Sunscreen is an essential item that we use during summer to protect our skin from UV rays.

There are a lot of people who do not apply sunscreen daily because it makes their skin oily. On the packages of sunscreen products, you can see the words SPF and PA.SPF is a blocking factor. If SPF is 50, you can think of it as blocking 50% of UV rays exposed to the skin. Therefore, the higher the SPF number, the better the product has UV protection. If you look at Korean sunscreen products, you will notice that there are no products with an SPF of more than 50.

In Korea, the maximum SPF index is limited to 50 because high SPF causes skin irritations. Koreans are very serious when it comes to their skin, so cosmetic manufactures try to satisfy their needs. PA is a number that indicates the degree to which UVA is blocked among UV rays. The more "+" marks in the product description, the higher the UVA blocking power.

How and how much sunscreen should we apply to protect our skin from UV rays? In general, the order of applying sunscreen is quite simple. Apply at the end of the skincare phase and before starting the basic makeup. The order is not as important as the method of application. If you want to protect your skin from harmful UV rays, make sure to cover all the sensitive or prone to UV rays parts of your body: face, neck, arms, legs, etc. To have a blocking effect, the sun cream should be applied 30 minutes to 1 hour before going out. Apply a small amount to the face and gently pat it on the face. It is important to spread it out in small amounts all over the body parts. After you are done applying the cream, make sure to gently tap to ensure absorption and adhesion.  Also, if you are outside for a long time, make sure to re-apply the sunscreen for a better effect after 2-3 hours.

Many people think that sunscreen should be applied during summer since only during summer the UV rays are the strongest. But this is a wrong conclusion, it should be applied every day no matter of the season. The UV rays are present even during rainy and snowy days. Make sure to protect your skin every day to avoid severe sunburns or other serious skin issues.