Sounds Sun!

The best sunscreen is not just the one you wear, but also the one you love to reapply.

- NOEL KHOO

If there's one skincare trend that should last forever, it would be suncare. Over recent years, suncare has been one of the biggest conversations in the world of beauty and the innovation in sunscreen formulas (think: powder, stick and serum) is the best testimony to the growing awareness of sun damage. That being said, it remains difficult to decipher what is fact or fiction about sun protection.

Diana Lim, Medical Doctor at Premier Clinic, tells L'Officiel that despite a significant shift towards the awareness of sun damage, the majority of Malaysians skip sunscreen because of the misconception that tanner and darker Asian skin is exempt from sun damage. "Just because the skin doesn't burn, doesn't mean that the sun is not harming your skin," says Dr Lim. "It's important for us to know that the sun emits different types of UV radiations. UVB rays cause sunburn that can lead to cancer, whilst UVA rays contribute to the acceleration of ageing skin, such as fine lines, sagging and hyperpigmentation."

When it comes to navigating the myriad of sunscreen options, understanding protection level is just as important as choosing the right ingredients. SPF, which stands for sun protection factor, is a measure of how much UV radiation is required to cause sunburn on protected skin relative to unprotected skin.