The importance of sunscreen cannot be over emphasized for any skin either oily or dry. Looking at the prevalence of skin cancer in America is becoming more rampant. Most of the times the risk of developing skin cancer is directly proportional to the intensity and amount of ultraviolet light exposure from the sun. Apart from the skin cancer, there are some other adverse effects like rashes, pigmentation, tanned skin, premature aging and skin darkness. Fortunately, there are ways of limiting the excess ultraviolet light exposure on your skin hence reducing the risk of the above adverse effects. Regular use of sunscreens has been recommended by most dermatologist and more so on oily skins. However, choosing or getting the perfect sunscreen for oily skin is not a walk in the park because most sunscreens available in the market are quite greasy. Therefore, here are some of the tips on how to choose sunscreens for women with oily skin:
Look for water based or oil-free sunscreen
For oily skin or if you have a skin, which is prone to acne always choose a water-based or oil-free sunscreen for face. In addition, remember to look for the term non-comodegenic, which assures you that you chose a skin protector, which does not clog your pores. If you don’t get one then, please do not give up but keep on searching.
Be aware that more expensive does not mean better
Choosing an expensive sunscreen for face does not guarantee superior skin protection. Sometimes the less expensive sunscreens tend to offer better skin protection against the ultraviolet light from the sun. Therefore, do not fall a victim of this trap equating product price with superior quality.
Be aware of the expiration
Always check for the expiry date for the sunscreen you choose because some of the key ingredients used in these sunscreens are degraded over a period.
Look for products that use helioplex technology
Helioplex is one of the formulations of a broad spectrum ultraviolet skin protection, and it contains oxybenzone and avobenzone. This technology helps to protect your skin and also helps in reducing irritation and acts as a skin barrier. One sunscreen for face, which uses this technology, is Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch Sunblock, which comes with other features that make it a high quality sunscreen lotion for women with oily skin. It also has waterproof and sweat proof features that offer long lasting results.
Skin protection factor (SPF)
Sun Protection Factor is an amazing measure to show how well a sunscreen will protect your skin from UVB rays. UVB are the kind of radiation, which causes damages to skin, can contribute to skin cancer and can also cause sunburn. If you have a skin that normally burns after 10 minutes in the sun, then it is recommended to apply an SPF 15 sunscreen that will allow you stay in the sun without burning for about 150 minutes. However, this is a rough estimate, which depends on the kind of skin one has. SPF therefore is a measure of protection from the amount of UVB exposure but it does not aid in determining duration of exposure. For oily skin it is recommended to use sunscreens with SPF 30 and above. But you can Use SPF 50, if you are going to the beach or the hill station and if you have existing pigmentation on your skin.
Other tips to keep in mind are to make sure the sunscreen you choose offer both UVA and UVB protection; always apply the sunscreen 20 minutes before you step out on the exposed parts and reapply it after every few hours if it appears to be worn off by then.
If you have combination skin, one that is a mixture of oily and dry or normal skin where some areas are greasier than other parts of the body. If this is the case, then you need to use a sunscreen, which is in the form of a spray or lotion.
Conclusion
Sunscreen is one of the most important parts of a sun protection regimen. Having gone through the tips on how to choose a sunscreen for a woman with oily skin, you are educated and confident to choose a brand, which can fit your particular needs. Also, make sure you use it regularly and remember the sunscreen you apply consistently is the best sunscreen. Lastly, always have this in mind that if you have oily skin you may not require a moisturizer most of the time, but you cannot go out to bask in the sun without a sunscreen.