Heading off to a desert safari or planning on cozying up with an indoor staycation? Regardless of what you choose, one thing remains unanimous: your summer is incomplete without finding the best sunscreen for face in UAE. Yes, even if you are indoors all day. Yes, even if it happens to be cloudy.
Vogue Arabia, April 2022. Photo: Joaquin Burgueño
So, what does your skin need for the summers and how can you find the right formula for your skin type and needs? We’re glad you asked.
Which sunscreen is best for UAE weather?
- Perhaps your summer plans involve endless mocktails by the poolside. Or maybe you have an exciting roster of outdoor adventures planned with your family at UAE’s best water parks and amusement centers.
- Regardless of where summer takes you this year, your plans will be incomplete without a generous dose of sunscreen to shield you from the sun’s harsh rays.
- But which is the best sunscreen for face in the UAE? The common consensus is that you’ll need to opt for a broad-spectrum sunscreen that offers protection from UVA and UVB rays as well.
- For those who were catching a quick snooze in science class, here’s a quick refresher. UVA rays are the bad guys that penetrate the skin deeply. The souvenirs include fine lines, wrinkles and premature aging.
- On the other hand, UVB rays can also cause the same damage but they choose a different route to get there. Expect sunburn, visible redness and inflammation if your skin catches too much UVB without protection.
- Now, throw in the fact that UAE summers average at nearly eleven hours of intense sunlight every single day. The final consensus? It is advisable to opt for a sunscreen that can offer broad protection along the spectrum.
How much SPF sunscreen to use on the face in Dubai?
- Five minutes in the cocktail of extreme heat and humidity and you will be wondering, “What kind of sunscreen do I need for Dubai?”
- Yes, the temperatures may be nudging 40 degrees during the summer months. But the right sunscreen can help you step out into the sunshine without any tanning or inflammation.
- SPF, or sun protection factor, measures how well a sunscreen can shield the skin from the sun’s rays.
- While SPF 30 can suffice most skin types, it is advisable to opt for SPF 50 for dealing with the unrelenting heat and prolonged periods of sunlight in Dubai.
- SPF 50 is said to provide roughly 98% protection from UVB rays, while SPF 30 clocks in at 96.7% roughly. This little extra margin of safety can keep you insured during prolonged sun exposure.
What type of sunscreen is best for the face?
All caught up on the SPF margin to look for when shopping? The next step in our quest to uncover the best sunscreen for face in UAE is to look at the different types to choose from. Let’s get started, shall we?
Sunscreen spray for face
- It is easy to think that any high SPF sunscreen for the face can get the job done. But it helps to factor in your own needs as well.
- If you are heading to the park or the beach with the fam, conventional lotions can be messy to use.
- This is where sunscreen sprays come in for offering optimal coverage within seconds. The lightweight formula absorbs easily into the skin and can cover wider expanses of the skin in a single spray.
Buy now: Vichy Capital Soleil Invisible Fluid Sunscreen Spray SPF50+
This spray-on formula is spiked with hyaluronic acid to ensure that your skin feels hydrated all day long.
Buy now: Sensai Cooling Protective Suncare Spray SPF50
A water-resistant and anti-ageing sunscreen spray? That can be used across the face, body and hair? Count us in.
Sunscreen stick for face
- Any round-up of sunscreen essentials in the UAE can never conclude without sunscreen sticks.
- So, what makes this roll-on a popular alternative to traditional lotions? For starters, there is the promise of precise coverage in hard-to-reach areas around the eyes, nose and areas.
- A stick also makes for an easy-to-carry option that doesn’t need to be rubbed in as vigorously as conventional lotions. No muss, no fuss.
Buy now: Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour® Cream – Targeted Sun Defense Stick SPF 50 Sunscreen
What do you get when you package eight hour protection into a sleek tube? Haute protection, indeed.
Buy now: Givenchy Beauty Skin Perfecto Radiance Perfecting UV Stick SPF 50+
Looking for an on-the-go stick that doesn’t compromise on sun protection? Givenchy Beauty will do you on better by offering SPF 50 with radiance-enhancing pearls.
Tinted face SPF
- Sun protection or coverage? Why choose when you can have the best of both worlds?
- Tinted sunscreens are here to serve as a sun shield while also offering coverage for blemishes and uneven skin tone.
Buy now: Bobbi Brown Golden 2 Vitamin Enriched Skin Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15
Skin tint meets sunscreen in this two-in-one formula that delivers a natural-looking finish while also protecting your skin with SPF 15.
Buy now: Dolce & Gabbana Beauty 400 Amber Millennialskin On-The-Glow Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30
Lightweight and hydrating, this tinted moisturizer comes in a wide range of shades with SPF 30 under the hood: the ideal choice for UAE summers.
