What's your take on SPF? | Fashion & Beauty Source

What’s Your Take on SPF?

Submitted by Mimi on Friday, 12 June 200912 Comments

We are told to buy creams, moisturizers and foundations containing SPF and apply them every day, especially if there is sun out. But do we really know what SPF is and if it actually does what is says?

I’ve only found out about SPF products when I moved to North America. Back home when I was a kid in South Russia ( Azerbaijan) sun blocks were hardly ever used by any. I remember playing in the sun for hours in the summer and never ever did I get a sun burn.

After my first trip to Dominican Republic though, I had to consider using SPF sunscreens, as I realized that the sun in this part of the world is much harsher and dangerous. My first day away I got a rash from the sun, and for the rest of the trip covered myself with sunscreens and tried to avoid the sun. That’s how bad and painful the rash was.

However, whenever I vacation in Europe I notice a funny fact, while people watching at the beach. The only people using SPF sun blocks are tourist- mainly Americans and Canadians…. Take Italy, for example…Italians spend the whole day at the beach with their families and kids and sure they use umbrellas to hide from the sun during the direct sunlight hours ( 12-4) however, for the most part they are exposed to the sun without any protection and you know what? Studies show that less people have skin cancer in Italy than they do in the U.S. and Canada.

I guess all that got me to thinking and researching on the subject. There is quite a lot of information both supporting and bashing SPF creams, so I guess I’m still undecided as to how I feel about artificial sun protection. Quite frankly, you have to wonder how many chemicals are in something that can sit on a shelf for three years and still be good.

So, I turn to you my lovely readers for advice- Do you have a sun protection routine and what is your take on SPF containing products?

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Thanks for visiting and keep in touch ~ Mimi.

12 Comments »

Sher said:

My take on SPF is that one only needs an SPF of 10; or even a 4 is fine. It’s overkill to use SPF of 30 or 45. It’s just a marketing ploy.

- 12 June 2009 at 11:07 pm

Eeli said:

My Mimi-Pumpkin-Shnookums!

Firstly welcome back! Secondly your vacay pics (and you) are all sorts of gorgeous and thirdly I am fine: stressed but fine

SPF? Culturally I was told to always lather up to protect from those harmful nasties, personally I very rarely ever do…..

Can I write no comment? I like to research topics before I talk about them. Know very little about the whole SPF debate. You and my flatmate would get on swimmingly though. He can yabber on at the most strangest topics lol (not that this is of course) but to him it would seem so ^_^

Much love to you!

xx

- 13 June 2009 at 1:22 am

sharon rose said:

Hi there-because of my skin colour, I don’t use it, but I make sure my boys do when we’re at the beach, as they are fairer than me! Thanks so much for your lovely comment and birthday wishes, so much appreciated my dear!

- 13 June 2009 at 11:32 am

Farida said:

I totally agree with this post. I come from a warm country where i was exposed to the sun on daily basis never did i use a sunblock or get burned. However my recent trip to Cuba werent as pleasant as i thought i dont need any sunblocks but after tanning the 1st day i was burnt.
I guess places like carribians do need some kind of sun protection. But otherwise i wouldnt use it.

- 13 June 2009 at 12:27 pm

Leyla said:

I find it very annoying to have to remember and actually apply and re-apply the cream…but when I do feel like my skin is starting to burn I feel the need to put some on…But that doesn’t happen every time I’m under the sun and who really knows if we should or shouldn’t use it… It would require a thorough and honest research to find out once and for all…

- 14 June 2009 at 12:02 am

Clare said:

I am a very fair redhead (background is Scottish/Polish) from Australia and sun block definitely does what it claims to. If I didn’t use sun block of at least SPF30+ I would be bright red with severe sunburn in a matter of minutes in the Australian sun which is very harsh. I wear SPF sunscreen makeup for everyday use but if I am planning on spending the day in the sun (shopping at outdoor markets, beach, picnic, etc) I will always apply an SPF30+ under my makeup and reapply during the day. People with darker european skin which tans when in the sun have SOME “built-in” protection from the sun but fair european skin doesn’t. I am quite sure that the fact that there is less prevalence of skin cancer in Italy than in the US and Canada is because of the higher proportion of fair skinned people in the US and Canada. I am jealous if you don’t have to wear sunscreen everyday to stop sunburn but also consider the hidden damage that the sun does by causing premature aging and the risk of skin cancer.

- 14 June 2009 at 5:17 am

Kaya said:

Mimi,

I think you’ve confused yourself over two seperate topics;SPF IS most definitely dermatogically approved and verfied but what SPF is required for adequately protecting the skin is the debate.However,majority of speacialists agree SPF 15 is the essential amount and I guess according to the heat and sun exposure one decides how much higher to go.There is though, alot of debate about the overly high SPF’s for example SPF 60,70,100…and so on.

I guess it’s about common sense,100 does sound absurd..

Take Care and Congratulations on the engagement!!!

Hope you had a great time in Europe!

xo

P.S:I think this is my first time commenting I just stumbled upon the site and it’s quite classy

- 14 June 2009 at 10:23 am

savvymode said:

i do use spf 50 product for my face. it’s the main ingredients ( i think zinc and something else) within the product that reflect the UV rays.

- 14 June 2009 at 12:57 pm

lisa said:

The Coveted recently did a great post on sunscreens. Being from a city that rains almost 3/4 of the year, I slack on applying sunscreen to my body in the cloudier wetter months. I do, however, apply SPF 30 moisturizer to my face and SPF 15 moisturizer to my body before leaving the house in the mornings. I burn a lot easier these days than I used to, but even if I didn’t burn I’d want to protect my skin from sun damage and premature aging.

Oh, and btw, sunscreens may claim to have a shelf life of 3 years but they actually start breaking down within a year and become less effective, which is why dermatologists recommend chucking out last year’s half-used bottle and buying a new one.

- 14 June 2009 at 1:43 pm

Alex said:

Really helpful comments! I just want to say that whatever you do, DON’T put sunscreen near your eyes or you will regret it. Lesson learned in Italy! You will be blind for at least 2 hours… If it does happen go stand under a high pressure shower washing your eyes.

Other than that… use sunscreen in North America especially Canada as we have a serious hole in our ozone layer.

- 14 June 2009 at 2:50 pm

marian said:

darling this is thought provoking post, i think i need to take better care of my skin in the sun, most times i forget all about portecting it.
darling i hope you have had a good weekend my sweet.
muah x
marian

- 14 June 2009 at 5:00 pm

lisa said:

Thanks for the heads-up re. my blog going offline! It must’ve been a Blogger server issue or something.

I’m keeping busy these days! Working, blogging, and trying to squeeze in time with friends and go out salsa dancing as much as possible.

- 14 June 2009 at 7:43 pm