Sunscreen should be a key step in everyone’s daily skincare routine, no matter what time of year it is. While the sun is not as strong in the winter months and we may not be outside as much, the UV rays are still there and can penetrate our windows.

The sun’s UV rays damage skin cells, leading to sunburn, premature aging, hyperpigmentation, and skin cancer. Finding a sunscreen may be overwhelming, as there seem to be endless options. Here is what you need to know:

Look for broad spectrum options. Broad spectrum protects against UVA & UVB rays. UVB rays are to blame for painful sunburns, aging, and skin cancer. UVA rays make up over 90% of all UV radiation and can penetrate clouds & glass all year along. These cause wrinkles and some skin cancer.

SPF, or sun protection factor, measures how well sunscreen protects against sunburn caused by UVB rays. The number is determined by comparing the time it takes for skin to burn with sunscreen on with the time it takes to burn without it. For example, SPF 15 blocks 93% of UVB rays, where SPF 30 blocks 97%. The higher the number, the more UVB rays are blocked and the longer your skin is protected.

Physical sunscreens use minerals to create a shield and sit on the surface of the skin to reflect UV rays away from the skin. Look for options with zinc oxide & titanium dioxide listed as active ingredients. Physical sunscreens work immediately and are good options for those with allergies, acne-prone, or sensitive skin. These are also the preferred options for children, since they do not contain chemicals. Due to the nature of these sunscreens, they are thicker and opaque when applied to the skin, leaving a white cast that some people do not like. Sunscreens with no chemical filters are better for protecting coral reefs & marine life.

Chemical sunscreens act like a sponge by absorbing the sun’s rays, which are then converted to heat & released from the skin. These are great options for those spending a lot of time outside or in the water. Chemical sunscreens are lightweight, transparent, and longer lasting. It’s important to note these are not immediately effective. You need to allow at least 20 minutes for it to absorb into your skin before going outside. Active ingredients can include avobenzone, oxybenzone, octinoxate, octisalate, octocrylene, and homosalate.

Some sunscreens are a hybrid, containing physical & chemical active ingredients to combine the benefits of both while minimizing the drawbacks of each.

At SCG, we carry one physical sunscreen, Revision Skincare’s Intellishade® TruPhysical. It is a 100% mineral sunscreen and we love that its tinted, so you do not have to worry about the white cast commonly left behind from mineral sunscreens. There are 4 hybrid sunscreen options from Revision Skincare, Theraderm, & Obagi. Revision has the Intellishade® Original & Matte, tinted SPFs that contain zinc oxide and titanium dioxide along with chemical components. Theraderm and Obagi offer protection using zinc oxide and other chemicals.