With summer approaching, it is right to address one of the topics that most creates questions: sun protection.
The sun protection factor, commonly indicated on cosmetics with the wording SPF (Sun Protection Factor), defines the ability of the product to defend the skin from the damage of solar radiation (UVB).
On the market, there are countless sunscreen products with different degrees of protection and the question we ask ourselves every year is always the same: Which is the right sunscreen for me?
To answer the question correctly, let's find out together what exactly the number corresponding to the protection means.
The numbering indicates the amount of radiation filtered by the product: for example, a product with SPF 50 allows 1/50 of the sun's radiation to pass through, blocking 98%, while an SPF 30 allows 1/30 of it to pass through, blocking 97%.
It is also important to know that melanin, responsible for tanning, takes a couple of days to activate. Precisely for this reason, during the first few days of exposure, high protection is recommended for all skin types in order to avoid sunburn.
Then it is necessary to select, according to your skin phototype, the appropriate degree of protection.
PHOTOTYPE I and II: characterized by very fair skin and light eyes. We recommend a very high protection, SPF 50.
PHOTOTYPE III: characterized by fair skin and light eyes. We recommend a high protection, SPF 30.
PHOTOTYPE IV: characterized by a tendentially olive complexion. We recommend a medium protection, SPF 20.
PHOTOTYPE V: characterized by a dark complexion. We recommend a low protection, SPF 15.
PHOTOTYPE VI: characterized by a black complexion and dark eyes. We recommend a low protection, SPF 10.
It is also very important to know that the amount of product is related to the degree of protection and effectiveness. Using little product means to have a lesser and uneven protection from the damage of UVB rays. The ideal quantity for the face corresponds to a teaspoon of sunscreen for the face, neck and décolleté and a ping pong ball for the rest of the body.
It should also be kept in mind that it is not only important how much, but also how.
In fact, it is necessary to reapply the product several times during exposure because with the passage of time, with sweating and contact with water, the effectiveness of the sun filter fades.
Don't despair if the protection best suited to your phototype is high, we guarantee you will still get a tan!
The intensity of the tan depends on the amount of melanin that our body produces. The protection factor is not an obstacle to its production, it is actually our ally because it guarantees us a long-lasting and homogeneous tan, avoiding dangerous erythema with the related damages on our skin.
