exposed body parts every two hours.

Sunscreen with higher SPF doesn’t always mean it is good. Despite many theories that are doing rounds regarding sunscreen, the most prominent one is the belief that the higher the SPF, the better it is for the skin. Choosing a SPF with a higher denomination, will make the skin oily and can also cause burning or itching. Thus an SPF of 15 to 30++ is considered the best for the Indian summers. However, a profession that requires you to stay out in the sun for longer durations, then it is maybe best to choose a SPF that has a higher denomination (50++ and above). There are also various Indian brands that are affordable and good in quality. So, it is best to spend a little extra to protect yourself from various skin and health issues.