Irrespective of whether you’re a beauty girl or not, we all know how important sunscreen is for our skin. No wonder all of us have a beauty closet full of sunscreen for our skin and body but is your sunscreen really working to protect your skin from the harmful UVA and UVB rays? And if it does, how long does it protect your skin? When is the right time to reapply to keep your skin protected? Well, those are some of the questions that plagued my mind for the longest time and so, I decided to actually test out all the sunscreens I had access to. But how do we test it? That’s where the UV patches come in handy.
What Are UV Patches? How Do They Help In Testing Sunscreens?
UV Patches are small round transparent patches that need to be applied on your skin before sunscreen application. So, how do these patches work to test the sunscreens? These patches tend to turn translucent and then lavender or purple (depending on the brand of UV patches) after you step out wearing sunscreen for a while. If the patch turns translucent immediately after you step out in the sun, it’s a sign that your sunscreen is not doing its job right, and worse if it turns lavender or purple. That’s your sign to throw your sunscreen out and replace it with one that works. But if your patch turns translucent or lavender or purple a few hours (usually 2 hours) after stepping out in the sun, your sunscreen is working perfectly fine but it’s time to reapply sunscreen. FYI, some of these sunscreens work so well that even after 3 hours in the sun, my UV patch was as transparent as it was in the beginning.
1. Perfect Priming Sunscreen
Okay, first things first. Dermafique sunscreen has a texture that makes it feel like a primer that’s just pampering your skin and how! NGL but I sometimes apply it even when I’m not stepping out because it feels so good on the skin but it’s not just that. It has much more to offer. With SPF 50+, this sunscreen protects your skin for a good 2 hours without having to worry about the UVA and UVB rays harming your skin.
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2. Keep It Ultra Light!
Code Skin offers a range of sunscreens as per your skin type and there aren’t enough brands that offer that. So, this one really intrigued me. I picked the CodeSkin UltraLite Fluid Sunscreen with SPF 50+. This might give you a very slight white cast but I promise it keeps your skin moisturised for the longest time ever. Even though I haven’t tested how water or sweat-resistant it is, just like its promise it keeps your skin protected from UV rays for about 80 to 90 minutes considering my UV Patch did not turn lavender before that time. NGL but I’m super duper curious about the CodeSkin UltraProtect Fluid Sunscreen with SPF 100+ which promises 12 hours of sun protection! That’s on my list to test out next!
3. Say No To Greasy Sunscreen!
Kaya Daily Shield Sunscreen promises to protect your skin from UVA and UVB rays with SPF40+ PA++++. Formulated with 2% Niacinamide and Rice Extract, this sunscreen is surprisingly lightweight and is non-sticky and non-greasy as promised. However, I’d suggest you reapply after 90 minutes if you want to protect your skin because my UV Patch turned lavender after about 90 minutes.
4. Sunkissed Feeling
NGL but Friday Feeling sunscreen is by far my favourite sunscreen because just the packaging of it puts me in a fab mood. It has been my go-to sunscreen for a while now. With SPF 50+ PA+++, Second Nature sunscreen feels as light as your skin and provides pollution defence along with protecting your skin from harmful UV rays for a good 120 minutes, I swear I tested it. Since I barely sweat and did not get a chance to test how water-resistant this sunscreen is, I cannot vouch for it but I won’t be surprised if it works perfectly!
5. Control The Shine With Sun Protection!
I tried to test not one but 2 sunscreens from Nivea, the first one being the Nivea Sun UV Face Sensitive Cream SPF 50. But NGL, I couldn’t get myself to wear this product on my skin for too long because of how greasy and heavy it felt however, this is keeping in mind that my skin is not sensitive so this product isn’t the best pick for my skin. I did manage to try Nivea Sun UV Face Shine Control Cream with SPF 50. I’ll be honest, it does mattify your skin but it also feels slightly heavy on the skin but only for a little while till your skin absorbs it. Once that happens, your skin will stay protected for a good 100 to 110 minutes.
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6. Hello Lightweight Sunscreen!
With Minimalist sunscreen SPF 50 and PA++++, I can promise you zero white cast, and zero sticky feeling. This sunscreen has a super duper lightweight and quick-absorbing formula enriched with Vitamins A, B, E and F. It’s one of the rare few sunscreens that I totally, absolutely swear by because it not only repairs and moisturises the skin but also reduces the damage caused by UV rays and I promise you won’t need to reapply for a good 100+ minutes.
7. Girls Gotta Shield!
I first chanced upon La Shield after my dermat recommended this brand to protect my skin from the harsh UV rays. Apart from being a dermatologist favourite, La Shield Pollution Protect SPF 50 has become a beauty gworls favourite too. This mineral sunscreen gel provides sun protection as well as pollution protection while hydrating your skin. So, a quick UV patch test helped prove what I knew all along, this product is sweat-proof (not that I sweat much) and protects your skin for over 120 minutes but you still might want to reapply after 2 hours depending on the time of sun exposure.
8. Simple Protection From Sun Damage!
Made with advanced UV filters, this super duper lightweight sunscreen from Put Simply comes with NO white cast and provides broad-spectrum UV protection. But hold on, there’s more. It’s hypoallergenic and enriched with niacinamide, ceramides and cica, which heals your skin from all the sun damage and it is safe for pregnant and lactating women. As a water baby, this sunscreen is my favourite because it is reef-safe and a patch test revealed that it provides sun protection for a good 90 minutes if you’re exposed to the sun during the peak sunlight at noon and for up to 130-140 minutes later in the evening.
9. Poreless Primer x Sunscreen For The Win!
My previous experience with Innisfree wasn’t as good but that did not deter me from testing it out once again because let’s be honest, the brand is known for its luxe range of skincare products. Enriched with lotus flower, chickweed and green tangerine among other actives, Innisfree UV Active Poreless Sunscreen is the ultimate sunscreen for every beauty gworl. It’s like the primer you never asked for but got nonetheless. This sunscreen will give you a shockingly smooth, poreless look. Isn’t that the perfect makeup prep you’ve been looking for? All this while providing sun protection and calming irritated skin. It’s also a clean product with all green packaging and it’s reef-friendly. According to the UV patch test, if you’re wearing this sunscreen during peak heat of the noon, you will have to reapply after 120 minutes. NGL but letting go of this one to test Innisfree Hyaluronic Moist Sunscreen was beyond tough for me.
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Disclaimer: The results and experiences shared in this story regarding the use of sunscreen UV patches may vary significantly based on individual skin types, the duration of sun exposure, the amount of sunscreen applied, and the specific patch used. We encourage readers to consider their unique circumstances and consult with a healthcare professional for personalized advice on sun protection and skincare. The effectiveness of sunscreen can differ from person to person, so please use caution and make informed choices when it comes to sun safety.