It is quite a common misconception that purchasing a sunscreen with an SPF or performance claim on the label means our job as the consumer is complete and we should expect those promises to be delivered. While this likely should be the case, there is much more to the equation and actually much more that we as consumers need to be aware of to have our sunscreen protect us in the expected fashion. This begins first with selecting the proper sunscreen to do the job adequately and understanding how to make this choice wisely and what to look for. There is a great deal of new information on this topic and new FDA label regulations which will eventually help us in this process.
The next step is the actual use of the sunscreen, this is the crucial point where we as consumers take to sunscreen from the bottle or tube and apply it to our skin in an attempt to gain that protection from UV rays promised in the label. Consider this, information many people are unaware of: If the exact recommended amount of sunscreen is not used in each application, the protection factors promised on the label are completely irrelevant. As disappointing or unfair as that may sound, it is the truth. Sunscreen testing is a very specific process regulated by the FDA and every single sunscreen has to be tested in an exact fashion, with exact amounts under controlled settings. The required amount is 2 milligrams of sunscreen per square centimeter of skin. If this amount is not applied sunscreen’s efficacy is dramatically reduced. As an example and SPF 30 can be reduced to almost an SPF 5.
Raw Elements USA has put together this series to help take the guess work and the technical confusion out of this process.
RAW ELEMENTS USA CHOOSES ALL NATURAL AND CERTIFIED ORGANIC INACTIVE INGREDIENTS WHICH EACH HAVE A PURPOSE IN NOURISHING AND PROTECTING OUR SKIN FROM ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS.