How to Choose Sunscreen for Bangladesh

The best sunscreen is the one you will reapply. In Dhaka's climate that rules out a lot of otherwise excellent formulas.

Read two numbers, not one

SPF covers UVB — the burning range. PA ratings, or the European UVA circle, cover UVA — the range associated with pigmentation and long-term change. Look for SPF50+ with PA++++ or an equivalent UVA mark.

Finish is a real criterion

A heavy sunscreen gets applied thinly, and a thinly applied sunscreen does not deliver its stated protection. In heat and humidity:

• Fluids and light gels tend to work better than creams
• Korean and Japanese chemical filters usually feel lighter than older mineral formulas
• A slightly dewy finish is fine; a greasy one will not get reapplied

White cast

Mineral sunscreens using zinc oxide leave more of a cast on deeper skin tones. Modern chemical or hybrid formulas generally do not. This is a comfort issue, not a safety one — but comfort determines whether it gets used.

How much

Roughly two finger-lengths for the face and neck. Almost everyone uses too little. Reapply every two to three hours when you are outdoors.

Under makeup

Apply sunscreen, wait two minutes, then makeup. For reapplication over makeup, a stick or cushion format is easier than trying to layer a fluid.

Sunscreen is not optional in a routine that includes acids, retinol or vitamin C. Those ingredients make sun protection more important, not less.