Temperatures are set to soar across the UK this week and making sure your skin is protected from the sun is paramount.
While we know the importance of wearing a sun protection factor (SPF), it can get confusing when several daily moisturisers also contain a level of sunscreen.
Gone are the days when moisturisers were just used as a dewy base for applying make-up – as they now offer SPF ranges too.
Many daily moisturisers found in high street stores most commonly use SPF 15 – but does that offer enough protection? Especially when used under make up?
Celebrity cosmetic doctor, Dr Sach Mohan, speaks about the importance of wearing SPF on your face.
Should you use SPF daily?
Dr Sach, who is founder of Revere Clinics, one of Europe's foremost cosmetic dermatology clinics based in Harley Street, explained: "Wearing a high sun protection factor (SPF) sunscreen to protect your skin from the sun should be something you do every day, all year round, even in the winter or on a cloudy day, and not limited to your next beach holiday abroad.
“Protecting yourself against the damaging effects of the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays is a foundation of skin health; add it to your daily routine, just like cleaning your teeth.”
Is SPF 15 enough for face moisturiser?
Dr Sach continued: "A moisturiser containing SPF 15 is certainly better than nothing.
"It’s likely enough if you are indoors all day, but it provides less meaningful UV protection and should not be relied upon compared to a standalone product.
"The SPF efficacy will be diluted by other ingredients in the moisturiser, and you are less likely to apply enough product to achieve the stated SPF level and benefit from that amount of protection."
What is the best SPF moisturiser?
Dr Sach says that he recommends “professional-grade Heliocare sunscreen products” to his patients, applied after other skincare agents, so you finish with a good layer of SPF 50 protection.
"Modern sunscreens also tend not to leave a white hue and are often combined with tinted minerals, which are cosmetically pleasing," he added.
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"I recommend using a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 30, ideally SPF 50, to protect against UVA and UVB radiation and mitigate sun damage, premature ageing, and skin cancer.
"The higher the SPF, the longer the protection will last between applications, and the more consistently and reliably it will protect your skin without affecting Vitamin D production."
So there you have it, protection that looks after your skin and doesn’t leave that white hue for applying make-up.
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