If you’re lucky enough to live in sunny Brisbane, you’ll know the pleasures of those first few weeks of spring when the dream of slipping away to a sandy shore somewhere becomes a reality. However, while the promise of summer brings all the pleasures of backyard barbecues, long and lazy days by the pool and all that gorgeous seasonal stone fruit, it also means it’s time to get serious about your sun protection. Because if there’s one beauty product that every man, woman and child should have in their daily routine it’s a decent sunscreen - no excuses! However, as simple as that sounds, the process of picking the right sunscreen for your skin can be deceptively tricky, which is why we’ve done the hard yards to come up with a guide to choosing the best sunscreen for your skin this summer.
So, what’s the difference between UVA and UVB anyway?
We’ve heard about UVA rays, they’re the long range rays that sink into your skin and give you that gorgeous glowing tan - they’re also the same rays that will turn that gorgeous tanned skin from your 20’s into a not so gorgeous leathery texture when you’re in your 40’s. But what we don’t hear about are the shorter length UVB rays that cause the surface of your skin to sizzle and send us reaching for the aloe vera. They’re also the main cause of skin cancer.
Unlike chemical sunscreens which work to absorb the sun’s rays with the assistance of a cocktail of potentially harmful additives, a physical sunscreen is not only better for your overall health but works more effectively against both UVA and UVB rays.
Let’s get physical!
Ever heard of a ‘natural’ sunscreen? They’re often referred to as physical blockers or mineral sunscreens. Made up from naturally occurring mineral ingredients like titanium oxide or zinc (yes, like that old fashioned white stuff you see at the cricket) mineral sunscreens work by creating a physical barrier between the sun’s harmful UV rays and your precious skin.
What sunscreens do we recommend?
Some of our favourite sunscreens include:
{Simple as That} Natural Sunscreen Lotion: The green tea, rosehip oil and red raspberry seed oil also offer natural protection as well as nourishment, so your skin glows from the inside out.
Wotnot Naturals Family Sunscreen: Perfect for the whole family, this moisturising sunscreen includes organic ingredients such as aloe vera and shea butter alongside zinc oxide to protect your skin.
Drift Essentials Suncream: Vitamin E? Tick! Broad spectrum? Tick! Tons of skin loving Aloe Vera? Tick ,tick, tick! This is one product that ticks all the boxes.
But be warned, if you’re as fond as using a face oil as we are, make sure you don’t use it ‘neat’ during the day in the summer. Always mix your facial oils with a moisturiser to dilute their strength and then cover with a sunscreen. Otherwise the sun will heat your skin up and leave you vulnerable to burns (ouch!) and broken capillaries (double ouch!)
And as always, never underestimate the incredible power of a wide brimmed hat and a long sleeved shirt at the beach!