Mariga’s advice on choosing the best sunscreen / SPF

This time of year there are sunscreen products available everywhere you look, from the supermarket to the petrol station and of course online and in-clinic from Skin Essentials by Mariga!

It is a good thing that people are now so aware of the damage too much UV exposure can cause, but it also makes it confusing for the consumer when there are so many products available to choose from. In this article, Mariga clarifies what to choose and how to use when it comes to your facial sunscreen. (Of course, you need sunscreen all over when you are exposing any skin to the sun but today we are just looking at facial care).

What should you look for?

The two things to look for when it comes to choosing a sunscreen product are UVA and UVB protection. These are two different wavelengths of UV light that penetrate the skin at different depths, causing different types of damage. We call UVA the ‘ageing’ ray and UVB the ‘burning ray’. The SPF number on the bottle refers to the level of protection available in the product against UVB. Most well formulated products will also have a broad spectrum UVA protection too, read the back the bottle for details on this. There is a new star system in the pipeline to rate this aspect of sunscreen so you will begin to see that in the future. (The Skin Essentials by Mariga SPF30 day cream is already a full-spectrum UVA+ UVB protector).

How high should you go?

It is my opinion that factor 30 is the ideal level in a sunscreen. Any lower just isn’t enough while any higher doesn’t give you much more protection and will get thicker, greasier and whiter on application.(SPF30 will block approx 94% of UVA rays when used correctly, SPF50 only increases that to approx 96%). ALL sunscreens will break down on the skin in direct sunlight or on contact with water/other liquid and need to be reapplied every two hours.

How much should you spend?

Difference in price of sunscreen products does not usually determine effectiveness of the UVB protection. What you get from a higher priced are the OTHER components of the products such as full-spectrum UVA protection, anti-oxidants to repair damage, minerals and vitamins to support skin health and better-formulated bases that won’t clog pores. The Skin Essentials by Mariga SPF30 is a full skincare product unlike many sunscreens that need to be used AS WELL as your moisturiser.

I hope that helps you navigate the confusing world of facial sunscreens, let me know if you have any questions I can help with and don’t forget to check out our Facebook page www.facebook.com/SkinEssentialsByMariga  and the Skin Essentials by Mariga Youtube channel for lots more skincare advice and tips. Be sun safe!

Mariga