Between outdoor fun and travel, summer is the season of sunshine. And while you should be protecting your skin against the sun’s rays all year round, more intense sunlight during the summer makes the importance of daily sunscreen even greater.
That’s why we’re going to show you the benefits of SPF for your skin — plus a few of our favorite advanced products from clinical brands that you can get at Vargas Face & Skin.
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The Benefits of SPF
To start with, there are two different types of sunscreens: Mineral (or physical) sunscreens and chemical sunscreens. If you’re wondering how sunscreen prevents skin damage, it differs a little bit based on the type of sunscreen that you’re using.
Mineral sunscreen — usually zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, or both — work by blocking and reflecting away UV rays. For this reason, they’re typically long lasting. You won’t have to reapply them as often in order to prevent sun damage. The downside is that some formulations can leave a chalky or overly matte finish, so it’s worthwhile to try a few products to see which you like best.
Chemical sunscreens, like oxybenzone, octinoxate, and others, work by absorbing UV rays before they can reach your skin to cause damage. This is why sunscreens using chemical filters typically need to be reapplied more often. After enough sun exposure, chemical filters absorb their limit and aren’t as effective. Still, many people prefer this type of sunscreen because it doesn’t create a chalky finish (though some formulations can feel greasy or oily).
That’s how sunscreen works, but why is it so important? It’s because the sun’s UV rays penetrate deeply into unprotected skin where they cause damage on a cellular level. This damage happens any time you’re exposed to the sun without proper sun protection — even while driving or sitting near a window.
Over time, that cellular damage can result in all of the following:
- Photoaging, which takes shape as fine lines, wrinkles, and age spots that come on gradually and get worse the more you expose your skin to sunlight.
- Hyperpigmentation, which includes dark spots and melasma.
- Melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer, which can leave scarring, or if not caught in time, could even prove deadly.
For these reasons, it’s always best to make sunscreen a part of your morning skincare routine — and choose a product or two that you can use throughout the day whenever you need to reapply.
Sun Care Products From Professional Skincare Brands
Now that you know why SPF should be a crucial part of your skin care routine, it’s time to check out a few great products. Below, you’ll find some of our favorite clinical brands along with our favorite sun care products from those brands. All of these products are available at Vargas Face & Skin.
PCA Skin
PCA Skin is a professional skincare brand that offers innovative, science-backed formulations for skins of all types and for people with all kinds of skin concerns. As part of their lineup, they have a number of great sun care products, including sunscreens and moisturizers that contain broad-spectrum SPF protection.
Our top pick? Try the Sheer Tint Broad Spectrum SPF 45 sunscreen. It’s part tinted moisturizer and part sunscreen — and it has a universal sheer tint, which means you won’t have to hunt for the perfect shade for your skin tone. It works well on all skin types, and it provides physical sun protection through titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. In addition to offering UV protection for skin, it also combats environmental damage and provides nourishment with antioxidants.
Obagi Medical
Obagi Medical is another professional line of skincare products that has a lot to offer. You can purchase a variety of over-the-counter sunscreens from this brand, including mineral formulas, tinted sunscreens, and sunscreen plus moisturizer.
In addition to these, Obagi also offers a line of prescription products. The standout sun care product here is the Obagi Nu-Derm Sunfader Dark Spot Lightening sunscreen. This is the perfect SPF for anti-aging. Not only does it deliver chemical SPF 15 protection via octinoxate and oxybenzone, but it also features 4% hydroquinone to help minimize signs of sun damage like dark spots and uneven skin tone.
ZO Skin Health
Also founded by Dr. Obagi, ZO Skin Health is a clinical brand that you can only get through physicians — and it offers a line of fantastic sunblock for healthy skin of all types, or for people with skin concerns. Where ZO stands out from other brands is that it offers a lot of products that are geared toward makeup lovers.
In particular, check out the ZO Skin Health Sunscreen + Primer Broad-Spectrum SPF 30. Not only does this formulation deliver sun protection, but it’s also hydrating — and as a primer, it gives you a smooth, matte base for makeup.
Another innovative product from ZO is Sunscreen + Powder Broad-Spectrum SPF 45. It’s perfect for setting makeup, and it gives you the added bonus of extra sun protection even when you’re wearing foundation.
SkinMedica
SkinMedica offers a premium line of sun care products — including the Total Defense + Repair formulation. This product offers not only SPF 35, but also the SOL-IR Advanced Antioxidant Complex, which is a trio of powerful antioxidants designed to replenish skin and protect it against infrared damage.
SkinMedica also offers skincare products packaged as complete systems. For a system that features sun care, we recommend the Procedure 360 System. It’s a great choice for before and after skin procedures — and in addition to offering an SPF 35 sunscreen, this package also comes with a cleanser, post-procedure cream, a ceramide treatment, and a restorative ointment.
EltaMD
If you want a diverse selection of products, EltaMD is the brand to go with. They feature a huge line of products that you can purchase from Vargas Face & Skin or over the counter — and in addition to daily sunscreens with both physical and chemical filters, they also offer some notable formulations that can fill the gaps in your sun protection regimen.
First of all, their sun care lineup features tinted sunscreens in a broader selection of shades than most brands, which is perfect if you struggle to get a good match for your skin tone. Where most professional brands only offer creams or serums, EltaMD also offers a mist, lip balm with SPF, and a UV stick, making all-over sun protection convenient.
In particular, we recommend checking out the UV AOX Mist Broad Spectrum SPF 40. It’s a lightweight, convenient product that uses mineral-based sun protection, so unlike chemical-based sunscreen sprays, it’ll leave a sheer, non-greasy finish.
Don’t Skip the Most Important Step in Your Skincare Routine
The benefits of SPF cannot be overstated. No matter how advanced your skincare regimen is, exposure to UV rays can set your skincare goals back by decades — especially in the summer when the sunshine is most intense and you’re more likely to be outdoors.
The brands and products featured above are all backed by science, trusted by professionals, and easy to integrate into your routine. They’re all available at Vargas Face & Skin, too. If you’re ready to upgrade your sun protection, be sure to contact us.
