If you’ve ever wondered if mineral sunscreens (as found in several brands like Colorescience) might be for you, now is an ideal time to try them. Remember that UVA rays are prevalent year round – don’t let freezing temperatures fool you into thinking you’re safe from sun damage.
These 4 tips will help you to get the most out of your mineral sunscreens for healthy, beautiful, sun-safe skin.
- Check the contents. Mineral sunscreens protect your skin by physically blocking UV rays from reaching your skin. As with all sunscreen, look for a product which blocks the broadest range of UV rays in the spectrum. Ingredients such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide offer great protection against both UVA and UVB rays.
- Look for micronized ingredients. Both zinc oxide and titanium dioxide can be whitening to the skin, which is off-putting for many people. New methods in manufacturing allow the active ingredients to be ground small enough that they can cover and protect without whitening. There has been some controversy about whether these micronized particles can pass into the body. This is only an issue for powdered mineral ingredients — so if you’re using these, be careful not to breathe in any of the product. Otherwise, studies have shown that there’s little need for concern: mineral particles, though micronized, are still too small to pass through the skin and enter the bloodstream.
- Choose a formulation for your lifestyle. If you wear makeup, consider the line of UV-blocking primers and powders made by Colorescience. They provide great protection, are easy to reapply, come in a range of shades, and contain special ingredients to treat problem and aging skin. We’ve found the powders great for hard-to-cover areas like ears and the scalp exposed by the part in your hair. Some people find the powders a little dry, so if your skin craves moisture, go for Keys Solar Rx. With 18.5% uncoated zinc oxide, Keys is very soothing for skin prone to flaking and redness caused by rosacea and eczema.
- Reapply. As with all sunscreens, it’s important to reapply every two hours to continue receiving the UV blocking benefits they offer.
You can read more about physical sunblocks here. Winter or summer, you’re covered.
I’ve read about Eucerin White Solution Whitening Extra Treatment Fluid SPF40 and wonder why it is available in Asia. Do you have any advice about it and whether it might be worth trying to get it through an intermediate source such as ebay since it is not available in stores in the US?
For Ellen, Eucerin White Solution is not a product we know and I’m not in a position to advise on the best way to obtain it. We do sell an excellent, light, anti aging sunscreen with a better formulation: Anthelios XL SPF 50+ Fluide Extreme would be comparable, with a more effective list of active ingredients. If you’re looking for something to lighten age spots or sun damage, you can’t do better than a combination of Anthelios sunscreen (day use) together with Lustra with 4% hydroquinone (at night). Let us know if you’d like anything else! Sharmani