Staying Safe in the Sun - My Top SPF Products
When I was younger (we're talking mid-to-late teens), having a tan was the be-all and end-all. When there was even a hint of sunshine in Scotland, some of my friends would cover themselves in Hawaiian Tropic Tanning Oil 4 (factor 4! Why bother...) and lie out in the garden to bake. This, quite frankly, HORRIFIES me now.
Safe to say, both myself and many of my friends are now much more vigilant about sun protection. Years of research has cemented the dangers of the sun firmly into my psyche and I'm rarely without a bottle of SPF as the sun returns. During early spring/late autumn and days that are mostly spent indoors, I tend to rely on the SPF coverage found in my make-up, primer and some of my daily moisturisers. All through the summer and on spring/autumn days when I know I'll be outdoors more, I use a dedicated facial sunscreen at the end of my skincare routine. SPF is the last product you should apply to your skin when doing your morning routine (unless you live in Iceland, you're probably not going to be needing sunscreen at night).
What even is SPF?
The numbers you see on the bottle are linked to the Sun Protection Factor the product gives you against UVB light. When I first became interested in skincare and started researching sunscreen brands and products more thoroughly, I was surprised to learn that it's UVB light, not UVA light, that causes your skin to burn. UVA light makes your skin age faster and causes skin issues like pigmentation and age spots. It is essential that you try to use sunscreen products that offer good protection against all UV light because they both damage your DNA and increase the risk of the dreaded skin cancer. Check the ingredients list for UVA-blockers, such as zinc oxide, titanium dioxide and avobenzone, ecamsule and oxybenzone. You would think from the disparity in the numbers that there is a huge jump between SPF 15, 30 and 50 but it's actually very, very small:
SPF 15 blocks approximately 93% of UVB light.
SPF 30 blocks nearly 97% of UVB light.
SPF 50 blocks 98% of UVB light.
NO sunscreen is capable of blocking 100% of UV light.
So, as you can see, the difference in protection is minimal. You can't combine SPF either; putting SPF 50 on after applying SPF 30 will not give you "SPF 80". You will still only have SPF 50 protection. The biggest problem with higher factor sunscreen is you start to think you are "safe" - you stop seeking out the shade when the sun is at its peak, you don't wear a hat or sunglasses and you don't reapply every 2 hours. And suddenly, you're a lobster. Please, leave the lobster-ing to the actual lobsters.
My Top SPF Products
My favourite facial suncreen at the moment and the one I used on my most recent holiday is La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL Ultra Light Fluid SPF 50+. It's a bestseller in Europe and it's easy to see why. The texture is lovely and light which makes it quick and easy for your skin to adsorb. This also makes it perfect for wearing under make-up. Unlike the facial sunscreen I used on my last holiday, this stayed put after a swim in the pool and zooming down multiple waterslides.
From the same range, I also like La Roche-Posay Anthelios Invisible Anti-Shine Mist SPF 50+. This was great for topping up our protection when we were out and about - for example, when you have already applied your proper facial sunscreen but feel you need a bit more protection because the sun is particularly strong or you've perspired a bit.
My most used body sunscreen were the Lancaster Sun Beauty Velvet Milk Sublime Tan for Body SPF 30. I picked this up in TK Maxx just before we went and I was initially a bit worried about how long it might have been sitting on the shelf. Thankfully it was well within the best before date and it's also one of Carolord Hirons favourites. This product has a really nice texture and I liked that it dried rather than sitting sticky on your skin. It offers high protection from UV light but also claims to protect you from infrared light, believed to be responsible for the loss of skin firmness and elasticity.
There's such a huge range of sunscreen available now that effective protection is easy peasy. What are your favourite sunscreens? And where are you planning on using them next?
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