Description, benefits and contraindications of SPF creams. How to choose a product with different levels of protection and how to use it correctly. SPF face cream is a means to protect it from the negative effects of ultraviolet radiation. Every day, even in the cold season, the sun's rays affect the skin, it becomes dull, dry, age spots and freckles may appear on it. And the worst thing is that it loses its elasticity and ages faster. Also, the sun can cause serious skin diseases and even tumors. To protect your face, you need to use creams with a protective factor SPF daily, and especially in hot weather.
Description and purpose of SPF cream
The sun protector factor (SPF) is an indicator that indicates how long you can take ultraviolet baths without the risk of getting burned. The rays, by the way, are different, namely:
- UVA rays … They penetrate into the middle layers of the dermis and cause premature aging, hyperpigmentation, and can lead to melanoma. SPF creams are not able to effectively protect the skin from these deeply penetrating rays. To do this, on the package, in addition to the SPF mark, there must also be a UVA mark.
- UVB rays … They have high damaging factors and lead to burns, redness and irritation of the epidermis. It is from these rays that SPF creams are designed to protect the skin to a greater extent.
The degree of damage that a person can receive while in the sun depends on many nuances: his color type, the country where he lives, the time of year and the period of the day. However, in order to protect the skin from sun exposure in summer, a day face cream must necessarily have protective factors. After application of the SPF product, any dermis becomes more resistant to sunlight.
The working time of the cream with SPF protection is easy to calculate. Anyone can spend an average of 25 minutes in the sun without affecting the skin, and the SPF factor extends this time by 15, 25, 40 times. To calculate 25 minutes, you need to multiply by this level, and you get an approximate time period. Of course, this formula is very approximate, and much also depends on the individual characteristics of the dermis.
There are two types of SPF creams:
- With chemical protection … They contain vegetable oils, which are produced on the basis of choline and benzene and have a protective mechanism - they do not let dangerous rays into the deep layers of the skin.
- With physical protection … They form a screen impervious to rays on the surface of the dermis. These products contain titanium and zinc oxide. The rays, falling on the skin, are reflected and scattered.
Creams with protective factors are visually no different from conventional cosmetic products for face care. The only thing is that there is an SPF badge on their packaging indicating the degree of protection. These products should not be confused with classic, highly targeted sunscreens!
Note! While universal SPF products are suitable for staying on the beach, designed for contact with water and requiring frequent application, then daily face creams with SPF combine comprehensive skin care and sun protection.
Benefits of SPF Day Cream
By choosing a quality product with an SPF factor for the face, you can not only protect your skin from aggressive sun exposure, but also provide it with all the necessary trace elements and vitamins. Such tools have a whole list of useful properties and can solve several problems at once.
What are the benefits of a day cream with SPF:
- Protects from burns … The microelements included in the composition, namely zinc oxide, manganese, iron, calcium, create a thin film on the skin that reflects the rays. At the same time, a person gets a light tan - it all depends on the SPF level, but the possibility of sunburn and damage to the skin is excluded.
- Prevents the appearance of pigmentation, the development of melanoma … Thanks to benzophenone, a chemical that is a powerful filter of UVA and UVB rays, they do not penetrate deep tissues and are unable to have a destructive effect at the cellular level.
- Moisturizes … The sun's rays dry out the skin, because moisture evaporates from the deep layers of the dermis. Day creams with SPF protection factors provide her with vitamins A, B, C and K, which saturate her with moisture and make her elastic.
- Rejuvenates … The constituent components - coenzyme and hyaluronic acid - saturate cells with unique substances and act as antioxidants, promote the appearance of new cells. They also moisturize the dermis well, so they are part of almost all SPF creams.
- Nourishes … Wheat, jojoba, almond oils, as well as aloe vera extract restore overdried areas of the dermis, gently saturating them with useful components. Glycerin is also often present in the composition and is excellent for softening the skin, making its texture velvety to the touch.
- Renews the epidermis … Polyunsaturated acids omega 6 and 3 have a regenerative function, contributing to the elimination of dead cells and the appearance of new ones.
Important! Thanks to the powerful composition of the cream with SPF, after using it, the woman's face will not only be protected from redness and the appearance of wrinkles, but will also receive the maximum amount of vitamins, antioxidants and other beneficial microelements.
Contraindications to SPF-protected day cream
Day cream with protective factors from solar radiation is a complex chemical agent that can aggressively affect the dermis, therefore it has certain contraindications. SPF cream cannot be used in the following cases:
- If you are allergic to any of its components … In this situation, everything is individual and you cannot do without a preliminary test and sample.
