Everything you need to know!

First, its important to understand what a sunscreen does. A sunscreen, depending on whether it is a chemical sunscreen or mineral sunscreen, will either absorb the UV or reflects the UV. This reduces the amount of UV exposure the skin is susceptible to by creating a barrier of protection. 

The first thing to look for when choosing a sunscreen is whether or not it is a broad-spectrum UVA and UVB protective sunscreen. Some sunscreens will only protect against UVB, but its also particularly important to block UVA, which causes aging of the skin. Sunscreens with UVA protection will have a special logo on them. 

For most people, deciding what level of SPF to wear is the most confusing part to buying a sunscreen. Health Canada recommends wearing a minimum of SPF 30 daily. Sun Protective Factor is determined by how long it will take the skin to burn in the sun compared to how long it will take with an adequate amount of sunscreen on. However, this does not mean you can spend an extra 30 minutes in the sun if you wear an SPF 30. 

Physical UV filters (minerals) work by reflecting the UV light from the skin. The best physical UV ingredients to look for are Titanium Dioxide and Zinc oxide. Heath Canada classifies these ingredients as natural so the sunscreen bottle will have an 8-digit NPN on it (natural product number). 

  Chemical UV filters work by absorbing UV radiation and converting it into a low amount of heat. Some of the chemical filters to look for in a sunscreen are avobenzone, octisalate, oxybenzone and octinoxate. These ingredients are classified by Health Canada as drug ingredients so the sunscreen bottle will have an 8-digit DIN number on it (drug identification number).

 The Sun Protection Program (SPP) recognizes sunscreen products that meet a standard that provides effective sun protection.  Only approved sunscreens by the Canadian Dermatology Association can  display this logo.