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The sun. A beautiful orb of golden fire that warms your heart and lifts the spirits. The rays of glorious sunshine this ball of gas emits are beneficial to both your physical and mental health. However, as I’m sure you’re aware, it is possible to have too much of a good thing.
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation has more energy than visible light and can impair the DNA in your cells, causing long-term skin damage and even skin cancer. The main source of these rays is the sun and they can reach your skin even on a wet and cloudy day! This is why wearing protection, such as sunscreen, is incredibly important - no matter where you are in the world.
Australia is no different. Across our nation there are myriad climates to enjoy, and therefore a few things to consider when choosing the best sunscreen for you.
The land of quokkas and koalas has a very diverse climate. Most of the country experiences four seasons, with frequent droughts and a wet and dry season in the tropical north. Therefore, the best sunscreen for Australia should be able to withstand these dynamic weather conditions.
Moreover, the ozone layer in the mid-latitude is much thinner than it is in the rest of the globe. The consequent increase in the penetrating UV rays has led to a higher rate of skin cancer in Australia. According to the Cancer Council, roughly 2 in 3 Australians will be diagnosed with skin cancer by the time they are 70! The best sunscreen should therefore provide high levels of protection.
We are famous for our outdoor pursuits here in Australia. With so much wilderness to explore and countless coastal communities, water sports and adventure activities are a popular pastime. Whether it’s surfing, hiking, scuba diving or kayaking, we all spend a fair bit of time outdoors. Therefore, the Australian lifestyle is another important consideration when choosing the best sunscreen.
Few countries can claim the unique biodiversity and significant levels of endemic species than Australia. What’s more, Australia is home to 34,000 kilometres of coastline (excluding all the small offshore islands) and has more than 1,000 estuaries. Not to mention the Great Barrier and Ningaloo Reefs, which are world heritage listed areas for their universal value of outstanding natural beauty and biodiversity.
With so much to protect, it’s important to find a sunscreen that causes the least amount of damage.
All this considered, we’ve compiled a guide to choosing the best sunscreen for Australia:
There are two types of UV rays that pose a risk to your health: UVA and UVB. Together, these rays are responsible for premature skin ageing, sunburn, and increased skin cancer risk. Due to the thinning of the ozone layer over Australia, we experience increased exposure to UV rays. Consequently, we recommend choosing a sunblock that offers broad-spectrum protection.
SPF stands for sun protection factor and is a measure of how well it protects your skin from sunburn. It is measured by determining how much time it takes for UV light to burn human skin. For example, with SPF30, if your skin takes 10 minutes to burn with no sunscreen on, it would take 30 times longer to burn, so around 300 minutes.
Overall, SPF30 will allow approximately 3% of UV rays to hit your skin, whereas SPF50 allows 2%. If you look at it this way, SPF50 seems to offer only marginally better protection than SPF30! However, the SPF50 will keep your skin protected for 50 times longer than if you’re not wearing sunscreen, as opposed to the SPF30 that will protect it for 30 times longer.
We recommend choosing higher SPF sunscreen to better safeguard your skin. Recently, we’ve upgraded our formula from being hand-made to listed by the Therapeutic Goods Administration as meeting SPF50 and 4 hours water-resistant standards. It’s great to use products like ours that are guaranteed the highest level of sun protection possible. Nevertheless, the proof is in the proper application. Always make sure to apply sunscreen in liberal amounts, otherwise it won’t yield full protection!
Whether you’re surfing, diving, perspiring, or simply caught in a downpour, it’s best to choose a water-resistant sunscreen when you live in Australia. As long as you reapply it regularly, then you can still enjoy your favourite pastimes!
No one can deny that Australia has some of the world’s best scenery! It’s our responsibility to protect it and one way in which we can do this is by choosing a natural sunscreen. Not only are chemicals detrimental to your health, but they also seep into the environment and cause widespread damage. That’s why we recommend choosing a chemical-free sunscreen to protect the well-being of you and our planet!
Buy our 'Best Sunscreen for Australia' here:
SunButter is made in Australia by outdoor loving Australian’s, who understand the importance of providing the best sunscreen protection for our customers, in Australia and beyond. That’s why our sunscreen is water-resistant, high SPF, broad-spectrum and chemical-free!
