Summer is not over yet but we are in the homestretch. Temperatures peak this month, making it much more important to stay protected in the “Land of the Morning Calm,” especially when it comes to your skin. Know your sunscreen and learn what to look for when purchasing a new bottle, tube, spray or stick.

In a country which seriously focuses on skin care, it is no wonder that images of visor clad ajummas spring up when the rest of the world thinks of South Korea.  Additionally, a different South Korean tradition has emerged as the new Western rage – the “secret of Korean celebrities,” BB cream. Originating in Germany in the 1960s before hitting Korean markets 25 years later, this sunscreen moisturizes like a lotion, corrects rosacea (uneven skin tones), primes the face, provides protection, acts as a balm to heal the skin and has been formulated for use in sensitive post-surgery procedures. For decades no one paid much attention to the protective potential of cosmetics, but the wide-spread use of BB Cream by Korean women (prized for their youthful, dewy and porcelain complexions) helped popularize make-up fortified with UV protection.

Great News!

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration have enacted new labeling regulations that make it more difficult for manufacturers of products with an SPF value to deceive consumers. This includes items such as make-up, lip balms and sunscreen, as well as a variety of other beauty products for the skin.

Things to keep your eyes, not skin, peeled for:

“Sunblock” – Where did all the “sunblock” go? Sunscreen does not “block” the sun, so manufacturers are no longer able to use this term on the premise that it is misleading, opting for the term “sunscreen.”

SPF (sun protection factor) Use products with an SPF of 30 or more. Anything with an SPF of 15 or lower must contain some type of warning: “Skin Cancer/Skin Aging Alert: Spending time in the sun increases your risk of skin cancer and early skin aging. This product has been shown only to help prevent sunburn, not skin cancer or early skin aging.”

Broad Spectrum– In order to be labeled “broad spectrum,” the product now must past testing, meaning it has to be proven to protect against both UVB (sunburn causing rays) and UVA (skin cancer and premature aging inducing rays). Non-broad spectrum products must also include the “Skin Cancer/Skin Aging Alert” warning.

Water/Sweat Resistance – Sunscreens are neither waterproof nor sweat proof. Manufacturers are no longer allowed to label them as such. Sunscreen needs to be reapplied at least every two hours and more frequently if you are swimming or sweating. According to new regulations, “water/sweat-resistant” sunscreens must state the amount of time it will remain protective while users swim or sweat.

Summertime Skin Myths

Myth #1: Sun tanning is perfectly fine, as long as you do not burn.

Reality: Any sun/UV/tanning bed-borne tan is damaging to the skin and chances of developing skin cancer increases with sun exposure regardless of sunburn or not.

Myth #2: Having a tan helps prevent sunburns.

Reality: Some people prefer tanning salons for some skin bronzing action before hopping off to a sunny vacation destination or the beaches for  summer vacation because they hear getting a “base tan” will help prevent sunburns. This statement contains little facts and more fiction. This theory is not widely substantiated, but pre-tanning may give protection that is equivalent to an SPF of 4. However, the single-digit number of potentially increased sun protection hardly offsets the larger damage done to skin during the initial tanning process.

Myth #3: Beach umbrellas, hats and long sleeves block the sun.

Reality: It is not foolproof but covering up and staying in the shade is a great way of protecting yourself while outdoors. In fact, clothing is more protective than sunscreen but remember that sand, water and even grass reflect UV. This means UV rays bounce up from the ground under or around you and can still harm you, so you should still apply sunscreen to exposed skin.

Myth #4: The sun cannot penetrate through windows.

Reality: Glass filters out only one kind of radiation — UVB rays. UVA rays, the type that causes skin cancer and premature aging, penetrates deeper and can get through any piece of glass. Sidenote, this explains why many drivers have more freckles on their driving-side, the side that is closer to the car window.