If you want to protect your skin, you should use sunscreen. But which sunscreen should you use and what do you have to pay attention to when buying it in order to find the best one?
It's not just in summer that you should protect your skin from the sun. Our skin can be damaged by their rays all year round. But which sunscreen is the best to protect us from this? If you find yourself at a loss in front of the drugstore shelf, you should pay attention to a few things when purchasing. Here's the good news: Öko-Test and Stiftung Warentest have tested numerous brands and identified the best products (more test reports can be found here).
What is the difference between sunscreen and sunscreen?
Sun protection products come in several forms, all of which have their advantages and disadvantages. To find out which product you should use, you have to consider your skin type. Age is also important, as some ingredients are not suitable for babies and small children, for example. And of course the sun protection factor (SPF) plays a role here again. HEIDELBERG24 summarizes the differences between the individual sun protection products:
Sunscreen is actually suitable for all skin types and contains more water than fat. Due to its high moisture content, the milk is easily absorbed and works quickly.
Sunscreen contains a higher fat content and is therefore recommended for people with slightly dry skin. The rich fats make the cream firmer and creamier, which offers effective protection.
Sun spray can be sprayed on quickly and easily and is also suitable for everyone. The spray system distributes the product like a fine mist on the skin, which offers another advantage: the hands do not become greasy or sticky.
Suntan oil is suitable for people with dry skin, but should be avoided if you have oily skin. The high fat content of the oil also provides a lot of moisture to the skin, which helps it tan more easily.
According to the Öko-Test: This sunscreen is the best for adults
Once you have decided which sun protection product you want to use, there are other criteria that you should consider when purchasing - for example the SPF. According to the Öko-Test, you should multiply this by ten to find out the maximum number of minutes you should stay in the sun. To be on the safe side, you should subtract a third of the time. Lighter skin types also usually require greater protection than darker skin types.
The price doesn't play a big role when buying sunscreen. You can get good protection for as little as three euros. The consumer magazine Öko-Test also found this out when it examined sunscreens from various manufacturers. In the test, Alverde Sensitiv Sun Milk 30, Lavera Sensitiv Sun Lotion 30 and Sun D'Or Sun Milk Sensitiv 30 all performed best. The test winners at a glance:
Alverde Sensitiv Sun Milk 30 – “very good”
Lavera Sensitiv Sun Lotion 30 – “very good”
Nivea Sun Sensitiv Immediate protection for sun allergies 50+ – “good”
Hautallerliebst (Be) Sensitive Sun Sun Cream 30 – “insufficient”
According to Stiftung Warentest: This sunscreen is the best for adults
While Öko-Test praises the fact that none of the sun creams contain critical UV filters, Stiftung Warentest finds completely different deficiencies in the sun cream test. A whole range of sun creams fail the test because they do not provide sufficient protection against UV radiation - a no-go when it comes to sun protection.
However, the testers also commented positively on the dm own brand Alverde with the natural cosmetic sensitive sun milk with SPF 30. However, the Garnier Ambre Solaire Hydra 24h sun protection milk, also with SPF 30, performed a little better. The sunscreen winners at Stiftung Warentest:
Garnier Ambre Solaire Hydra 24h sun protection milk, SPF 30: rating “very good” (1.3)
dm Alverde Natural Cosmetics Sensitive Sun Milk, SPF 30: grade “very good” (1.4)
dm Sundance MED sun spray, SPF 50+: grade “very good” (1.4)
Eau Thermale Avène Intense Protect, SPF 50+: grade “very good” (1.4)
According to Stiftung Warentest: This sunscreen for children is the best
Special sunscreen is important for children's skin. Similar to sunscreen for adults, several sunscreens for children also fail the test at Stiftung Warentest - due to inadequate UV protection.
However, cheap products perform best here too. Sunscreen products from Lidl and Rossmann are at the top of the test results. Both share first place with the products Lidl Cien Sun Kids sun cream and Rossmann Sonozon Kids sun spray. Special sunscreen is important for children's skin. (ie)