The Ultimate Sunscreen Quiz

Image: Â©iStockphoto.com/Denise Bush

About This Quiz

Most people know by now that you should always wear sunscreen. But do you use it correctly? Do you know what ingredients to look out for? Take our quiz and find out.

Is an SPF 30 sunscreen twice as strong as one with an SPF of 15?

yes

It depends.

Correct Answer

Wrong Answer

SPF 15 sunscreens block 94 percent of the sun's rays, and SPF 30 blocks 97 percent -- so the SPF numbers are a bit misleading to consumers.

SCROLL TO NEXT QUESTION

What's the minimum SPF you should use?

Correct Answer

Wrong Answer

Dermatologists recommend a minimum 30 SPF.

SCROLL TO NEXT QUESTION

How long before you go out in the sun should you apply sunscreen?

15 to 30 minutes

30 minutes to an hour

at least an hour

Correct Answer

Wrong Answer

Most dermatologists recommend that you apply sunscreen 30 minutes to an hour before you go out.

SCROLL TO NEXT QUESTION

If you usually burn after 10 minutes of being out in the sun, how many minutes do you have using a 30 SPF?

1,000

300

Correct Answer

Wrong Answer

If you put on sunscreen with 30 SPF, you should have around 300 minutes, or five hours, of safe sun time.

SCROLL TO NEXT QUESTION

There's a product that can add sunscreen to clothes in the washer. What is it called?

Sunguard

Sunblocker

Sunstop

Correct Answer

Wrong Answer

Sunguard is a chemical dye that applies a UPF (ultraviolet protection factor) of 50+ to clothes.

SCROLL TO NEXT QUESTION

What are the two sunscreen ingredients that are safest for babies?

titanium dioxide and octinoxate

zinc oxide and octinoxate

zinc oxide and titanium dioxide

Correct Answer

Wrong Answer

Zinc oxide and titanium dioxides are safest for a baby's delicate skin. These are also good ingredients to look for in adult sunscreen.

SCROLL TO NEXT QUESTION

Why are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide such good ingredients?

They're chemical blockers -- they keep the sun's rays from penetrating the skin.

They're physical blockers -- they physically deflect the sun's rays from the skin.

They penetrate the skin more deeply than other ingredients do.

Correct Answer

Wrong Answer

Physical blockers are much more effective sunscreens -- sometimes chemical blockers break down in the sun.

SCROLL TO NEXT QUESTION

What are some other ingredients you can keep an eye out for?

avobenzone and Mexoryl SX

oxybenzone and octisalate

oxycontin and avobenzone

Correct Answer

Wrong Answer

Avobenzone and Mexoryl SX are fairly new ingredients that protect against both UVA and UVB rays.

SCROLL TO NEXT QUESTION

You have a face powder with an SPF of 15. How much powder do you have to apply to get the advertised SPF?

your normal amount

7 times as much

14 times as much

Correct Answer

Wrong Answer

You'd have to cake your face with 14 times the powder you'd typically use to get that SPF of 15.

SCROLL TO NEXT QUESTION

The Environmental Working Group studied 1,000 sunscreens in 2008. What percentage earned a passing grade?

15 percent

50 percent

75 percent

Correct Answer

Wrong Answer

A shocking 85 percent of the sunscreens failed to pass the study's standards -- only 15 percent passed.

FINISH QUIZ

You Got:

/10