Table of Contents
“Sunscreens are always so sticky”
Yesterday’s excuse: Precisely because many people don’t like the sticky feeling on their skin, clever researchers have developed transparent sprays that lay on the skin like a delicate protective film. And with a sun protection factor of up to 50.
This is based on fat-free formulations that are absorbed in a flash and are water and sweat-resistant (e.g. “Sun Spray Transparent LSF 30” from Eucerin, 200 ml approx. 18 euros). Some of these UV protection sprays even have an extra cool-down effect thanks to the addition of menthol (e.g. “Protect & Refresh Cooling Sun Spray LSF 30” from Nivea Sun, 200 ml approx. 11 euros).
“I love suntan oil, and that only comes with a low protection factor”
Could it be that you last used sun oil on the North Sea in 1972? It smelled like coconut, had an SPF of 2, and had you sizzling like a roast chicken in the sun. Today’s sun oils, on the other hand, usually score with high sun protection factors of 30 or more.
“This is made possible by the finest polymers in the oil basis, on which the sun protection factors line up like on a delicate string of pearls and thus provide perfect protection,” says Dr. Katrin Kipper, Scientific Director at Vichy .
They are supported by cell protectors such as extracts from frangipani blossoms and peptides (e.g. “Sunific 1 Solaire Silky Oil SPF 30” from Lierac, 125 ml approx. 29 euros). Intensively nourishing shea butter protects the skin from drying out (e.g. “Tiefbraun Sun Oil Spray SPF 30” from Garnier Ambre Solaire, 150 ml approx. 15 euros).
“Sun protection yes, but no more than a factor of 10”
When you were a child, SPF 4 was probably the best you could ever have. That shapes. But seriously: SPF 10 extends the self-protection time by a factor of 10. For a Nordic guy with a self-protection time of around 10 minutes, this means that he can be in the sun for around 100 minutes before things get dangerous. Not much for a day at the beach.
Sun protection factors between 30 and 50 protect at least 300 to 500 minutes . However, experts advise not exhausting this and switching to the shade after two-thirds of the time (e.g. “Expert Sun Aging Protection Cream Plus LSF 50+” from Shiseido, 100 ml approx. 38 euros; “Photoderm MAX Ultra Fluid SPF 50+” from Bioderma, 40 ml approx.
Important: waterproof sunscreen
“I wear make-up even on the beach. Sunscreen doesn’t hide anything”
Understandable. With pimples, red veins or pigment spots, we need a little more self-confidence outside. However, make-up is only the second-best solution for camouflage on the beach: “Normal foundations do protect in the UV-B range, but they do not always have a sufficiently high UV-A protection,” says Dr. tipper.
Ouch, this can go wrong. 80 percent of the rays penetrate the water – up to 30 centimeters deep. If you swim or snorkel, you get a lot of sun. Water-resistant or extra water-resistant products are therefore important .
“I often have pimples. Greasy sunscreen makes it worse”
No fear of pimple alarm in the sun.
New sunscreens not only prevent the formation of blemishes (non-comedogenic), but even target them while we doze on the beach: with anti-inflammatory zinc gluconate and glyceryl laurate to regulate the sebaceous glands (e.g. “Cleanance Sonne SPF 30” from Eau Thermale). Avene, 50 ml approx. 16 euros).
So that oily skin does not become unattractively shiny, there are instant mattifying active ingredients such as perlite or sugar derivatives (e.g. “Anthelios XL Mattifying Gel-Cream 50+” from La Roche-Posay, 50 ml approx. 17 euros).
Expert advice on sun protection
“Because of my sensitive skin, I don’t want to use chemical filters. But the mineral whites so”
It’s correct. And not true. Modern creams with mineral filters look quite transparent. They often contain nanoparticles, microfinely ground particles of titanium dioxide or zinc oxide. However, nanoparticles are controversial because nobody knows whether they have negative effects on the body – from July 2013 there is a duty to declare them.
If you want to be on the safe side, use sunscreen without nanoparticles
A trick to keep it from whitening: Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are coated in an oil – this way they spread better and appear more transparent
“The sun is the number 1 wrinkle maker. It’s best to avoid it.”
Too bad, a summer behind blinds makes you lonely. Protect yourself with a high SPF and free radical scavenger combinations made from vitamin E, sugar cane and algae that help repair skin damage (e.g. “SUN DNA-Protect sun cream LSF 30” by Annemarie Börlind, 50 ml approx. 29 euros).
Great: A new sun protection serum that is spontaneously applied over cream or make-up when the sun is out
What does the dermatologist say?
dr Maja Hofmann , Head of Aesthetic Medicine at the Clinic for Dermatology at the Charité in Berlin, on the light and dark sides of the sun.
Tolfioow: Three weeks summer vacation, one week skiing, summer in the city in between. Does our skin easily take it all?
You cannot completely prevent sun damage. However, you should protect skin that has been weaned from the sun from the sun in spring or at the latest in early summer with a day cream or make-up with a high sun protection factor. Don’t wait to get the sunscreen out of the closet until you’re on summer vacation! Important in the sun: apply regular after-cream and use a sufficiently large amount of sun protection.
I recommend about 30 to 40 ml of sunscreen for the entire body per application. That’s about the amount of three to four tablespoons.
