How to choose sunscreen

SPF, PA and UVA

SPF indicates how long the cream protects against burns. PA and the UVA label indicate protection against skin aging. For the beach, take sunscreen with SPF from fifty. For the city, SPF thirty is enough. Waterproof cream stays on the skin longer. Cream should be applied twenty minutes before going out. Cream is reapplied every two hours. After swimming, sunscreen is applied again.

A child needs a separate cream marked for children. People with allergies should choose a cream with mineral filters. You can check the composition of the cream on the packaging.

Skin type and format

Oily skin suits a cream with a gel base. Dry skin needs sunscreen with moisturizing oils. Sensitive skin tolerates alcohol in the composition poorly. Spray is convenient for the body, but on the face cream is more reliable. A stick helps on the beach and in the mountains. Body milk spreads easily over a large area. Each format solves its own task. A test on a small area of skin helps to choose the right cream.

Seasons by destination

In summer in Turkey and Egypt the sun is especially active. In winter a tourist from Almaty flies to Thailand and UAE, where cream is needed daily. In the mountains ultraviolet is stronger due to altitude. In the Maldives the sun burns even in the shade. In Europe in summer beach cream is needed from May to September. In spring in Dubai it is hot already by noon. In autumn in Asia the high sun still holds.

The season determines which cream to take with you.

Winter flights to warm countries: why January deceives

In January in Pattaya and Dubai the air seems mild, but ultraviolet remains active. In Thailand it stays around thirty degrees during the day, and the skin burns faster than a tourist expects after the Almaty winter. In UAE in winter it is comfortable to walk, however the sun hits exposed shoulders and neck already from ten in the morning.

A cream with a high protection factor is needed even on days when there are clouds in the sky. Many take with them only the product from the beach, and then complain about redness. Take sunscreen in advance and apply it before leaving the hotel. This approach saves the vacation and nerves.

Spring and summer destinations: where ultraviolet is harsher

In Turkey and Egypt during the vacation season the sun is most aggressive from eleven to sixteen o'clock. At this time the cream should be reapplied after every swim. In spring in Europe the situation is milder, but in the mountains of Switzerland or Austria ultraviolet is stronger than on the plain.

Summer departures from Almaty to Antalya and Sharm El Sheikh coincide with the peak of heat, and without cream it is easy to get a burn within an hour by the sea. For Australia and New Zealand remember that the ozone layer there is thinner, so a product with a high SPF is essential. A proven cream from home is more reliable than a local one, whose composition may differ from the usual.

Apply it twenty minutes before going out.

Reflection from snow at altitude

At Shymbulak and Ak-Bulak in winter snow reflects up to eighty percent of ultraviolet. Even in frost, exposed areas of the face burn within a couple of hours of skiing. The cream should be rich, to protect the skin also from the wind. Apply it to the cheeks, nose and lips before every descent.

In the mountains of Georgia and Armenia in spring the sun is more intense than in the city, so the product will also be useful on an ordinary walk. Take the tube in your jacket pocket, and do not leave it in the room. That way you can refresh the protection right on the slope.

Open spaces without shade

In the Kazakh steppe in summer there is practically no shade, and the sun reaches the skin all day. For trips to Baikal or around the country by car, take a cream with a high protection factor. Through car glass ultraviolet also affects the face and hands. In the desert or on a safari you need a water-resistant cream that will not wash off later. Also wear a head covering, but cream does not replace it.

Refresh the layer every two hours if you are under the open sky.

Separate products for children's skin

For a child choose a cream marked "children's" and with mineral filters. An adult product may cause irritation on delicate skin. Apply children's cream twenty minutes before going to the beach and refresh after swimming. In hot countries dress the child in a T-shirt with sleeves, even if the cream has already been applied. Take the product with a reserve, because more product is used on a child's body.

If the skin is prone to allergies, check the composition in advance at home. That way you will avoid trouble on the very first day of the vacation.

Formats that are convenient to apply on the road

On a trip a spray or stick is more convenient than a thick cream from a large jar. The spray is applied in a minute and does not require a mirror. The stick is suitable for the face and ears, it is easy to keep in carry-on. The lotion in a tube takes little space and does not leak in the bag. For the humid climate of Vietnam take a light gel that does not roll off under clothing.

Leave one format for the beach, the second — for walks around the city. Before the flight, check that the tube is tightly closed.

Liquid limits and night flight

Before boarding, check that the tube does not exceed the liquid limit for carry-on. Otherwise the cream will be taken at the security check at Almaty airport. A small bottle of up to one hundred milliliters passes the check calmly. On a night flight the cream will be needed already in the morning, when the plane begins to descend toward the warm shore. Put it in a transparent bag together with other liquids.

That way you will not be rummaging through the bag in the security line.

Transit zone and layovers

When flying to Southeast Asia with a layover in Dubai or Istanbul, the cream may be needed already in the transit zone. Going out into the city is not planned there, but the sun through panoramic windows reaches the skin. Keep a small tube at hand, and not in checked baggage. In UAE and Thailand products are sold freely, but the assortment and prices differ from those in Almaty.

It is better to take the usual cream with you. During a long layover, refresh the protection before the next flight.

Swimming, sweat and reapplication

After every swim, the cream is washed off, even if it is labeled as water-resistant. Reapply the layer immediately after getting out of the water and drying off with a towel. In Turkey and Egypt, during the hot hours, sweat also removes protection faster. Apply the product every two hours, and during active swimming — more often.

For a safari and the desert, take a water-resistant cream that will not wash off afterward. Do not skimp on the product for the shoulders, back, and nose. That way you will make it to the evening without a burn.

Humid climate versus dry air

In Vietnam and Thailand, the humidity is high, so a thick cream pills up and clogs the pores. Light gels and sprays work better here. In the dry air of the UAE and Egypt, the skin loses moisture, and the cream should be nourishing. On a Mediterranean Sea cruise, the sun reflects off the water, so protection is needed even on cloudy days.

In Bali and India, local products may not meet European standards, so take a trusted cream. For Latin America via Europe, choose a product for different latitudes. One universal cream rarely suits an entire trip.