In Aruba, we get about 9 hours of sun each day. Year-round. The sun is a constant part of our lives. And that means joy, warm beachy days. But it also means: protection. Because we don’t just love the sun, we love our skin and health just as much. The question is: How can you enjoy the sun and protect yourself against it at the same time?
We’ll walk you through five questions we’re asked a lot. So you can go into the summer well prepared.
1. Which SPF should I choose?
The quick answer: the minimal factor you should use is 30. It blocks 97 percent of UVB – the radiation that causes sunburn and skin cancer. SPF 50 is a bit safer, but it doesn’t add much: it protects you by only 1 to 2 percent more. Some people still think SPF 15 is sufficient. But on a sunny beach day factor 15 won’t do much for you. Long story short: don’t go lower than SPF 30.
Make sure you never go out in the sun unprotected. Not in the summer, not in the winter.
2. What’s the difference between UVB and UVA radiation?
All sunscreens are rated with a sun protection factor (SPF). This number reflects
protection from UVB radiation. UVB mainly causes burns on the top layer of your skin. But there is a second important type of radiation: UVA. UVA causes aging, like wrinkles. It affects deeper layers of your skin.
So when you go out to buy your sunscreen, always take a careful look at the packaging and make sure you’re not just protected against UVB, but against UVA as well.
3. How often should I apply sunscreen? And how much?
Applying sunscreen once a day is by far not enough. Apply it thick and often. You’re sweating, you’re swimming, you dry yourself with your towel. So you’re always less protected than you think. Rule of thumb: apply sunscreen every two hours. Did you take a dive? Apply sunscreen again. And we know it’s tempting, but try to stay out of the sun during the hours in which radiation is at its peak, typically from 11:00 to 15:00.
4. Should I only use sunscreen in the summer?
You have to use sunscreen year-round. But especially in the summer. Because in the summer UVB radiation is at its peak. In the winter it’s much lower. But in the winter, we still have UVA radiation – the type of radiation which mainly causes aging. So sunscreen is not a product you just use on your summer vacation. You need to protect your skin every day of the year.
5. My moisturizer has SPF – isn’t that enough protection already?
No, the SPF in your moisturizer helps, but it’s by far not enough. To get the SPF factor in your moisturizer to be protective, you’d have to use an extremely large amount. A very thick layer. And most people don’t do that. So you need a separate protector. And of course: Your moisturizer is better than nothing. It’s just not enough.
In Aruba, we know the sun
We are used to protecting ourselves against sunburn, aging, and skin diseases. All the knowledge we’ve built up through the decades and centuries is packed in our sunscreen. It’s always based on our main ingredient, our biggest pride: aloe vera. By adding aloe, our sunscreen doesn’t just protect – it nourishes and hydrates at the same time.
