The £20 French pharmacy SPF that ticks every box
If there's one item in my skincare routine I am particularly fussy about, it's sun protection. I probably wouldn't care so much if it was a product that I only needed to slather on for a sunny holiday. But sun protection should be used daily – yes, even in the UK – so the formula has to be absolute perfection. It shouldn't leave a white cast on the skin, it shouldn't cause your make-up to pill, and it shouldn't leave your skin feeling greasy or clog your pores.
I know that's a lot to ask. But I'm not finished: I also don't want to spend a lot on a product that should be used daily, especially in the quantities dermatologists advise for proper sun protection (two finger-length stripes of sunscreen is about right for your whole face). Creams that cost in their hundreds may work marvellously but not everyone wants to spend that kind of money on a beauty product.
This brings me on to the latest sun protection I've found that ticks all of my fussy skincare boxes. It's £20, which of course isn't cheap but it easily rivals the SPFs I've tried that are three or four times more expensive. It's the Anthelios UVAir SPF50+ by La Roche-Posay, a French pharmacy brand that I reach for time and time again because the formulas are so sophisticated – and, crucially, work well on all skin tones.
Anthelios UVAir SPF50+, £20, La Roche-Posay
The brand designed the UVAir extension of their popular Anthelios range to give a 'no excuses' option for anyone put off from using SPF. It fits the bill. The cream feels more like a lightweight fluid serum, and it sinks in really quickly. The finish on the skin is a little bit glowy but not at all greasy: it simply gives your skin a hydrated, healthy look. And no white cast – hurrah! (This, by the way, is mainly caused by the zinc oxide used in mineral sunscreens, which is naturally white and can give your skin an undesirable 'ghostly' quality.)
The La Roche-Posay product is also excellent for anyone with redness or sensitive skin, and doesn't sting the eyes unlike other sunscreens on the market. I've already bought my second bottle of it.
Super Healthy Skin Featherlight UVA/UVA SPF 50 Sunscreen + Primer, £15, Beauty Pie
Another purse-friendly option, particularly if you are a subscriber to the beauty membership club, Beauty Pie, is the Super Healthy Skin Featherlight UVA/UVA SPF 50 Sunscreen + Primer. It's £15 (£25 for non-subscribers) and has a similarly lightweight, fluid texture to the La Roche-Posay sunscreen. It's designed to work seamlessly with make-up, so leaves a slight grippiness on the skin to help foundation stay in place. This is particularly useful in more humid climates.
Expert Sun Protector Clear Stick SPF 50+ by Shiseido, £32, Boots
It's also a good idea to keep a more portable sun protection with you on the go, for when you need to top up. I've really enjoyed using the new Expert Sun Protector Clear Stick SPF 50+ by Shiseido (another brand, this time Japanese, that creates brilliant sun protection). It's £32 and you can pick it up from Boots. The stick is easy to use and I find it doesn't disrupt any light make-up if you apply it on top. If you suffer from dry skin in the sun, this stick is made up of super-hydrating ingredients like argan oil, which feels more like skincare than suncare. As it should. It's a hit with men, too, because it's invisible and traceless on the skin.
Three other suncare products I love…
Heliocare 360° Pediatrics Stick SPF50+
£19.99, Look Fantastic
OK, strictly this is a children's sun protection that I use on my kids as a top-up while they're playing outside, but I have no qualms in using it myself. It effectively protects the skin from the sun, leaves a transparent finish and has an addictive faint vanilla scent.
The Uniform Tinted Mineral SPF 50
£34, Merit Beauty
This just launched from one of my favourite minimal make-up brands, Merit. It is a fully mineral SPF that protects the skin while evening out the complexion in a variety of shades. If you don't like too many layers of skincare and make-up, consider this your one-and-done SPF and base – just make sure you use enough to get your full SPF 50 protection.
Lip Screen SPF 50 by Raybalm
£5.99, Amazon
I learnt the hard way that you need a separate SPF for your lips after coming back from Greece last month: while my face didn't burn at all, my lips were dry and flaky for weeks after I returned. This lip balm is moisturising and protecting at the same time.
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