| Article Written by: Linda F., Esthetician/Owner Elle's Esthetic Studio SPF Please be aware that a moisturiser with added sun filters is not the same product as a full spectrum suntan lotion/sunblock made specifically to block the rays from the sun for extended exposure to prevent skinburn.... A moisturiser with added sun protection are for day to day use to protect the skin against the skin's minimum exposure to the sun or other envrionment causing radical damage...full spectrum suntan lotions/cream that are meant specifically to use and formulated for long periods more then 2 hours at a time or when your skin will be exposed to the rays are formulated to block the rays and prevent burning!!! To fully benefit from the spf in your creams it is recommended to use 2/3 tsp to cover face and neck area. Moisturiser with added spf/sun filters main's purpose is not to give a full spectrum protection but to moisturise and give the necessary required minimal daily protection from free radical damage, they are not a sunblock...... Most consumers put moisturisers with added spf products on incorrectly/do not apply enough or thick enough of the product to get the benefits of the spf number in the moisturisers or sometimes the fillers in the products may hinder the spf number........ Dr. Renaud has a sunblock moisturiser spf 30 which totally block the sun rays and 3 moisturiers with added sun filters for day to day use they are radical defense, clariderm and double action although not official, tested in the laboratory dr. renaud day creams with added sun filters are roughly the equivalent of about an 8 on the SPF scale; moisturisers with added sun filtering agents will list the name of the filtering agents in the ingredient list of the cream; most of these moisturisers with added sun filtering agents contain the necessary protection for day to day use. If you wish a moisturiser with a full spf sunblock dr renaud has come out with a new day product with an spf of 30 (UV SCIENCE DAY) giving you full sun protection/block if you apply the right amount. YOU DON'T NEED SUN PROTECTION IF YOU ARE INSIDE ALL DAY! Remember the higher the spf number the more chemicals in the product.... Many of my clients use regular moisturisers and alternate or use moisturisers with added sun filters for the summer months or just use foundation with uv filters over their favorite cream for their day to day protection needs but this again only if you will be putting enough foundation on, if you are someone who applies very little foundation well that won't do much for skin protection. I wear my moisturisers with added sun filters most days (full sunblock when needed) usually from May to August/Sept. (when sun rays in Canada are their strongest, July being the worst month) in other Countries look at your strongest months and use accordingly ..... In the early spring/fall/winter, I will wear a sunblock over my day cream only if I will be outside for a while. I find this works well for me, but do what you are most comforable with or on your doctor's/skin care specialist's recommendaton especially if you have problemed skin or doing some sort of treatment! Also did you know that you can mix your favorite spf 15-30 full spectrum sunblock/sunscreen with your favorite day cream to make it a moist. with sunblock/sunscreen but remember if you are mixing equal parts, your SPF will be equivelent to a 15-17 for a 30 and 7-8 for a 15. SPF Spf or sun ptotection factor, is the amount of increased protection a sunscreen provides. If you are like most people, you will begin burning after 15 -30 minutes without protection. An SPF helps protect against sunburn, and does not "stop" the tanning process completely!!! It's the burning that you want to omit, that is what causes skin damage! it's not the tan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Determine your protected sunning time by multiplying the SPF number by the amount of time it normally takes you to show signs of burning if unprotected. For example: Spf 8 8 x 15 = 2 hours of increased protection. Spf 15 15 x 15 = 3 3/4 hours protection. If you burn in 5 minutes (usually very sensitive skin) with an spf 15 15 x 5 = l h 15 increased protection. Most common sunscreen ingredients are: titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, avobenzone (also called parsol 1789) and butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane, Octyl Methoxycinnamate, octyl salicylate, menthyl anthranilate and etc.... 'Rules of thumb' for the correct application of sunscreen. The correct amounts of sunscreen to apply are approximately: One shot glass of sunscreen is adequate to cover the whole body. For the face and neck - use 2/3 teaspoons For one arm - use 2/3 teaspoons For two arms - use 1 1/3 teaspoons For the back 1 1/3 teaspoons For the front 1 1/3 teaspoons One leg 1 1/3 teaspoons Two legs 2 2/3 teaspoons Remember the lesser the spf in your cream or lotion the less chances your skin will react!! for example an spf 8 in your cream will give you minimal to no skin irritations or pore clogging!!! So it comes down to choose what works or is best for your skin or what you feel more comfortable with! spf 2 blocks: 50% spf 8 blocks: 86% spf 15 blocks: 92% spf 30 blocks: 96% Spf 8-15: Is sufficient to give your skin ideal protection against the harmful effects of light for normal exposure to the sun like at home, at the office, in the city, day to day errands, a short walk - but the more sun you are exposed to (an entire day at the beach, for instance) the higher the SPF should be to give your skin optimal protection. Although an Spf 30 is recommended for people with very fair skin or sensitive skins. Sunscreen Chemical: Is usually a cream or lotion. It is a chemical protective product