5 Reasons to Use Face Specific Sunscreen

You may have noticed that sunscreen is often marketed as 'for the face' or 'for the body', but why would this be? The cynic might say that this is so companies can sell more and the contents is actually the same, and while sadly this may be true in some instances, there are actually some key differences to note also.

The skin on your face is different

It's true, the skin on our faces is different to the rest of our body, and you need to treat it as such. Whilst many of the generic products you find will do an OK job on your face, you can find specific products tailored for the reasons below. 

Here are 5 ways it is different, and why it matters

1) Generally more sensitive; so it is better to have a product without the most common irritants like fragrances or even artificial preservatives. Chemical sunscreens are more likely to irritate those with particularly sensitive skin also, so go for a natural, mineral active ingredient.

2) Needs more moisturiser; which means that sunscreens with moisturising properties will help the skin from drying up. Some people believe this also helps the skin recover from any damage, but I think prevention is the best approach.

3) Stinging eyes; you know the pain, the searing blindness when sunscreen streams down off your forehead and into your eyes. At that moment, you know that not only your eyes are burning, but chances are your skin is too as the sunscreen is washing off.

4) Prone to breakouts (acne); Some body skincare or sunscreen is heavier and clog pores leading to acne. What you want is a formula that feels lighter and not include ingredients that are likely to irritate skin, or be a thick heavy paste.

5) Needs protection more often (Make it easy!); your face is one of the few parts of the body where it is more difficult to cover up - of course you can wear a hat - but chances are your face, ears and neck are where you will end up applying the most sunscreen over time so it makes sense to have a formula to make this easy to do, and fast. Some people also like stronger sunscreen on their face for more protection (i.e. cheeks, ears, nose)

But why cant I just use my generic products?

If you can get away with generic products, why would you bother with face specific skincare? Well, as you saw above, you may have specific and very practical reasons to use face specific products, but there is a more broad ranging argument to consider also. 

Try to think about it like shoes. For example, you probably own more than one pair of shoes, say a pair for running in, and a pair for everyday wear. Of course, you could wear the everyday pair for running if you wanted to (or vice versa) but you know you will take better care of your body and probably enjoy the run more if you use shoes specifically made for it. Well, the same logic applies to your face and its skincare - it has slightly different needs, so a product specifically made to support that is your best choice.

So how does SETT stack up?

When thinking about SETT's SPF 30 Face stick specifically, lets run it against the 5 criteria above, as well as customer reviews direct from the product page to back it up. 

✅ Conatains natural mositurisers like Shea Butter and Sweet Almond Oil

'I've recently learned a lot about the effects of certain compounds in sunblock'

✅ Beeswax base makes sure it wont run, as one review says

'I don't have sunblock running into my eyes with every duck dive.'

✅ Lighter and less likely to clog pores compared to other heavy, tinted face sunscreen puttys. As one of our customer's reviews says

'Tried out the Zinc Face Stick this week as an intro to SETT products, and an alternative to the gunky yogi zinc product I've been using...Smells better and has a way more forgiving texture to it.'

✅Easy Lip Balm style applicator, as the same review happened to say

'Way easier to apply than jamming my fingers into a pot of zinc.'

Of course, we also have fantastic full body natural sunscreen, lip balm and other products too. You can check out SETT's selection of natural sunscreen? Check out our shop here.