Sun creams: how to choose and use them correctly
The sun is good for morale… Not necessarily for the skin! At the beach, in the mountains, in the city, on a sunny or cloudy day: no matter the place, no matter the season. To protect your skin from ultraviolet radiation, the cause of sunburn and skin aging, using sun protection is essential.
Choose your sun protection according to your skin type
L’indice de protection, ou SPF pour Sun Protection Factor
Here, several levels of protection exist:
● SPF50+: very high level of protection
● SPF 30 to 50: medium to high protection levels
● SPF from 15 to 25: sunscreen products with low to medium level of protection
● SPF 6 to 10: low level of protection
Remember: the higher the index, the more protected your skin is.
Want a clue?
It's not easy to choose the right protection factor. You should know that we actually classify skin according to their reaction to the sun: we talk about phototypes. And it’s your phototype that somehow determines the level of protection you need.
● Phototype 0 is fragile skin, which never tans and gets sunburned easily (because it has little melanin). It is the skin of children and albinos.
● Phototypes 1 and 2 are very very light to very light skin: prone to sunburn, and which need a high level of protection.
● Phototypes 3 and 4 are light to dark skin, less fragile, which needs medium to high protection.
● Phototypes 5 and 6 are brown, dark and black skin, with a high amount of melanin. They tan easily but still need protection.
Remember: the lower the phototype, the greater the need for protection.
Solar filters
The sun filter is the very foundation of sun cream! The technique used to protect your skin, ultimately. There are two: chemical filters and mineral filters.
● Chemicals that absorb the sun's rays
● The minerals are those that we chose from Avril. They bounce the sun's rays without penetrating the skin (less risk of allergy).
Our sun sticks are 100% natural and certified organic. And yes, the good news is that they have been formulated using mineral filters (zinc oxide).
Is the format important?
Not necessarily, it all depends on preferences! At Avril, we offer solid sun protection sticks to apply directly to the skin.
On the other hand, you can choose the ideal protection depending on your skin type: oily skin will prefer fluid textures while rather dry skin will prefer creamy creams.
3 tips for well-protected (and healthy) skin
1. Apply often
That is to say every 2 hours! Or after your swim. This is the only way to be continuously protected from UVA/UVB.
Focus UVA/UVB
There are two types of radiation: UVA penetrates the epidermis to the dermis. They destroy collagen and elastin fibers, and are responsible for skin aging. UVB rays penetrate the epidermis without reaching the dermis... That said, they are responsible for sunburn! Good to know: Avril sunscreens protect against both UVA and UVB.
1. Be generous
The application is intended to be uniform over the entire body, and in sufficient quantity. In other words, be generous.
1. Between 12 p.m. and 4 p.m.: go for lunch
Il est recommandé de ne pas s’exposer entre midi et 16h, heures durant lesquelles l’indice UV est le plus haut et, les rayonnements du soleil, plus intenses. On part donc déjeuner en terrasse, à l’ombre et/ou protégé (avec un chapeau, une casquette ou un bob en fonction de la tendance du moment).