- With exacerbation of any skin disease … The composition of the SPF cream will only worsen the condition of the dermis, causing irritation or itching. In this case, you should use special medications and generally refrain from creams.
- When the remedy is used for other purposes … Use SPF cream only during daytime. If applied before bedtime, it is harmless, but it can be heavy on the face and will only increase the stress on the skin, which needs to rest at night. In principle, you should not load it with additional components that provide protection from the sun, if you do not appear under its rays.
It is no secret that often components are added to creams that can harm the skin - synthetic substances, preservatives, parabens and heavy chemical elements. Tanning products are no exception, including day creams with SPF. But not all information about their dangers should be trusted.
There are two common myths:
- The reflective film of the SPF cream harms the body … Many women do not want to use these products for the reason that they contain titanium dioxide, zinc and iron. These are really elements that leave a surface film on the skin, preventing harmful sun rays from penetrating. However, they cannot seriously harm the body, since this film acts only on the surface of the epidermis, without penetrating into deep tissues.
- The application of such creams negatively affects the absorption of vitamin D … This vitamin is produced in the body when the skin is exposed to ultraviolet rays. Dermatologists say that when it gets on open areas of the body, it enters the body in the required volume. The areas can be arms, shoulders, and others, not necessarily the face.
Note! When using a cream with protective factors against solar radiation, you should understand that there are small risks, but they are hundreds of times less than the consequences that can be experienced if you do not use it.
How to Pick a Good SPF Cream
In order not to get into a mess and get a really decent result from such a face care product as a cream with SPF, it is important to choose a product that suits your color type, as well as pay attention to the composition. Another important quality criterion is the level of a cosmetic company that produces a product with filters for daily use. To make the right choice, you need to familiarize yourself with the most popular and effective creams.
Face cream with SPF 15
Such creams are suitable for daily use by women with dark skin, as well as by the fair sex who want to protect their face from the sun in winter. The level of protection in it is minimal, so it can be rather weak for the bright sun in the spring and summer period.
Products with SPF 15 gently protect from sun damage, have a light texture and provide the epidermis with additional substances, depending on their purpose.
Effective SPF 15 creams include:
- Clarins Hydra Tinted Moisturizer … A very delicate moisturizing tinted cream without age restrictions, which provides the face with freshness and radiance, and also well protects against redness. It contains extracts of cataphray bark and rowan berries, as well as hyaluronic acid, which provide long-term hydration and promote the appearance of new healthy cells.
- Christina Comodex Mattifying Cream … Ideal for oily to combination skin. The composition is designed in such a way as to relieve the face of excess shine on a hot day and at the same time protect it from the negative effects of sunlight.
- Wrinkle Lab Filters Wrinkle Corrector by Lancaster … Hyaluronic acid and wheat proteins prevent the early appearance of wrinkles by retaining moisture well in the cells. Date palm extract and vitamin A promote new cell growth, while protective filters prevent pigmentation and photoaging of the dermis.
Face cream with SPF 20
A protective SPF filter with an index of 20 is designed for European type girls with dark blond hair and dark eyes. These creams are suitable for all women who want quality care and sun protection slightly above the minimum level.
Dermatologists believe that this is the most optimal protection factor suitable for daily use, because it reflects up to 90% of solar radiation.
Quality face creams with SPF 20:
- Optimals by Oriflame … The product is aimed at lightening the skin and at the same time protecting it from ultraviolet radiation. As part of the extract of Swedish lingonberry, as in other creams of this line. In addition, it moisturizes the epidermis well.
- Natura Siberica … Day cream suitable for use by young girls from 18 years of age. Designed for the fair sex with sensitive skin, increases elasticity, protects against premature aging.
- White Perfect Re-Lighting Whitening by L'Oreal … This is an effective whitening cream from an Israeli company that perfectly removes severe age spots. Extracts of red grapes and mulberry roots delicately brighten the dermis, cleansing and tightening. Suitable for daily use by girls over 18 years old. The texture of the product is light - after application, there is no feeling of a greasy film.
Face cream with SPF 25
Creams with a SPF filter from 25 are suitable for use by women with fair skin and dark or light eyes in the summer. These funds are designed to provide the epidermis with higher protection from the negative effects of sunlight. It is highly recommended to use them every day for girls who spend most of the day outdoors.
Face creams with SPF 25:
- Hydra Vegetal by Yves Rocher … This product is designed for women with normal to combination skin. Thanks to plant juices, it retains moisture well in cells, and is suitable for use only in summer.
