The Fenn Review: Sunscreens

Ask any of our skin therapists, and they will all tell you that one of the keys to healthy skin that ages well is using sunscreen. For anyone under 30, sun protection is the absolute best anti-ageing product you can use. After 30, sunscreen should remain a lifelong habit to slow ageing and prevent sun damage.

In the last few years we have really seen a push from experts, particularly in Australia, to make sunscreen part of your everyday routine all year round. While many of our FENN friends have done this, as we step closer to sunny summer days (please stay away La Nina 2.0!) We thought it was time for a reminder to amp up the SPF.

A few key considerations for your sunscreen routine:

Even if all your makeup products have a degree of SPF in them, this still won’t give you sufficient protection from the sun as chances are, these products aren’t providing Broad Spectrum protection. Plus, the amount you apply simply doesn’t stack up to the coverage a regular, liquid sunscreen can provide. So, make sure to apply your sunscreen in the morning, followed by your makeup. Fenn has a range of tinted sunscreens which offer a great alternative to makeup or act as a perfect primer underneath makeup; Rationale Tinted Serum #3 or Beautiful Skin Superfluid SPF 50 which is available in 3 tints, which pairs effortlessly with the Rationale Superfluid Range in Bronze, Cheeks & Light. And we are longtime fans of Josh Rosebrook’s Tinted Nutrient Day Cream SPF 30 and Sun Juice Tinted SPF 15.

Or skip the tinted formulas for day cream that includes SPF with any of the following: Rationale The Enriched Cream SPF 15, Josh Rosebrook’s Non Tinted Nutrient Day Cream SPF 30 or Sun Juice Non Tinted SPF 15.

The two types of sunscreen (physical and chemical) work similarly; Both absorb UV radiation to protect your skin, but physical sunscreen also reflects UV lights.

Physical/mineral filters scatter or reflect UV rays, as they sit on the surface of your skin, actively blocking UV rays. They can feel a little heavy on the skin but are perfect for all skin types, including sensitive skin. Physical sunscreens protect the skin in exactly the way their name suggests: they create a physical barrier between your skin and the sun. These products don't absorb into the skin but remain on the surface. Physical sunscreens are naturally broad-spectrum, protecting against both UVA and UVB rays.

The two most common physical sunscreen ingredients are titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. Physical sunscreens have come a long way from the thick, white zinc smear we remember as kids, as modern formulations use zinc oxide and titanium dioxide in micronized form to yield a sheerer formula.

Chemical sunscreens penetrate the skin and absorb harmful UV rays before they can damage the epidermis. These products are typically fast-absorbing, sheer, and lightweight. Unfortunately, chemical sunscreens may cause sensitivity and irritation.

Chemical sunscreens such as avobenzone and homosalate essentially soak up UVA and UVB rays like a sponge. But a single chemical is generally not enough to protect against both types of harmful rays. Compound formulas are more likely to provide effective broad-spectrum protection but it’s important to note that because chemical sunscreens are often present in combinations of three or four in one product, they're more likely to cause sensitivity than physical sunscreens. Also important to note that some ingredients in some chemical sunscreen formulations have been found to be endocrine disruptors, which means they interfere with hormones, damaging to the thyroid and can cause allergic skin reactions.