Ccommon denominator of spring beauty products? The photo protection. Whether in skincare or make-up, the beautiful season brings with it formulations enriched with sun filters that help protect the skin from damage caused by UV rays, and more. Even if it is only the first sunny days and exposure is not yet that frequent. «In spring the hours of light increase with exposure the skin more. This is the first reason why start using sunscreens now, mitigating cumulative skin damage» explains the doctor Valeria Pacifico, Dermatologist by MioDottore.
Why protect your skin in spring if the sun is not intense?
SPF is the common feature of all the spring skincare and make-up news. From face creams to makeup bases, sun filters are now essential ingredients in various cosmetic formulations. In particular, protection from UVA raysresponsible for 90% of the solar radiation that reaches Earth.
«While UVB rays change according to the season and are more intense in the summer months, UVA is present all year round, even when the sun appears less intense and the sky is cloudy. These penetrate deep into the skin, cause oxidative stress and contribute to the skin aging process. In fact, they promote the reabsorption of collagen and elastic fibers and are responsible for phototoxicity and photoallergy phenomena” continues the doctor.
«Long-term exposure to UVA rays also causes cumulative DNA damage which predisposes to the risk of developing skin tumors. In spring, all this does not change. On the contraryalthough the intensity of the sun seems lower, UVA is still active and contributes to cumulative skin damage» explains the dermatologist who continues «For this reason the skin, especially on the face, must be protected even in this period».
How sun filters present in creams and make up work
Due to an ever-increasing awareness of the damage caused by solar rays, cosmetic companies have introduced sun filters into skincare and make-up formulations for daily use. “They have light and invisible textures which, in addition to hydrating and “treating” the skin, contribute, especially in urban contexts, to protection from the sun’s rays. The filters used are generally the same as classic sunscreens. They are divided into physical filters, such as mineral powders that create a barrier reflecting UV radiation on the skin, and chemical or organic filters, substances that act by absorbing the radiation and transforming it into energy.”
If applied correctly, these products are very useful especially in intermediate seasons such as spring.
They are not true “holiday” photoprotectors
Be careful, though: To be truly effective, sunscreens should be applied in the right quantitya detail that does not happen with skincare or make-up products.
«Tendively, the face cream or make-up base is applied only once a day, in the morning, and above all in a smaller quantity than that needed for the filters to fully protect the skin. Furthermore, sweating and sebum production during the day can reduce the protective capacity of the product over the course of hours.”
The result is that actual protection from UV rays may be lower than that indicated on the label. «Therefore, although skincare and make-up products contain the protection factor, they cannot replace sunscreen real. It is therefore better to combine the classic sun cream with a skincare product with SPF, especially if you spend many hours outdoors, to guarantee effective daily defense.”
They also protect from blue light
There blue light it is naturally present in the sun and is also emitted by electronic devices. Although it has less energy than UV rays, it can still penetrate deeply.
Having said this, however «while the effects of UV rays on the skin are widely known, scientific data on the effects of blue light on the skin are not yet clear and consolidated. From some recent research, blue light seems to stimulate the production of free radicals, contributing to the process of skin photoaging and the worsening of skin blemishes. However, the studies performed have some methodological limitations and effectively lack strong evidence demonstrating that the light emitted by electronic devices can cause damage to the skin.» explains the expert.
Infrared rays act even deeper, where they activate collagen and elastic fiber degradation processes. «This is why the new formulations also include antioxidants and reflective mineral powders certainly offer support against oxidative stress and environmental aggressions».
How do you remove filters, sun or otherwise, from your face?
Filters must be removed, chemical and physical, carefully at the end of the day. In fact, they can clog pores thus favoring the appearance of impurities and, combined with sweat, sebum and smog, irritate the skin. Without forgetting that the presence of filters, and in general of daytime skincare on the skin, prevents the absorption of nighttime skincare.
It is therefore necessary to “cleanse with a delicate detergent that dissolves both the filters and the make-up. In some cases it may be necessary to resort to double cleansing, starting first with a cleansing oil or milk and then with a foaming cleanser.”
