The sun is responsible for much of our skin damage such as fine lines, wrinkles, hyper pigmentation (freckles), and premature aging. In the battle against skin damage and aging, it is no longer practical to bake in the sun, drenched in baby oil. Many of us are starting to see the effects from our youth.

The longer wavelengths of UVB (burning rays) and UVA (aging rays) pass right through the atmosphere, even on a cloudy day. That’s why you can still get sunburned on a cloudy or hazy day. The molecules in sunscreens absorb most UVB and prevent it from reaching the skin. But UVA penetrates deeper in the skin causing long term damage in the cells of the dermis. UVA varies very little from one season to another so it is wise to use a UVA protection sunscreen product all year round on facial skin. Since UVA is similar to visible light, if there is any daylight (even on a cloudy day) there is some UVA exposure to the skin and you should protect accordingly.

The ingredients in sunscreen are important. Some work better than others. Most sunscreens do not protect the skin from the longer UVA wavelengths that can cause skin cancer. Conventional chemical sunscreens can themselves generate free radicals when struck by the sun’s rays. A mix of physical blockers, such as zinc oxide, with chemical UV absorbers to achieve better coverage, works better than chemical sunscreens alone, and limits the amount of chemical blocker used.

Adding iron oxides, minerals that add a pink or beige color, to white sunscreens, such as zinc oxide, increases their effectiveness by changing the way these minerals scatter UV radiation.

Protect your skin from harm­ful UVA and UVB rays with the Replenishing Sunblock SPF 36 from Artemis Esthetic Solutions. The anti-aging sun­screen combines micronized zinc and botanical peptides to pro­tect skin from the sun and reduce visible signs of aging. Ingredients include aloe vera and beta caro­tene to soothe skin, cucumber extracts for a refreshing and cool­ing aroma, and tamanu extract to firm skin.