Sun protection, made clear
THE LOSHEN GUIDE TO SUNSCREEN
Your skin.
Your sunscreen.
A little understanding.
A sunscreen you’ll want to wear.
01 / A LITTLE UNDERSTANDING
The label,
made simple.
A number. A few ingredients. Your skin.
Tap a topic to see how it all fits together.
TAP AN SPF. SEE THE DIFFERENCE.
Approximate UVB filtered · simplified model
Filled dots = filtered UVB. Open dots = UVB that passes through. Rounded illustration.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU
More protection.
Same reapplication.
SPF measures protection against sunburn, mainly caused by UVB. Higher SPF filters more—but reapplication stays the same.
What makes one formula SPF 45 and another SPF 30?
The complete formula is tested: the UV filters, their combination and how evenly the product forms a film all matter. You cannot calculate SPF from a zinc percentage alone.
The comparison uses 100 × (1 − 1/SPF), a simplified estimate of sunburn-weighted UV filtering. It is not a prediction of protection on your skin. Applying less than the tested amount reduces protection.
TAP A RAY. SEE WHERE IT GOES.
Simplified illustration. Layers and ray paths are not to scale.
WHAT YOUR SKIN IS EXPOSED TO
Deeper than a sunburn.
UVA can reach the deeper skin layer. It contributes to skin ageing and skin cancer—even without a burn.
Both UVA and UVB can damage skin. Add SPF 30 or higher, shade and protective clothing.
START WITH THE FILTERS
Zinc oxide · Titanium dioxide
Example names to look for. A formula may use one or more.These are the ingredients that provide UV protection.
DIFFERENT FILTERS. ONE PURPOSE.
Mineral.
Look for zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. Mineral filters mainly absorb UV, and also scatter and reflect some of it.
What about the rest of the ingredient list?
Ingredients such as glycerin and hyaluronic acid help hold moisture. Others help the sunscreen spread, stay stable or resist contamination. The whole formula shapes how it feels.
“Organic” means carbon-based in this context. It is another name for chemical filters, not a farming claim. Mineral and chemical filters both mainly absorb UV.
WHY COLOUR CAN BECOME UNEVEN
Skin makes pigment.
Melanin gives skin its colour. UV can stimulate more of it, making freckles or dark spots more noticeable.
Where does pigment come from?
Cells called melanocytes make melanin near the bottom of the epidermis, your outer skin layer. They pass it to neighbouring skin cells. UV exposure, inflammation and some hormonal changes can affect this process.
These portraits illustrate natural skin variation; they do not diagnose the person shown. A new or changing spot should be assessed by a healthcare professional.
Start with broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher. Choose water resistance for water or sweat.
Science you can use. Sources below.
02 / COLOUR, TEXTURE, FINISH
Your finish.
Your kind of feel.
Colour or no colour? A lighter feel or more moisture? Start with what you enjoy wearing.
A tint can help even the look of skin. The right shade still needs to work at the full sunscreen amount.
Illustrative swatches; explore each formula’s brand photos beside it.
Colorescience
Face Shield Flex
Broad-spectrum SPF 50
Colour that helps even the look of skin.
- Colour
- Six shades to choose from
- Feel
- Light lotion · less shine
- UV filters
- Mineral
Try your shade at the full sunscreen amount. A wrist swatch is a starting point; check the match on your face.
Choose your shadeIngredients & water resistance
Mineral · zinc oxide
Water resistance: 40 minutes. Check the current Canadian label.
Finish varies with skin and application. Try it at the full sunscreen amount.
Need a shade match? The Loshen team can help.
03 / PUT IT INTO PRACTICE
Make protection
a habit.
Health Canada’s guide for an adult’s face and neck. Spread generously and evenly, including ears and exposed hairline.
The small swipe in the photo shows application, not the full dose. Follow your product’s directions.
Apply enough sunscreen and let it settle before makeup. Don’t mix it into your moisturiser or foundation.
SPF numbers don’t add together. SPF 30 sunscreen + SPF 15 makeup is not SPF 45.
Finish with shade, a hat and protective clothing. Sunscreen is one part of your protection.
YOUR SKIN IS PERSONAL
A few things
we hear often.
Still between formulas? Tell us what feels good, what doesn’t, and what you’re looking for.
Talk to the Loshen teamMy skin is sensitive. Where do I start?
Consider fragrance-free sunscreen and a mineral formula as a starting point. The entire formula matters, and no filter type guarantees comfort.
Health Canada suggests trying a small area of the inner forearm and checking for a reaction after 48 hours. Stop if you develop a reaction; ask a health professional about persistent irritation.
I’ve had surgery or a skin procedure.
Follow your clinician’s aftercare and ask when to restart sunscreen. Do not apply it to an open wound or unhealed skin unless your clinician specifically directs it.
Use shade, a hat and suitable covering while healing.
Why does it pill or leave a white cast?
Pilling can depend on the amount of other skincare, layering and rubbing. Let earlier layers settle and try a simpler routine; do not solve it by using too little sunscreen.
Untinted does not guarantee an invisible finish. Test at the full recommended amount on your own skin. A different formula or well-matched tint may suit you better.
Does a tint do more than add colour?
Some tinted formulas containing iron oxides can also help reduce visible-light exposure, which can contribute to pigmentation. This benefit is formula-specific and cannot be judged by tint alone.
A shade should suit your skin at the full recommended amount. Don’t dilute sunscreen to make the colour match.
Swimming or sweating—what changes?
Choose a sunscreen labelled water resistant. “40 minutes” or “80 minutes” is the tested time in water, not permission to skip reapplication. Follow your label, reapply after towelling, and at least every two hours outdoors.
EltaMD UV Clear and UV Daily do not carry a water-resistance claim on the versions featured here. Choose a suitable water-resistant formula for swimming or heavy sweating.
Our sources & a note on the photographs
Health Canada: sunscreen and application · How much to apply · FDA: understanding SPF · TGA: SPF and UVB filtering · WHO: ultraviolet radiation
AAD: sunscreen labels and filters · Mineral-filter research · Visible-light and pigmentation research · Canadian Cancer Society: makeup and sun protection · AAD: healing skin
On-skin product photographs are supplied by Colorescience and EltaMD. Captions distinguish swatches, application and immediate after-application views. They show appearance, not measured protection or clinical results. The Loshen portraits, hands and application images are created editorial illustrations. They do not demonstrate a named formula, a shade match, a diagnosis, clinical results or the full application amount.
AAD: melasma and visible light · AAD: dark spots after inflammation · Melanin production and transfer
Canadian product details checked November 14, 2026. Current packaging is authoritative. General education, not individual medical advice or a claim of clinical review.