Sunscreen Basics: Your Suntan’s Friend or Foe?
“But Tanny, why do you have a page dedicated to learning about sunscreen basics!? Isn’t sunscreen the enemy of a great suntan? I’m not sure I know what to believe anymore. Please help me out!” – an anonymous Tanny Mangino fan
Whoa there, Tanny fan! Slow down, it’s time to teach you a little bit about sunscreen basics and how they relate to your suntan. It’s time to set the record straight about my good friend sunscreen, and my true love, suntanning. You see, sunscreens and suntans are not enemies, as a matter of fact, they’re actually allies against the evil forces that cause you to get sunburns and skin cancer.
Both the natural melanin in your suntanned skin and the active ingredients in sunscreen help protect you against harmful UV radiation from the sun. So when your natural sun-armor needs a little help, make sure to grab some sunscreen before heading outside.
Helping You Choose the Right Sunscreen
Here are few tips for helping you understanding sunscreen basics and to help you choose the right sunscreen. You’ll also see that these factors are how we rate sunscreens in our reviews on the site as well.
Protection
Is a sunscreen’s SPF (Sun Protection Factor) everything when choosing a sunscreen? Well, no actually, it’s not. While a minimum of 30 SPF is recommended by the American Academy of Dermatology, there are a number of other factors you should also consider when it comes to the overall “protection” that the sunscreen offers against harmful UV radiation. Tanny isn’t going to spend time writing about all the factors here since the American Academy of Dermatology has already done such a great job on their Sunscreen FAQs page.
What Tanny will write about in his reviews are real-world use cases of specific sunscreens, because despite having similar active ingredients, many sunscreens perform very differently when put to the test outdoors. Since Tanny lives in Florida, you can count on the reviews being conducted under strong sun and in a variety of environments, such as the pool, beach, or boat.
Application
All sunscreen should be applied at least 15 minutes before heading out in the sun, and on dry skin, for optimal protection. The quantity you should apply varies on they type of sunscreen as well as your body type, so for in-depth information on questions like “how to apply” and “how much to apply” please reference the “Sunscreen FAQs” page from the American Academy of Dermatology in the link above. You can also read more about sunscreen application from the folks over at the OneLife blog by clicking here.
When reviewing sunscreens, the application rating will be based upon two factors:
- How easy is it to apply the sunscreen to your skin?
- How does your skin feel and appear after the sunscreen has been applied?
If you’ve ever had a really greasy or thick sunscreen, then you know exactly what old Tanny is talking about.
Affordability
Tanny knows how important it is to save a buck or two! However, sometimes the old saying “You get what you pay for” can be very true. Luckily, Tanny is here to help you find the right sunscreen, no matter your budget. Can you put a price on a sunburn?
Let’s try not to and just find some affordable sunscreen instead!
Get started finding the best sunscreens by heading over to the sunscreen reviews page.
Sincerely,
Tanny Mangino
*Legal Disclaimer: Tanny Mangino is not a dermatologist or other licensed medical professional. However, if Tanny was a medical professional, he definitely would be one of the tannest medical professionals on the planet. All information, products, etc. on this site represent the opinion of Tanny Mangino and should not be considered as medical in nature.