- Estee Lauder DayWear … Fights pre-existing wrinkles and prevents the appearance of new wrinkles. It contains coenzyme Q10, alpha-linoleic acid, kinetin, as well as vitamins E and C, which make dry skin softer and oily skin matte. Suitable for all types of dermis, protects well from the sun. The result is that the skin retains its natural healthy color.
- City Block Sheer SPF 25 by Clinique … Works very well under make-up, prevents foundation from dripping even in the hottest season. Thanks to algae extracts, it eliminates excess fat from the surface of the dermis, normalizes the work of the sebaceous glands, and also prevents facial redness even when exposed to sunlight for a long time.
Face cream with SPF 30
Cosmetic products with such a filter are suitable for owners of light-colored hair and eyes, who, in principle, are prohibited from being in direct sunlight for a long time without protective equipment. Face creams with SPF 30, unlike conventional tanning products, do not leave a greasy film and have narrowly targeted cosmetic properties.
Best day creams with SPF 30:
- Protecting Fluid by La Mer … A special sunscreen for the face that easily adheres to the skin and is suitable for applying over any foundation. It contains powerful reflective spheres that refract and redistribute the sun's rays. Algae protect the dermis from temperature extremes and high humidity. There is no sticky effect, which is usually a common disadvantage of funds with this level of SPF.
- Dermalogica Oil free matte … The cream with vitamins C and E effectively moisturizes the dermis, protects from the sun, and most importantly, has a calming effect and relieves existing irritations and redness.
- Muse Protective Day Cream … A very delicate day cream suitable for daily use. Developed by Israeli cosmetologists specifically for the hot season, when sun protection is required. It contains a complex of sugars and hyaluronic acid, which means that it not only nourishes and moisturizes the skin, but also prevents aging.
Face cream with SPF 40
Facials with such a high level of protection are a must-have for women who are just opening the beach season or have hypersensitive skin. These creams block 98% of harmful radiation. Such protection is especially necessary for girls who have recently undergone the procedure of cosmetic peels. SPF 40 skin care products include:
- Helena Rubinstein Premium UV … This is a cream that allows a woman to stay in direct sunlight for a long time without harming her face. It has a smoothing effect and evens out skin relief from the first day of use. Another plus is the effective fight against freckles and pigmentation.
- Shiseido Urban Environment UV Protection Cream … A Japanese product that protects against UVA / UVB - two types of rays that are the main cause of early skin aging. Antioxidants provide hydration and comfort to the dermis. It has a very light texture and is almost instantly absorbed, making it an ideal makeup base.
- Clarins UV Plus SPF 40 … The day cream contains mineral filters that provide powerful protection from the sun, free radicals, and negative environmental influences. This is a very worthy remedy that will provide the skin with comfort in any conditions, nourish with useful components, and give a healthy color.
How to use a moisturizing face cream with SPF 15-40
The very fact of using a cream with filters does not guarantee that it will exclude the appearance of burns or reddening of the epidermis. It is important not only to choose a quality product, but also to know certain rules for applying the product.
How to apply SPF cream correctly:
- The product is applied to cleansed skin 20-30 minutes before going outside. This time ensures that the cream is completely absorbed and its working components begin to work. If you are exposed to sunlight 5-10 minutes after applying the product with filters, the rays will have time to have a negative effect.
- Do not spread the cream in a thick layer - this will not provide better protection. On the contrary, the dense mass will cover the face with a film and leave an oily sheen, make thin skin heavier. But she needs to breathe, so use just a couple of strokes of the product.
- Apply the cream with light strokes and flapping movements with your fingertips. In no case should you rub in intensively.
- After the SPF cream, you can apply regular powder or a light foundation on your face. These funds will only slightly reduce its protective function. To enhance the protective effect, you can use a powder with sunscreen properties, but the SPF level should not be lower than that of the cream.
- If, after applying cosmetics with SPF, a woman uses thermal water during the day, it is advisable to apply the cream with filters again, because any liquid easily rinses off all working components.
In general, the rules for using a product with SPF are not very different from applying any other face care cream.
How to apply cream with SPF on the face - watch the video:
After 35 years, a woman with any type of skin and regardless of the season should use SPF creams, because they prevent photoaging of the dermis, protect against pigmentation. Such funds are mandatory for use in the summer, when even the skin of young girls is exposed to the negative effects of sunlight. If you neglect these tips, it will become dry, dull and wrinkled. Choose quality creams with strong ingredients and natural ingredients.
