What is SPF
The term SPF literally is short for "sun protection factor". It means that cosmetics with this sign and number inform you how many times the skin sun self-protection is increased. Yes-yes, our skin really knows how to withstand ultraviolet radiation, but we should not jump to conclusions.
If on a hot day you go out without using a cosmetic with SPF, the skin will be able to protect itself from insolation... on the average, 10-15 minutes. Further "unprotected" exposure to the sun can provoke redness, burning, aging of the skin, pigmentation and other unpleasant consequences.
What does SPF 15, SPF 30 … mean?
The higher the number that is next to the SPF sign, the longer you can be in the sun without serious consequences. For example, SPF 6 will let pass about 16.7% of the total solar radiation (which is quite a lot), SPF 20 - 5%, and SPF 50 - about 2%. The dermatologists claim that there is no such cream that can protect our skin from all the UV rays. Moreover, in the summer during high solar activity (from 11 to 16 hours) it is almost impossible to protect your skin from the sun - even with a help of a good cream. This is especially true for people with fair skin.
Filters in makeup
Present-day manufacturers take care of our skin and consider the need to protect the skin from the harmful effects of the sun. Therefore, on the store shelves you can find powder, foundation, concealer and even lip gloss with a protective factor. But you need to take into account that in makeup cosmetics the SPF is low - from 5 to 15. In this case, the protection, roughly speaking, is not quite effective during beach holiday.
How to choose right SPF
Going to the beach, you need to protect your face and body skin with a high factor, for example, SPF 30-50. In pursuit of a quick tan, many people choose cosmetics with the lowest SPF. This is not only a big mistake in terms of sunburn, but also a huge harm to the skin.
The fact is that dangerous rays, which in the most direct way accelerate the aging of the skin and are capable of causing cancer, are very active. If you want to avoid wrinkles, even in cloudy weather, you need a face cream with at least SPF 15, if it is sunny day - with a larger number.
Why SPF may be dangerous
Usually, a cream with a protective factor should be applied every 2 hours. This is not a recommendation from the manufacturer, it is an important instruction. At first, in two hours the cream absorbs into the skin, or is washed off with water and so on. Secondly, in 2 hours some filters manage to oxidize and begin to release free radicals, which as a result aggravates skin aging. Generally speaking, the cream should be washed off every 120 minutes and applied again, but very few people will do it. Therefore, apply cream regularly and with a thick layer.
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