Best Sunscreen Cream and Lotions Available In India

The summer sun can leave you feeling completely sapped of any energy, but that’s not all. The full glare of the summer sun contains a lot of harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiations which are the number one cause of skin cancer. Your skin gets burnt or highly tanned and you appear darker than you actually are. So for decades now, skin care and health experts have been requesting men and women to wear an effective sunscreen before stepping out in the sun. Whether it is the summers or the winters, you need to protect yourself from the harmful rays that could wreak havoc on your skin.

 What Kind of Sun Protection Cosmetics are Available in India?

To protect your skin from sun, there are two main categories of sun protection cosmetics. These are the sunscreens and the sun blocks. Though the two names are used interchangeably, the fact is that they are very different from each other. Sunscreens are cosmetics which are used to reflect only the harmful UV rays of the sun. These cosmetics prevent your skin from UV damage, but not from the damage caused by other kinds of rays. On the other hand, you have the sun blocks which are essentially a range of products that completely block the rays of the sun – just as their name suggests. These products prevent tanning and other skin damage from any kind of sun rays. If you must be out in the sun for long hours, you should prefer sun block over sunscreen.

In addition to these two broad categories, sun prevention cosmetics are also classified according to skin type. You have the heavy creams suitable for those who have dry or combination skin, and the light lotions, which are ideally suited to oily skins. There are some hypoallergenic and parabens free products available for sensitive skin prone to allergies and breaking out. You can also get lotions and creams with different Sun Protection Factor (SPF).

Which Sunscreens are Available in India?

There are a total of 12 major sunscreen brands available in India and many more are imported everyday for luxury retail. The Department of Consumer Affairs performed a test on these cosmetics and ranked them according to their effectiveness. Here is how they have ranked the products available in the Indian market.

1.  Nivea Moisturizing Immediate 30: This sunscreen, with SPF 30, is the number one ranked sunscreen by the Department of Consumer Affairs. This lotion is good for all skin types and moisturizes the skin while protecting it from the sun. It is available at an MRP of Rs. 199 in an HDPE bottle.

2.  Jovees: A relatively new entrant in the Indian cosmetic markets, Jovees offers a sun cover cream based on the natural ingredient sandalwood. It too has an SPF 30, and is available in a flexible PVC tube priced at Rs. 165. The Department of Consumer Affairs has ranked this product as the best value for money.

3. Nutrogena: The unique selling point of this product is that it improves skin tone, texture and color. The Neutrogena Fine Fairness lotion has SPF 30 and is available in an HDPE bottle priced at Rs. 299.

4. Lacto Calamine: This lotion with lemon extracts has SPF 30 and is available in a Rs. 199 PVC tube. Lacto Calamine is a leading name in skin care products and lives up to its expectations. The natural lemon ingredient is added for improved fairness and skin tone.

5. VLCC: Vandana Luthra started her journey with slimming and wellness products but her foray into beauty products has been well received too. The Matte look with Pineapple Extract has a SPF of 30 and is priced at Rs. 295 per tube.

6. Olay: Long been known for being a luxury brand, Olay has attempted to bring its prices down. They now offer a 24 SPF Natural White Rich sunscreen priced at Rs. 299.

7. Ayur: This Protection Fairness with an SPF 30 is made from all natural ingredients. At Rs. 125, this is among the lowest priced products in the market, but its effects are not as effective as some of the other products.

8. Revlon: Revlon’s Touch and Glow is a great product that not only protects your skin, but also improves its texture and tone. The only downside is that though this is a sold as a fairness and sunscreen product, it does not specify an SPF. It is priced at Rs. 145.

9. Lakme: Sun Expert from Lakme is the ideal product for oily skin. It has an SPF of 30 and is available for Rs. 250. Lakme is among the most trusted and preferred brands of cosmetics in India and you get the promise of its quality with every purchase.

10.  Dabur: Dabur’s ayurvedic line of products – Uveda, is ideal for those with dry or sensitive skins. The Uveda sunscreen has SPF 30 and is available for Rs. 175.