FOR MORE INFORMATION

• IS SUNBATHING GOOD OR BAD FOR YOU?

  The sun is not the enemy; it is the sun’s UV ultraviolet rays and careless exposure that are dangerous for our skin.
  There are no contraindications to getting sun but to avoid “unwanted effects”, it must be done properly. Your skin must be protected from solar radiation which, despite the external layers of the atmosphere, is able to reach the earth and affect our skin.

  POSITIVE EFFECTS

  - Stimulates melanin formation
  - Vitamin D synthesis, essential in absorbing calcium in bones, especially during childhood development
  - Powerful natural anti-depressant, as it stimulates the production of serotonin and endorphin, the good mood hormones
  - Aesthetic effect
  

  NEGATIVE EFFECTS

  - Sunstroke
  - Rash
  - Oedemas
  - Skin ageing
  - Can cause skin cancer, melanoma, etc...
  

• WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN UVA, UVB, AND IR RAYS?

  UVB Rays: (short wave length).
  Their effect is immediate and obvious, causing redness and sun rash. UVB rays are the primary cause of sunburn. They are only able to partially penetrate the epidermis. The extent of the damage they cause is directly proportional to the intensity and duration of exposure. UVB rays are able to alter the genetic material contained in DNA, increasing the risk of skin cancer.
  
  RUVA Rays: (long wave length).
  These rays are responsible for tanning, as they cause the melanin already present in skin to oxidise and darken, stimulating the formation of new melanin (the skin’s natural defence mechanism). They are not filtered even by glass or plastic and can cause changes in the structure and function of our skin, causing the formation of free radicals. Given their long wave length, they are able to penetrate deep into the derma, compromising capillary, collagen, and elastin function, causing rashes, and damaging skin. Skin ages prematurely, becomes wrinkled, and loses its glow.
  
  IR rays: Infrared (IR) rays are much less powerful than UVA and UVB rays but penetrate much deeper, altering even the deepest layers of the skin. They are thermal rays that even go through surfaces - such as beach umbrellas - making them very difficult to avoid. IR radiation generates the formation of free radicals, promotes skin dehydration, the appearance of spots, and skin fragility. The only way to protect yourself is by using antioxidant-rich products that can neutralise the free radicals.

• WHAT DETERMINES THE LEVEL OF SOLAR RADIATION?

  How high the sun is
  The higher the sun is in the sky, the higher the UV radiation level. Therefore, radiation levels vary depending on the time of day and over the course of the year. Outside the tropics, the highest levels occur when the sun is at its highest, around midday (solar noon) in the summer months.
  
  Latitude
  The closer you are to the equator, the higher the UV radiation levels.
  
  How cloudy the sky is
  UV radiation reaches its maximum levels when the sky is clear, but these levels can still be high when the sky is cloudy. Rays being dispersed can have the same effect as when they reflect off various surfaces, thereby increasing the total UV radiation level.
  
  Altitude
  The higher you go, the thinner the atmosphere becomes, absorbing less UV radiation. UV radiation levels increase by 10% to 12% for every 1000 metres of increased altitude.
  
  The ozone
  The ozone absorbs part of the UV radiation that would otherwise reach the earth’s surface. Ozone levels vary over the course of the year and even throughout the day.
  
  The reflection on the earth’s surface
  UV radiation is reflected or diffused to varying degrees by different surfaces. For example, fresh snow can reflect 80% of UV radiation, dry sand about 15%, and sea foam about 10%.

• WHAT ARE SOLAR FILTERS?

  Solar filters contained in sun cream are substances that are able to reduce the amount of solar radiation penetrating the skin. They are divided into two distinct categories:
  chemical filters and physical filters
  Chemical filters: “capture”, absorb, and disperse solar rays. Chemical filters modify the chemical structure of the rays, returning the absorbed energy as heat.
  Physical filters: completely reflect the rays (solar screens) and ensure a greater level of protection compared to chemical filters. Among the most commonly used : titanium dioxide or zinc oxide.

• WHAT’S YOUR PHOTOTYPE?

  Identifying your phototype tells you what to do when exposed to the sun and how to choose the most appropriate sun care product.
  1 People with blonde or red hair and fair, freckled skin: they always burn and never tan.
  Products with a very high protection factor are recommended for this group.
  2People with blonde hair and fair skin: they always burn, although they can tan minimally using a cream with high protection.
  Products with a very high protection factor are recommended for this group.
  3 eople with dark blonde hair: they may burn, gradually get tan.
  Products with a high protection factor are recommended for this group.
  4  People with light brown hair: they tan easily.
  Products with a medium protection factor are recommended for this group.
  5 People with dark hair: they rarely burn and tan intensely.
  Products with a medium/low protection factor are recommended for this group.
  6 People with very dark hair who never burn: they tan very intensely.
  Products with a low protection factor are recommended for this group.

• WHAT IS SPF?

  Il Sun Protection Factor is the number assigned to a sun care product that is used to calculate how long we can stay in the sun, with a protective product and depending on our phototype, without burning.
  
  All skin has natural protection from the sun’s rays that is calculated based on the time it can stay in the sun without burning.
  The calculation requires ample margin because skin is damaged even before it turns red!
  
  For example, if the self-protection time (the number of minutes it takes your skin on average to burn in the sun without having applied any protection) is 10 minutes, multiply that by the SPF on the package. The result is the approximate amount of time you can stay in the sun.
  With SPF 20, it would be 200 minutes.

• HOW DO WE PROTECT CHILDREN PROPERLY?

  he sun is a friend to children, essential in helping calcify bones by activating the vitamin D on skin. However, sun exposure can be harmful and must be done following some rules, as children’s skin is very delicate, particularly sensitive, and more prone to the risk of burning and dehydration:

  1. No hydrolipidic film (the sebaceous glands have yet to develop, the skin is thin and unable to thicken in the sun).
  2. Lower protective capacity (a child exposed to the sun will absorb 3 times more rays than an adult exposed for the same amount of time)..
  3. Not enough melanin is produced: the ability to tan is acquired over time (it is ideal to start at 12-13 years).
     
     

  Protecting children’s skin is important, using screening products designed specifically to meet their needs. After being in the sun, it is essential to restore the skin’s hydration while also soothing and pampering skin sensitised by the sun’s rays, wind, sea salt, or chlorine.

• WHEN “UV FILTERS” IS PRINTED ON THE PACKAGE OF A SUN CARE PRODUCT, DOES IT MEAN BOTH UVA AND UVB?

  Unless specified UVA, they generally mean UVB.

• IS HALF TIMES RECOMMENDED FOR PHOTOTYPE 1 and 2 SKIN?

  Half Times is a special tan accelerator made of 2 products:
  SPF 6 tan accelerator (to use before sun exposure) + Tan Extender (to use as an after sun).).
  The tan accelerator is SPF (solar protection factor) 6 and, as such, is not recommended by itself for very fair skin but must be paired with a high SPF sunscreen.
  We recommend that fair phototypes use the protection suited to their skin type (high or very high protection) before applying Half Times.

• IS HALF TIMES A SELF-TANNER?

  Although it contains active ingredients that help skin become tan, the tan extender is not exactly a self-tanner, but rather a tan maintainer..

• CAN I APPLY HALF TIMES OVER MY SUN CREAM?

  Yes, we actually recommend that for fair phototypes.