Good skin care is a basic part of looking your best, and is something that you should keep in mind all year round. However, in the summer, when the sun is most harmful, skin care becomes a question of health. Spain is a country that enjoys a privileged climate, sought out by thousands of tourists that visit all throughout the year. However, while it is true that sun exposure is beneficial for your health, this type of climate can also heighten your risk of skin cancer. Australia and New Zealand are the countries with the most cases of skin cancer, due to the extreme exposure to sun rays, but in Spain the number of cases is rising as well, especially during the last 30 years. For this reason, it is very important to use quality sunscreens that protect from the sun. In this article from ShBarcelona, we tell you how to use sunscreen correctly and the brands we recommend.
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Table of Contents
Protecting your skin in the summer
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Sunscreen doesn’t just protect you from skin cancer. Using it correctly can also prevent premature aging that the sun provokes in the epidermis. Being in the sun in the middle hours of the day, between approximately 11 am and 4 pm, is not the best time, keeping in mind that this is the time when the sun will hit your skin the strongest. If you still want to, it’s crucial to prepare your skin with a good sunscreen before going outside. Generally, it is advised to apply it half an hour before, but lately some experts have said that is not necessary to wait that long. The application of sunscreen should be generous and cover all areas of skin, and should be reapplied after swimming or sweating profusely. It is recommended to know the strength of the sun rays of the area you are in. For this, you can download the app UV derma for Android.
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The best sunscreens according to the OCU
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According to the OCU (Organización de Consumidores y Usuarios), the best and most reliable sunscreens on the market are the following, from highest to lowest score: Roche Posay Anthelios Confort, maximum protection sunscreen with different features such as: with or without perfume, with or without color, BBCream or creams for sun allergies, and textures in cream, oil and spray. The second in the ranking is Garnier / Delial Leche Protectora Hidratante 24 horas, which you can find at the supermarket for a reasonable price. The following is another cheap sunscreen called Apivita Suncare. Leche Solar para cara y cuerpo followed by Nivea Sun Protect & Moisturize, another sunscreen for sale in big stores and supermarkets for a low price. Lastly, the OCU recommends lotion from the brand Eucerin Sun Lotion Extra Light. All of these have a similar score and all of them are absolutely trustworthy, for both children and adults.
Have you tried these sunscreens? What did you think of them?
Are any of these sunscreens coral reef safe? There are so many chemicals in the sunscreens that are really toxic for our oceans – coral and fish included. I’ve been on the hunt for an alternative to the mass market products that tend to contain OXYBENZONE and OCTINOXATE.
Thanks in advance,
Jacob