We are happy to share the lounger with the 2020 sun protection innovations! Caring, environmentally friendly and very straightforward, they are the best bodyguards for a hot summer time.
We Germans are sun worshipers. And you certainly know this impulse: As soon as the first warm rays of the year cheat through the cloud cover, you automatically close your eyes, raise your face to the sky and enjoy the cozy warmth …
But stop! Did you apply cream beforehand? Yes, it is annoying to be constantly reminded of it. That is why we have good news for us this season: The cosmetic companies and many scientists who work every year to improve the formulations of sun protection have come a long way: Protective creams no longer have to be sticky and contain fatty ingredients bristle so that they provoke impurities or ruin the carefully applied make-up. The current UV filters are really fun. So scroll down and into the sunscreen universe!
BRIGITTE beauty editor Abenaa Namslau
"With my dark skin, I thought I was well protected – until I got my first sunburn at the age of 27. Since then I've been using SPF 50+ in the summer, always!"
Basic knowledge of creaming
Full of euphoria you want to start creaming, but what care to start with? If you use a sunscreen with a chemical filter, it doesn't matter whether you apply it before or after the day cream. It is only important that you let the first layer move in completely before the next one follows. So no active ingredients get in each other's way. Mineral filters, on the other hand, should always be applied last so that the particles can do their job and not as a kind of doorman prevent the ingredients of day care from accessing your skin.
Fast protective shield
Are you pragmatic and, above all, want things to be quick in the morning? Then tinted sunscreens are right for you. No matter what requirements you have had of your foundation so far – the new pigmented sun protection products can easily keep up! It is available as a serum, as a light, oil-free or rich cream, as a stick or in powder form, with a satin or matt finish – and in all possible levels of coverage.
Deputy BRIGITTE beauty department manager Nicole Lötters
"Bibione, row of beaches 25, Tyrolean nut oil – that's my sun childhood memory. Today I even change the side of the street when the sun's rays are too strong for me."
The liquid coneflower
Large straw hats look great, and yes, caps are cool. But honestly: Do you actually always wear headgear on the beach or while jogging? Probably not. Especially those who have a hairstyle with parted hair, rather fine and thin or short hair, have to protect their scalp. The same applies to the head as to the face or body: strong UV radiation and sunburn in particular can lead to serious diseases such as skin cancer. In addition, the head, like the nose and the shoulders, belongs to the so-called "sun terraces", those places that receive a lot of UV radiation when the sun is shining. But putting thick sunscreen on the scalp and accepting streaky hair – that can't be a solution either! So what? Scientists have long worked on the development of the ideal sun protection for the scalp: it should have a factor higher than 15, be transparent and distribute well despite the annoying hair. It should not be greasy, leave no residue and of course protect from the sun: Hooray, this day is here! Pack the hats and the new UV fluids for the scalp (e.g. Dermasence). The ultra-light textures – despite SPF 30 – now protect your skin without smearing, greasing or sticking the hair.
No more breadcrumbs again
Grab your sunglasses and lie on the warm sand with a good cream. Now you can do it without looking like a breaded schnitzel! The brand new creams with anti-sand effect have a light texture, are absorbed extremely quickly and do not even stick. For example, Eucerin developed the "Dry Touch" formula. So this summer you can build your dream castle, if only out of sand … The oil-free formulas are also beneficial for the face, especially for combination skin or a greasy complexion. In many creams, they also mattify lipid-absorbing powder particles.
BRIGITTE beauty assistant Isabel Fisch
"Summer is the taste of freshly picked strawberries. Since I never got sunburnt in the fields, I never applied cream until 17. I am now wiser."
The blue from the shadow
Some opponents hide well and remain unnoticed for a long time, such as the high-energy visible light, the HEV light. It remained completely undetected that its radiation, also known as blue light, can cause considerable damage to our skin. Because all attention was drawn to the harmful UVA and UVB rays. But blue HEV light also gets into the lower layers of the skin, the so-called dermis, creates oxidative stress there and therefore has a negative effect on the cells. The high-energy HEV light does not cause sunburn. But it can favor wrinkles and pigment spots and weaken the natural skin protection barrier. This makes the skin vulnerable to even more harmful environmental influences. To prevent this, when buying your care you should make sure that it contains plenty of antioxidants, because they protect the cells from free radicals. Antioxidants include, for example, vitamin C, purslane or resveratrol. Carotenoids also protect the skin from the blue light. Good to know: The screen of digital devices such as cell phones or computers can also emit blue HEV light!
BARBARA Beauty Head of Department Heike Rheker
"Holidays were for me as a child: sand castles build on Sylt. Accordingly, I always had a deep brown back and was white on my stomach like a kitten."
Swimming with a clear conscience
We don't want a dark cloud to cover your beach vacation. But please also think of the reefs and sea creatures before creaming. They don't tolerate sunscreen, but it is estimated that around 14,000 tons of it end up in the water every year! Studies show that some chemical UV filters such as oxybenzone and octinoxate badly damage the organisms in the oceans and can even change the genetic makeup of fish and corals. The US state of Hawaii was one of the first to ban these filters, which will apply from the beginning of 2021. Fortunately, several cosmetic manufacturers have now changed their formulations. How do you recognize the good guys? Look for labels such as "Reef-Friendly" (e.g. Lavera) or "Ocean-Protect" (e.g. Caudalie). Such products contain biodegradable ingredients or rely on mineral filters. Before you think of geisha white faces – a lot has happened. The mineral pigments continue to lie on the skin to reflect rays and thus protect us from them. But the recipes are getting lighter and the pigments are covered with special coatings that hide them – that's only good for the oceans.
Beauty editor Angela Schöneck
"We spent many summers in the USA and looked funny together: my father deep brown, my mother bright red and I, well creamed, something in between."
Psst, spread the word …
… Over 30 percent of the UV rays still hit us in the shade, so we are also busy with creams.
… High Noon: From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. the sun is too intense: off into the shade!
… Eye catcher: Sunglasses on! It protects the retina and prevents wrinkles.
… Hairy thing? UV sprays stop split ends and keep the color.
Would you like to read more about the topic and exchange ideas with other women? Then check out the "Beauty Forum" BRIGITTE community past!
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