Ask the Expert You’ve Definitely Heard of SPF—But What About that New BEMT? Stories You May Like Alumni Ag Experts Help Protect NY’s Poinsettia Industry Alum Scores as Team Owner in First Women’s Pro Volleyball League Blue Skies, Good Vibes: Vintage Summery Photos, Part Two With summer at its height, a Weill Cornell Medicine dermatologist offers five tips for using sunscreen most effectively By Cornellians staff Illustration by Shea Oleksa Editor’s note: These visuals originally appeared in a LinkedIn post from the University. Summer means fun in the sun—while protecting your skin from harmful rays. Here are five tips for choosing the right sunscreen, courtesy of Dr. Shari Lipner. A professor of clinical dermatology at Weill Cornell Medicine, Lipner is also an attending dermatologist at NewYork-Presbyterian, the college's teaching hospital on the Far East Side of Manhattan. Broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher provides the best protection against UVA and UVB rays, which contribute to skin aging, skin cancer, and sunburn. People with eczema, rosacea, or a history of sunscreen reactions may find zinc oxide- or titanium dioxide-based sunscreens less irritating. Stories You May Like Alumni Ag Experts Help Protect NY’s Poinsettia Industry Alum Scores as Team Owner in First Women’s Pro Volleyball League Many people dislike how sunscreen looks or feels on their skin. Tinted mineral and lightweight options provide sun protection while blending more naturally into more skin tones. Bemotrizinol (BEMT) is the first new sunscreen active ingredient approved in the U.S. in over 20 years and is expected to hit shelves later this summer. Widely used in Europe, it provides broad-spectrum UVA and UVB protection. Whether you prefer a lotion, cream, fluid, stick, tinted, non-tinted, mineral, or chemical sunscreen, daily use is far more important for skin protection than any single ingredient. Published July 20, 2026 Leave a Comment Cancel replyOnce your comment is approved, your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment * Name * Class Year Email * Save my name, email, and class year in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ Other stories You may like Alumni Sunny Days, Lake Swims, and Ice Cream: Your Summer Memories Bear Hugs Mother-Daughter Alums Share a Vocation—Forging a Special Bond Alumni The Cornellian Behind the Slogan ‘Ithaca is Gorges’