that works by absorbing a minimal amount of the uv rays and filtering them. Many people have allergic reactions to the chemicals in sunscreen seen as a rash. Sunscreen Physical: Is usually an opaque cream or paste. Provides a physical block that functions by reflecting rays. They contain natural minerals. It protects you by reflecting the uv rays before they penetrate your skin. Many people experience breakouts with either chemical or physical..... I always recommend to my clients a good exfoliation program after a vacation in the sun or after the summer months due to use of sunscreens and increased sun exposue ... You do get an accumulation of skin cells buildup as the skin outer or surface layer of dying skin cells thickens naturally in order to protect itself from the rays. One should never go to bed with sunscreen on your face, not to mention all the chemicals that will sit there causing irritation and blocking your pores. At night your skin heals and renews itself taking in nutrients from the air and your treatment creams. The skin's optimal renewal action takes place between the hours of 10 p.m. and 2:00 a.m. this is a time to nourish the skin not block the pores...... Please wash off your sunscreens as soon as you can. Again I stress my view on spfs use - apply them when you need them do not abuse there use...... they are meant to be used when you are outside.... In my opinion high spf lotions are not to be used daily all year round if you are not working outside or if you will be inside most of the day..... If you are inside all day you don't need a cream with spf.... or alternate them use regular cream and cream with spf on those days when you will be outside more or jut apply your regular sunblock lotion over your cream on those days..... If you really feel the need to wear a cream with spf daily stick with the ones that have a low spf... like an spf 8- 15 and use an spf 30 DURING the hottest months of the year or on areas (spot treat) where you need extra protection such as discolorations spots..... In my opinion if you are inside most of the day you do not need a cream with an spf in it!!! or if your foundation contains uv filters that is all you need for day to day protection IF YOU APPLY THE RIGHT AMOUNT...... Best protection is to wear a hat whenever possible and stay out of the sun during the peak hours of 10/11 a.m. - 3/4 p.m. Note: If you have pigmentation spots (discoloration) and are worried about them you can spot treat them with an spf 30 if you wish!!! instead of putting an high spf all over the face. Did you know that products containing Shea Butter, Aloe Vera, Carrot Oil, Vitamin E etc....help support the skin's natural defences against uvs! But by no means do they replace your creams with filters - so for extended time or will be outside alot like a day of errands in and out the whole day then I would use something with sun filters added... and for longer time outside then full spectrum sunblock/suscreen. *Vitamin C, being an anti-oxidant, reduces the sun damage caused on the skin by neutralizing free radicals, thus reduces sun damage to an extent. Though it cannot be used as a sunscreen, it adds to the property of protection against sun damage. Vitamin C also stimulates collagen and elastin production in the skin. As we age, we lose collagen. We also lose collagen because of sun exposure. Vitamin C helps reduce this loss of collagen. Vitamin C topicals are therefore used to reduce age lines and sun damage. It may also protect against sunburn to a certain extent. If using vitamin C once a day only, you may wish to use at night if you don't want to use with sunscreen. If using twice daily always wear a sunscreen/sunblock over if you will be in the sun...... Many studies have shown that antioxidants may be a very important strategy for preventing skin cancer, here again the importance of incorporating serums in your daily routine.! Aloe Vera was used 1000s of years ago as an essential protection against the rays of the sun.! Did you know that Sesame Oil - screens about 30 per cent of the sun’s UV rays naturally! Cocoa Butter also blocks naturally some uv rays!, so does vitamin e and others as mentionned above which are included in many of my products on this website..... My tips for this summer!! -Wear a hat -Stay in the shade and..... -First time you go out in the sun, go for no longer then 30 minutes - fairer skin less time and find a shade place you can go too after the initial 30 minutes then increase gradually through the summer always protecting the skin! - Go out between the times of 9-11 am and after 3-4 p.m. - Prepare the skin properly and treat the skin after being out in the sun! After your time in the sun wash off your sunscreen or sunblock and apply a moisturiser or product designed for after sun!! Please try and stay away from tanning beds, in my opinion they are not safe for your skin and health they cause premature aging, can cause skin infections, burns, cancer, cataracts and etc.! Makeup with spf in it do not offer full spectrum protection against the sun unless you apply as much makeup as you do a sunblock. It offers enough protection for your day to day use over your favorite cream IF YOU APPLY THE RIGHT AMOUNT, a tinted moisturiser here with sun protection is also a great choice for your day to day protection again if you apply the right amount. For extended time in the sun please use your full spectrum sunblock/sunscreen.... For hyperpigmented/discoloration skin a spf 15-30 is recommended daily until treatment is over..... depending on your skin needs.... The information provided through this website is for educational purposes only! Seek the medical advice of a doctor if needed!!!!!! |
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