Every now and then, a certain brand or product is being singled out for fair reasons. Whether it’s because of its repute, pricing, performance, or anything else, there are always people who have their problems with that particular brand. And in some cases, this might even be justified. When talking about sunscreens, anyone will instantly think of the infamous SPF issue. The reason for this is simple. There’s something called the SPF test which all sunscreens must go through before they can be sold in India. But as with everything in life, things aren’t always what they seem to be from the surface level. The truth is that not every sunscreen passes the test these days — and this has caused a lot of trouble for those who have been caught using an illegal sunscreen over the last few months.
What is SPF?
SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. This is the number that manufacturers put on their products to indicate the amount of time it will take for someone wearing the sunscreen to be exposed to the same amount of UVB rays that would otherwise have caused them a burn. The higher the SPF, the longer it will take for the skin to be exposed to the same amount of UVB rays. How is this calculated? There are certain units that you need to convert from UVA to UVB. To do this, you take your UVA exposure and multiply it by 1.6. This gives you a ‘base’ UVA exposure of what the skin would be exposed to. Then, you multiply this base by the SPF of the sunscreen being used.
What happens when you use an Illegal SPF?
Sunscreens are tested for SPF to ensure their efficacy. If any sunscreen doesn’t have the required SPF to be sold in India, it will be asked to remove the claim from the bottle or face a fine. If you buy an SPF-less sunscreen and apply it to your skin, the SPF will be 0 on your skin. While no law says you can’t use a sunscreen that doesn’t have an SPF, many people still choose to use SPF-less sunscreens. Why? Because they don’t know any better and they think they can get away with it. But the fact is that there have been a lot of cases of people getting penalized for this. People who’ve been slapped with a fine for using SPF-less sunscreens.
Why Is SPF so Important?
Many people think that having an SPF of 50 means you’ll stay protected for 50% longer. While it’s true that having a higher SPF does mean that you’ll stay protected for a longer time, it’s not the only thing that makes sunscreen effective. Also, keep in mind that SPF only measures the level of protection you’ll get against UVB rays. You must also consider the UVA rays that may cause damage to your skin as well. While sunscreen is an essential item for your beach bag, it’s not the only thing that you need to keep your skin safe. Sunscreen can’t protect you from the harmful effects of the sun’s rays.
Where to get a legal sunscreen
The easiest way to find a legitimate sunscreen is to go to the store where you bought your old sunscreen. Most of the time, the sunscreen you bought might not be the real deal. You can also ask your friends and family members. Depending on how trusted the brand is among your friends, you might get better recommendations. Also, don’t forget to check the boxes when buying any other product, like liquid soaps and toothpaste.
Tips When Using an Illegal SPF
When it comes to sunscreen, you need to remember that there’s no such thing as an SPF-less sunscreen. So if you’re planning to use an SPF-less sunscreen, then you need to keep these few tips in mind. – Only use sunscreen if your skin is exposed to the sun. – Don’t use sunscreen if the UV rays are less than those you normally experience. – Look out for SPF marking on the bottle. If it doesn’t have a proper SPF marking, then don’t use it. – Apply sunscreen liberally and evenly. – Reapply sunscreen frequently. sunscreen is not water-resistant, so you need to reapply after two hours of swimming or sweating. – Don’t use sunscreen as make-up.
Conclusion
The truth is that many people have been slapped with a fine for using an SPF-less sunscreen. And it’s not just because they’re using illegal sunscreen. It’s because they’re not using sunscreen at all! While there is no law against using an SPF-less sunscreen, you do need to keep in mind just how important it is to use a legitimate sunscreen. The good news is that there are plenty of legal options out there you can choose from. So make sure you don’t get yourself into trouble by sticking to a non-legitimate sunscreen!