Sunscreen vs. Sunblock

That would be a huge yes! Everyone, regardless of age, must be aware of the Sun’s damaging effects on the skin. Sun protection is not only necessary in summer, despite what people believe. The Sun is out almost every day, so you don’t need to use it just for summer. It’s like the Sun shining on you. Then, it would help if you had protection against it.

What is Sunblock?

Sunblock protects your skin from the Sun’s harmful rays by acting as a physical barrier. Sunblock is a combination of organic and non-organic ingredients. It sits on the skin’s surface to block the sun rays from reaching the skin.

What is Sunscreen?

Sunscreen is the most popular choice. Sunblock works mostly physically, but this sun protection agent works chemically. It prevents the long-term damage caused by the Sun’s rays. It protects the skin from harmful UV rays and reverses them. Sunscreen is recommended for all outdoor activities.

I have wondered for years what the ‘SPF” label on sunblocks and sunscreens meant. If you have ever wondered the same thing, read on to find out!

What is SPF?

SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. It’s the amount of UV radiation it takes for your skin to become sunburnt. Based on the time it takes for your skin without protection or SPF to burn, you can calculate how long you can stay protected and when you should reapply. If the SPF 30 is applied to your skin and your skin begins to burn within 20 minutes, you can multiply that number to determine how long the sunscreen will protect your skin. This gives you about 10 hours of protection or 30×20=600 minutes.

Let’s look closer at the differences between sunscreen and sunblock.

Sunblock

Protection: A sunblock’s primary function is to protect your skin from UVB rays. Here, the ‘B’ stands for burning. Sunblocks preserve your skin’s outer layer by reflecting harmful rays and creating a barrier.

Ingredients Sunblocks are usually made up of zinc oxide and titanium oxide. It can make it more challenging to use for some, and it makes it thicker.

Consistency This is a physical barrier that’s thick and opaque.

Tips

Apply sunblock as needed.

Sunblocks don’t need a lot of white casts these days, so you can still get them if you dislike white.

They are almost all water-resistant nowadays, but be sure to check if it is water-resistant if you plan to take your bag to the beach.