Vitamin D from a sunny day is always beneficial – but whether it’s summer or any other season, wearing a good sunscreen is important to protect our skin from damage
Going abroad soon? Packing up for a holiday you’ve been looking forward to can be exciting. But, be sure to bring one of the most important items when travelling in a hot, sunny destination: sun cream.
A few minutes in the sun provides a healthy dose of vitamin D, and most importantly, what everyone is looking for, a tan line. However, many hours exposed to the strong rays of sunshine can damage our skin so it’s important to take good care of it.
It’s vital we remember to keep reapplying sun-cream, with consumer experts at Which? advising Brits to steer clear of single-use products which promise prolonged protection from UV rays. Or at least ignore the labels which say only one application is needed for the entire day.
The consumer champions say: “It’s appealing to think we can slap on the sunscreen in the morning and be protected all day long, but experts don’t recommend relying on once-a-day formulations, and neither do we. When Which? tested four SPF30 single-application sun creams we recorded an average 74% decrease in SPF protection over the course of the day.”
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Experts have advised re-applying all sun-screen regularly as daily activities such as swimming or even sweating can wipe it all away, leaving you exposed. In some extreme cases, the consequences can be life-threatening, as reported by the National Library of Medicine.
Wearing SPF sunscreen is important, even when indoors. This is because it helps protect the skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays, which can lead to skin diseases such as cancer, sunburn, and even ageing. Even before applying your make-up and during your skincare routine, you should ensure one of your products contains an effective SPF.
As reported by Which?, sunscreen needs to be re-applied every few hours or so – don’t fall for the trap of “provides up to eight hours of sun protection”. The site recommends applying it every two hours, especially after swimming.
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And you don’t need to buy a big branded sun cream to ensure you’re fully protected. The publication concluded that the best sun creams were Lidl’s SPF 50 Cien and their SPF 30 Cien. Also, Aldi’s Lacura SPF30 Sun Lotion as it provides full-body protection.
The tests were carried out blindfolded and have been recognised by the British and International test standards for sun protection items, including SPF and UVA tests – and they cost less than a fiver,