We all know to Slip, Slop and Slap. But with which SPF texture should you do so with? Here we decode SPF textures, application tips and truths.
Texture Tutorial:
Before being overwhelmed by the plethora of sunscreen available for the active outdoor lifestyle, remember your decision must come down to a sunscreen that suits your lifestyle and personal preferences.
Whatever the sunscreen, your main priority is to make sure it’s broad spectrum and 4-hour water-resistant.
Then you can select a texture:
Creams: Cream sunscreens are traditionally thicker, denser and more viscous, and many formulations provide benefits as well as sun protection. Put simply, you either love the heavier consistency or you loathe it!
Sprays: Spray SPFs are normally very light in texture and spread well over the body due to the concentration of alcohol within the formulation, explains Tracey Beeby, Ultraceuticals National Training Manager. “The alcohol is necessary in order to dissolve the active ingredients and to allow product flow through the atomiser,” she says.
Roll-Ons: These are very popular for children as they are easy or apply, notes Tracey. Do try this at home with toddlers if they are hell-bent on applying sun protection themselves or are not interested in sitting still for too long! The other benefit of Roll-Ons is that their texture is quite refined for sensitive little ones, and although the product disperses, it is applied as a lotion so you can achieve even, visible distribution.
Tracey explains that although some textures are transparent, they offer just as much sun protection as the heavier versions. “However application is essential to ensure the correct amount of product is being used,” she notes. “The thinner the viscosity of a product the more possibility there is of not applying enough to the surface area of the skin,” she warns. “Ultraceuticals recommends to follow the application guidelines of the Cancer Council of Australia in order to ensure optimum protection.”
Application 101:
Creams spread easily, but as the viscosity is often thicker, they may require more muscle behind your massage action in order to allow for coverage and absorption.
“Sprays are wonderfully easy to apply but care needs to be taken with clothing as sunscreens may discolour them,” cautions Tracey. “For areas close to swimwear or clothing it is best to spray the product onto your hand first then applying it to the skin,” she suggests. Just be sure to always apply enough sunscreen to give the protection required (in line with the Cancer Council application Guidelines) 15-20 minutes before exposure, she adds.
Roll-Ons are best dispensed directly onto the skin and smoothed over the entire area – rather than onto your palm and then rubbed in. Again ensure enough product is applied 15-20 minutes before exposure.
“No matter how you choose to dispense your sunscreen the application and amount applied is key to ensuring optimum protection,” says Tracey.
Face Facts:
Whether a face SPF can be used on the body or vice versa depends on the actual formulation and the skin type of the user, highlights Tracey. “Ultraceuticals have formulated different textures in our sunscreens to suit various skin types,” she says, adding that the body sunscreens generally offer a lighter texture more suitable for an oily skin, whereas “a drier skin would generally be more suited to a richer, creamy textured product that has been designed primarily for use on the face.”
Continued Care:
SPFs are best cared for by keeping out of direct sunlight. “When at the beach, store them in a beach bag and well away from the direct sunlight,” suggests Tracey. “It is a TGA requirement that they are stored below 30 degrees,” she continues, adding that without correct storage of your sunscreen the efficacy of your sunscreen will be compromised.
What for Whom:
Babies: Often lotion, creams and roll-ons are preferred for babies, notes Tracey. The best application method is to massage well into the skin 15-20 minutes before exposure. “Reapplication is essential onto a dry skin following bathing.”
Children: Generally, again lotions, sprays or roll-ons as the popular choice here and most efficient to apply. Always re-apply after prolonged sun exposure or swimming.
Elderly: As skin is drier they are most often more suited to a cream formulation, says Tracey. “This is ideal for daily use and should be used daily on exposed areas of the body.”
Myths + Truths
MYTH: Using sunscreen will make me Vitamin D deficient
FACT: Sensible sunscreen use does not put people at risk of Vitamin D deficiency. “The sun’s ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is both the major cause of skin cancer and photoageing and the best source of Vitamin D,” explains Tracey. “In Australia, we must balance the risk of skin cancer due to excessive UV exposure with the maintenance of adequate Vitamin D levels. For most people adequate Vitamin D levels are reached through regular daily activity and incidental exposure to the sun, so it is not necessary to deliberately seek UVR radiation exposure,” explains Tracey.
MYTH: Sunscreens protect against all forms of UVR
FACT: “The ingredients that provide SPF only protect predominantly against UVB rays.”
MYTH: The SPF rating is the number of hours I can stay in the sun, so an SPF 30 must mean I can stay in the sun for 30 hours!
FACT: False! An SPF rating number does not mean the number of hours a person can stay in the sun, it actually is a measure of a sunscreen’s ability to prevent UV radiation from damaging the skin. SPF measures the amount of UVB radiation transmitted to the skin after sunscreen has been applied compared to the amount of UVB transmitted to the skin without sunscreen. “Although not strictly accurate, we may consider that a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 provides 30 times more protection than if not wearing a sunscreen and a sunscreen with an SPF of 50 provides 50 times more protection than if not wearing a sunscreen” says Tracey. “If you normally burn in 10 minutes without sunscreen, then correctly applying an SPF increases this time by a factor of 30 – not by 30 hours. However, it is critical to note, that an SPF only extends the time you can spend in the sun before you burn, it does not stop you burning”.
MYTH: Will applying more sunscreen after 2 hours increases the time I can spend in the sun?
FACT: “Applying more sunscreen is to ensure that you are correctly protected while you are exposed to the sun through even application of the sunscreen, not to extend the time in the sun,” she adds.