Sunscreen

Sunscreens are typically UVA and UVB absorbers, but are rarely are able to protect you from both types of radiation.  Chemical sunscreens have ingredients that may block one, or both types of UV radiation:

  • Avobenzone (UVA – yes, UVB – no)
  • Cinnamates (UVA – no, UVB – yes)
  • Salicylates (UVA –no, UVB – yes)
  • Oxybenzone (UVA – yes, UVB – no)

Confused by sunscreen choices and which sunscreen to buy to protect your skin?  You're not alone. Below are sunscreen buying tips from the experts and the RealSelf.com community.

Sunscreen Q + A

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Sunscreen products

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Sunscreen news + blog posts

Vie goes beyond sunscreen & supplements for sun damage
Vie goes beyond sunscreen & supplements for sun damage
Although most suncare products have traditionally involved topical sunscreens that protect the skin from sun damage, lately there's been more...
New study says UVB is worse than UVA
New study says UVB is worse than UVA
UVA...UVB...UVA...UVB. Which way? Thataway! It's like playing that whack-a-mole game with only one mallet. Some years back, the sun...
Benefit You Rebel Lite misses the glow
Benefit You Rebel Lite misses the glow
Somehow wearing a minimal coverage foundation (ie, tinted moisturizer) just doesn't seem as rebellious as it once did. Nor does seeing David...
Would you trust UVA protection from a plant?
Would you trust UVA protection from a plant?
UVA runs deep baby. So I'm one to be wearing sunscreen ad nauseum--sign me up for that SPF85 from Neutrogena--and I'm not kidding. I have on...
Solar-Powered Sunscreen from Clinique
Solar-Powered Sunscreen from Clinique
As regular gas here is hovering at $4/gallon (and I know for some of you it's worse) and as I think about being more eco-conscious, I've been...
MD Skincare uses Chelators to create a powerful sunscreen
MD Skincare uses Chelators to create a powerful sunscreen
Some words just don't sound right when used in reference to my face. Take "chelating". It sounds like a bad mix of actions I don't...
Australia delivers blunt sun protection message
Australia delivers blunt sun protection message
Some of us have learned the hard way. we incur at a young age (under 19) is a leading cause of adult cases of skin cancer. A new study
Sun protection tip: Sunscreen Towelettes
Sun protection tip: Sunscreen Towelettes
We all know we should apply sunscreen lotions to protect our skin from the sun’s damaging UV rays. But how often do we not do it...
Get a Biodegradable Sunscreen
Get a Biodegradable Sunscreen
 Biodegradable sunscreens, that is sunscreens whose ingredients will decompose naturally with the help of bacteria, are becoming more...
Is Sunscreen Safe?
Is Sunscreen Safe?
Whether sunscreen is safe or not never came to mind until I stumbled across an article in the magazine Alternative Medicine. I was so busy...
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