Sun.
Protected.
Fun.

Helpful tips and tricks to keep
the UVA + UVB sun rays at bay.
Become a BFF with your SPF

Sun.
Protected.
Fun.

Helpful tips and tricks to keep
the UVA + UVB sun rays at bay.
Become a BFF with your SPF

SPF

SPF stands for SUN PROTECTION FACTOR,
it measures the level of UVB protection a
sun protection product will give you, this
ranges from 1 – 100+. The SPF indicates the
level of protection against UVB rays,
depending on your skin8a.

Sun Smart Sun Icon Image

Be Sun Smart
About SPF

Sunscreen helps protect your skin from UV
rays, the kind of radiation that causes sunburn,
damages skin and can contribute to skin cancer2a.
SPF is one aspect that determines the effectiveness
of a sunscreen. It focuses on the time it takes for
UVB rays to get through a sunscreen and cause
the skin to go red, compared with the time this
takes when there is no sunscreen11c.

SPF

SPF stands for SUN PROTECTION FACTOR, it measures the level of UVB protection a sun protection product will give you, this ranges from 1 – 100+. The SPF indicates the level of protection against UVB rays, depending on your skin8a.

Sun Smart Sun Icon Image

Be Sun Smart
About SPF

Sunscreen helps protect your skin from UV
rays, the kind of radiation that causes sunburn,
damages skin and can contribute to skin cancer2a.
SPF is one aspect that determines the effectiveness
of a sunscreen. It focuses on the time it takes for
UVB rays to get through a sunscreen and cause
the skin to go red, compared with the time this
takes when there is no sunscreen11c.

How SPF Works

If your skin would normally burn after 10 minutes in the sun applying an SPF 30 sunscreen would provide you with 30 times the protection of no sunscreen. This is a rough estimate that depends on skin type, intensity of sunlight and amount of sunscreen used. SPF is actually a measure of protection from amount of UVB exposure and it is not meant to help you determine duration of exposure9.

SPF Levels of Protection

Sunscreens vary in SPF, the higher the SPF number the greater the protection. The use of a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or above, combined with other measures, such as wearing sunglasses and avoiding the midday sun, can help prevent skin cancer.

There are four various SPF protection levels10:

Low Protection

A sunscreen with an SPF below 15

High Protection

A sunscreen with an SPF between 30 to 50

Medium Protection

A sunscreen with an SPF between 15 to 25

Very High Protection

A sunscreen with an SPF of 50 and over

Dermatologists recommend using a SPF15 or SPF30 sunscreen.
Higher SPFs don’t provide much more protection.

SPF 15 blocks 93%
of UVB rays8c.

SPF 30 blocks 97%
of UVB rays8c.

SPF 50 blocks 98%
of UVB rays8c.

The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends a water-resistant,
broad spectrum11a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher for any
extended outdoor activity. Regardless of the SPF though, it’s
important to apply one ounce (two tablespoons) 30 minutes
before going outside11b and re-apply it every two hours or
immediately after swimming or sweating12.