SUNNY SIDE UP

In the market for a good sunscreen but baffled by the slew of terms on the label? We’ll teach you how to speak sunscreen

- SANJANA SALUNKHE

Buying sunscreen would earlier involve choosing an SPF level and getting the right one for your skin type. But, today, the descriptions on each tube have multiplied, and there are far more decisions to make. Here’s a quick decode of everything you need to know before buying sunscreen.

PA+

PA+ is the rating standard for the protection grade offered by the sunscreen against UVA rays. It ranges from low (PA+) to extremely high (PA+++) UVA protection. If you’re picking sunscreen, anything with PA+++ is good.

BROAD-SPECTRUM

There are various types of sun rays, but the ones that cause prominent damage to our skin are UVA and UVB. A broad-spectrum sunscreen is the one that protects you from both UVA rays that penetrate the skin deeper and cause premature ageing, fine lines, and wrinkles, and age spots and UVB rays that are the main cause of sunburns.