How to find the best sunscreen for face in UAE for your skin type
SPF can be a good deciding factor, but it helps to consider the specific needs of your skin as well. Ahead, we take a closer look at how to find the best sunscreen for your skin type:
Best face sunscreen for sensitive skin
- Our sensitive skin girlies, we hear you! In between dodging the bullets of inflammation, redness and breakouts, finding the right suncare can seem difficult—but not impossible.
- UV rays can dial up the sensitivity of your skin, which makes your search for the best sunscreen for face in UAE even more pertinent.
- As a rule of thumb, you will want to stick to formulas that are labeled as fragrance-free and hypoallergenic. Choosing a mineral sunscreen for the face can also help as they cause less irritation to sensitive skin.
Buy now: Avène Intense Protect Fragrance-free SPF 50+
For him, for her, for everyone: this unisex formula can be applied on kids and adults alike for sun protection for up to eight hours.
Buy now: Uriage Bariésun Fragrance-free Moisturizing Cream SPF50+
Fragrance-free, lightweight and non-greasy: this moisturizing formula ticks off all boxes on the checklist.
Dry skin: Best sunscreen for face
- Tight, itchy and prone to redness? If you said yes to this, chances are that your skin type tends to lean towards the dry end of the spectrum.
- What does this mean for your sunscreen options? We are looking for hydrating formulas. Hyaluronic acid and ceramides? We’ll have some of that, please.
Buy now: La Roche-Posay Anthelios Age Correct SPF50+ Sun Cream
Ideal for mature skin, this sun cream delivers a burst of hyaluronic acid to keep the skin hydrated through long periods of sun exposure.
Buy now: Dr Barbara Sturm Sun Drops SPF 30
Is it a serum? Is it sunscreen? Tap into the best of both worlds with Dr Sturm’s sun drops that are doused with hyaluronic acid to keep your skin moisturized for longer.
How to find the right face sunscreen for oily skin
- If there is one thing that oily skin truly detests, it is a greasy formula that leaves behind a sticky finish.
- The road to keeping your sebaceous glands in check involves opting for lightweight formulas with a matte finish. Happy skin, happy you.
Buy now: pHformula U.V. Protect SPF 30
If the words “hydrating” and “matte finish” sound like music to your ears, you won’t want to sleep on this rosehip oil-enhanced option for pHformula.
Buy now: Minimalist SPF 50 Sunscreen
Moisturizer meets sunscreen for a happy union in this lightweight formula with a non-greasy finish.
What is the correct way to apply sunscreen?
So, you have brushed up on the best sunscreen for face in UAE for your skin type and weather conditions. This just leaves one question to be asked: which goes on first, moisturizer or sunscreen? SPF is formulated with special ingredients to shield the skin from the scorching rays of the sun. As a consequence, it needs to be applied as the last step of your getting-ready routine so that it can work on blocking out UVA and UVB rays.
How to detan face at home
So, you spent a little too much catching the sun’s rays at the pool? Don’t worry, we won’t tell. The good news is that you needn’t check yourself into the salon to reverse the sun’s effects—not when you can whip up a detan face pack at home. The first step for those wondering how to detan naturally is to take a peek in the kitchen pantry. Depending on the ingredients you have at hand, you can choose from any of these DIY remedies:
Lemon juice and honey
When life gives you lemons, you make a detan face pack. The go-to remedy for sun tanning is to look for a natural exfoliator, which is where lemon comes in. But while it can help shed the skin’s superficial layer, it is too harsh to use on its own. Add in a dollop of honey—everybody’s favorite natural humectant—for smoother, brighter skin.
Tomato
Packed with antioxidants, this juicy fruit is your best ally in the fight against sun tanning. When you get back home from a day of adventure, squeeze out the pulp from a fresh tomato and apply it on your skin.
Yoghurt and gram flour
This duo may not sound particularly appetizing, but hear us out. Yogurt can cool off your inflamed skin after prolonged sun exposure. Gram flour runs backup by acting as a natural exfoliator. Form a paste by mixing one tablespoon of gram flour with yogurt and you have unlocked the key to detanning your skin naturally.
Add to cart: How to find the perfect sun-ready picks for your beauty kit
You may have found the best sunscreen for face in UAE but the hunt doesn’t end there. Take your pick from our round-up of the best summer-ready skincare and makeup must-haves:
Buy now: Whind Bronzing Glow Duo
Looking to take a shortcut to a sun-kissed glow? This illuminating face serum and gradual tanning oil has you covered.
Buy now: Asteri 45 Degree Blush
Designed to withstand desert weather, this blush offers infallible coverage—even when the weather touches 45 degrees outside.
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Buy now: NUDESTIX Nudescreen Blush Tint SPF 30
What should you expect? A pocket-sized tinted formula enhanced with SPF 30 to ensure that your blush works as hard as you do.
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