Thursday, January 31, 2013

Everything about Sunscreen



Sunscreen



If you would like to keep your skin radiant and youthful, here is the answer.


Don't forget to use sunscreen.

1. Why do you need to use it Everyday?


Your skin is so easily damaged by sun rays. UV will directly damage your skin and speed up the aging of the skin.

 Preventing your skin from aging and damage is more important than using the best products after damage occurs. As you know, once the skin  is damaged, it is hard to turn it back.


That is why sunscreen needs to be used daily.


Additionally, Sunscreen ranked first when dermatologists were asked what they do for their health on a Korean TV show.

So far, it seems so clear that Sunscreen is a real must-have item for whole year.


2. What should you consider ?


You might be curious about why it has to be used daily even when sun beams don't seem that strong on winter or rainy days. Hope this information about UV might be helpful- satisfying  your curiosity and giving you a standard to choose a good one.


*UV rays


There are 3 kind of sun rays, especially ultraviolet - UVA, UVB and UVC.

UVC is the shortest wave and usually doesn't pass the Earth's ozone layer, which means it doesn't reach our skin.


UVB is longer than UVC so it penetrates the ozone layer and reaches our skin's surface. It causes surface problems like tanning, burning or aging, but can not go through glass. This type of wave also gets stronger especially during summer or sunny days.


UVA is the longest  among the three UVs boasting the power to  penetrate deep into our skin, causing DNA changes. Hyper pigmentation like freckle or moles are also  caused by UVA. All in all, UVA rays make up more than 90% of UV rays.

Unlike UVB, UVA is constant and steady even on rainy or cloudy day.


* SPF & PA


You can see the word SPF and PA on every sunscreen bottle and it is important to know what each of these means so that you can choose the best sunscreen for your skin.


SPF(Sun Protection Factor) is a unit to indicate Ultraviolet B block effect. SPF 1 means it blocks UV for 15 minutes.


For example, 3LAB’s Perfect Sunscreen SPF 55 will block UV for 55*15=825 minutes, 825/60=13.75 hours.


PA(Protect A) is to tell you how much it can block Ultraviolet A. It usually comes with '+' and with more '+', the more block effect.


One more thing you have to remember is that for perfect protection from UVA and UVB, you need to re-apply it every 2-3 hours. Or, the effect will distinctly decrease.


3. How to Use


Now it is time to use what you learned!


We, 3LAB Skincare, have answered some frequently asked questions  about sunscreen use - when, how much, how often to use and how to remove. Let's begin!


* When?

The most ideal timing for applying sunblock is after basic skincare and before foundation or BB Cream.


And it might be done at least 30 minutes before leaving home. Without fully absorbed, it would not protect your skin properly. Tapping will make it be more easily absorbed.


Also, whatever you use for skincare or makeup, please take enough time for the product to fully absorb into the skin, not only sunblock but also all other products. In doing so your  make up will not look cakey and you will maintain radiant and youthful looking appearance while protecting your skin.


*How Much?


By FDA's recommendation, 2mg/1square cm is recommended to use.


Assuming common face area is 300 square cm, you have to use 600mg. That means 0.6ml per day. It might be amount of 1 and half of your finger joint.


It is pretty much more than how much people usually think it would be enough.


To make things simple, let's suppose that you use your sunscreen everyday and never re-apply it, as it is super important to re-apply it. Then, 50ml product every  2~3 months would be appropriate.


*How Often?


To maintain original SPF and PA effect, re-apply it every 2 or 3 hours. Otherwise the  SPF protection will fall to just 2 or 3 and it means it can block UV for only 2*15=30 minutes

And here is what 3LAB's co-founder, Erica, recommends.


"Although the sun does not shine everyday you are still at risk from harmful UVA and UVB rays.  When you are outside at the beach our on vacation I would recommend applying an SPF product more often- something that most of us forget to do."


*How to Remove?

Although Sunscreen is a must have daily item, it is a skincare product and without being removed well, it could also cause other skin problems. So, do not forget to use a cleanser after using sunscreen. For more sensitive skin, wash you face carefully with  a mild cleanser. 3LAB's Perfect Cleanser line might be helpful.





Hope this posting might be helpful for you all and if you have anything to ask, please let us know via facebook and/or twitter we want to help you PERFECT your skin! 

Have a good day, protecting your skin from cold, dry weather and sunbeams :)