What are the best sunscreen and after-sun products?

Sure you can take vitamin supplements to get you daily dose of vitamin D, but one of the most effective ways to receive this vital nutrient for the body is going outdoors to get some sun. However, that comes with its own risks as sunlight contains ultraviolet (UV) light that can have significant damaging effects on the skin.

So, before you go out on a bright day, even slightly overcast, you should lather up with sunscreen to defend your skin from the harmful rays while enjoying the warm light. Regardless of how much sun you take in, it can have a drying effect, so you’ll want to moisturize afterward. And should you get too much, you’ll need to treat your skin with an after-sun lotion. Here are some of the top products on the market today.

The best sunscreen is the one you put on everyday

The market is full of sunscreens with new versions coming out every year. It can be a daunting task figuring out which one is the best. There are several factors to consider like the SPF level, the viscosity of the lotion and whether it is a chemical or mineral sunscreen. And the choice doesn’t end there, is it water-resistant, is the smell appealing and are the ingredients safe for the environment.

Except for the last one really, don’t want to keep yourself safe but sink the boat, there is a uniform saying from the experts that the sunscreen you reach for everyday is the best. You should apply about one ounce of sunscreen, roughly enough to completely cover your palm, 30 minutes before going outside. Remember to reapply it every two hours, and after swimming or sweating immediately.

The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends a broad-spectrum, both UVA and UVB protection, sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher that is water-resistant.

Here are some of the top sunscreen picks around the internet:

Aftersun will help repair some of the damage from exposure to the sun

Although sunscreens help block out a lot of the harmful UV radiation it isn’t a one hundred percent shield with SPF 30 filtering out around 97 percent. Often times we forget to reapply our sunscreen when we should. And even if you do, spending the day out in the sun at the beach or walking in the countryside will take a toll on your skin.

So when you get home you’ll need to apply an after-sun lotion to treat and prevent dryness in your skin and reduce inflammation from over exposure or sunburn. After-sun lotions heal the skin through hydration and provide antioxidants that will counter the effects of UV-induced free radicals offsetting longer-term damage. You have about an eight to ten hour window to apply after-sun but the sooner you do, the better.

Like sunscreens, there is a plethora of choice for after-sun lotions. Dr Melissa Kanchanapoomi Levin, dermatologist and founder of Entière Dermatology, told Shape that you will want to find one that contains “moisturizing and hydrating ingredients such as ceramides, lipids, hyaluronic acid, and glycerin that will help to repair the skin barrier.” Two effective natural substances are aloe vera and chamomile.

Aloe vera, as unadulterated as possible, has tremendous cooling, healing and antiseptic properties. That’s in addition to effectively hydrating your skin and is naturally full of antioxidants. Dr Geeta Yadav, a dermatologist in Toronto, told Vanity Fair that chamomile “contains a compound known as azulene, which has potent anti-inflammatory effects.”

Here are some of the top sunscreen picks around the internet: