Two of the basic skin care products that both men and women should have are moisturizer and sunscreen. It’s necessary especially when you’re spending more time outdoors. Who wants to have dry skin and looks old even at a young age? No one!

For a starter, moisturizer has variety of creams for face and body. It helps in locking in the water to the skin, making it smooth and plump. As for the sunscreen, it really helps to avoid nasty skin problems such as sunburn and skin cancer. Dermatologists recommend that you use sunscreen even when the weather is not sunny.

But how will you know which moisturizer and sunscreen is good for you? Find out some health tips you can follow when shopping for these two important skin care products:

MOISTURIZER

Consider your skin type

Of course, this is the very first step before you buy a moisturizer. Determine if you have oily, dry, normal, or combination skin. Check if you are acne-prone or too sensitive skin. If you’re able to know these things, it will be easier to choose the type of moisturizer and which brand is suitable for you. Remember that various skin care products like this are formulated for different skin types.

Check if there’s synthetic fragrance

Did you know that the major cause of skin irritations and allergic reactions is the fragrance? So before you hit the counter to pay for your moisturizer, be sure to check if there’s smell or a fragrance-related allergen. According to dermatologists, fragrances are frequently comprised of complex chemicals, causing irritant or allergic effects. Always look for the words: fragrance, perfume or parfum on the label.

Ensure there’s included sun protection to some extent

Why do you need to make sure it has sun protection? Because it lessen the need to apply a second layer to your face and it also help you in combating the sun rays to some extent. When shopping for moisturizer, make sure to pick a protection of at least 30 SPF so you won’t have a problem all day. Also, it helps preventing to have withered skin

Select moisturizer with AHA

Alpha hydroxyl acid or AHA in a moisturizer product is a great choice. Having this as one of the major ingredients means helping you to heal a dry skin. According to clinical professors in dermatology, exfoliation of the dead skin is essential so it can help exposing the fresh layers underneath.

Read the label always

It doesn’t hurt at all if you read the label of every skin product you buy including moisturizer. Keep it a habit to always read the label because you will know if it’s good or bad for you. Look for moisturizers with “allergy tested” label as well as “non-comedogenic” so it will less likely to clog your pores. This may not guarantee that it won’t irritate your skin but it’s a good start for most people.

SUNSCREEN

Select sunscreen with “broad spectrum” protection

The label “broad spectrum” means protection against both UVA and UVB rays, so better but a sunscreen that contains this label. UVB rays cause the two of the major skin problems: sunburn and skin cancers. Moreover, UVA rays are also contributing to the growth of skin cancer, and also it makes you look older. If sunscreen products have no broad spectrum label, they must put a warning that they’re only protecting you against sunburn and not skin aging or skin cancer.

Pick the one with sun protection factor (SPF) of more than 30

The SPF number label means the level of protection that your sunscreen offers against UVB rays. The higher the SPF numbers, the more protection you can get but the higher you choose may only have smaller difference from each other.

Here are the samples:

• SPF 15 – protects you 93 percent from UVB rays
• SPF 30 – protects the skin about 97 percent against UVB rays
• SPF 50 – protects your skin around 99 percent from UVB rays

Those sunscreen products with below SPF 15 should put a warning that they only protect you against sunburn and not skin cancer or skin aging.

Know the difference between water-resistant and waterproof

Keep in mind that there is no sunscreen that is waterproof or “sweatproof” for that matter. For best results from your sunscreen, re-apply sunscreen at least every 2 hours and even more often if you are swimming or sweating.

Check if there’s stinging effect

Sunscreen product should not have a stinging effect on face or body. If you feel that it “bites” you, it’s time to change your sunscreen. Make sure that it suits your skin type. You can also use Herbal Care Products

Pick sunscreen that offers longer protection period

If your activity requires you to stay under the sun for a long time, always choose or apply sunscreen that provides longer lasting formulation. Sample of this are liposomal products as well as those containing proprietary combinations of chemical sunscreen components formulated to break down more slowly.