With summer on the horizon, it’s time to embrace all things warmth; sandy toes, single layers, and sun cream. But did you know that, with the arrival of summer, comes sunburn for at least half of the public? Not only can sunburn result in skin feeling uncomfortable, but it can also lead to dryness, irritation, and possible future skin damage.
With this in mind, it’s time to make sure that you all are masters of sun care, ready for the promised April heatwave. Here are some tips on where, when, and how much SPF to apply, to keep safe in the sun!
Face
Not a skincare buff? Don’t worry! With our top tips, you don’t need to be to get your sun cream placement right.
As a rule of thumb, the aim is to apply skincare from the most lightweight product in your arsenal to your thickest. For example:
Naturally, this process will be different for everyone, depending on what products work best for your skin, but the key factor here is that your sun cream should be applied after your moisturiser. This ensures SPF will act as a protective barrier against UV, pollutants, and environmental stressors.
Following the NHS’s advice, this layer of SPF should equate to roughly 2mg per square centimetre of skin. This works out to roughly be half a teaspoon for the face and neck to ensure full coverage.
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Can I use a moisturiser with SPF as a replacement?
Although many skin care products now boast added SPF, these can sometimes be misleading. To ensure you have the right quantity of SPF to fully protect the face, you could have to apply considerably more of your favourite products than what you would usually apply. Therefore to ensure full protection, we always recommend a separate SPF.
Body
According to NHS advice, you should apply the equivalent of two tablespoons worth of sun cream for a full-body application.
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Classic lotions
Classic SPFs (a.k.a chemical sun cream) should be applied 20 minutes before sun exposure.
This allows the products ample time to absorb into the skin and get ready to protect you. Our classic SPFs work by allowing UV rays to penetrate the skin and turning the ultraviolet into heat, which it then expels, preventing overexposure and burning.
Mineral lotions
For best results, apply this SPF immediately before sun exposure.
Mineral (a.k.a botanical) lotions form a barrier on the skin, reflecting UV rays away from the skin. The protection is instantaneous as soon as applied to the skin.
As per NHS advice, we recommend reapplying your SPF every two hours as a minimum. This frequency should increase if swimming, sweating, or towel drying.
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