SPFs Tried and Tested

The UV rays around us are not to be underestimated, in order to keep ourskin looking and working great it is essential that we protect it from UV on adaily basis. I know that when you look out the window and see the dull rainysky that suncream is usually that last thing on your mind, but incorporate oneof these 3 sunscreens into your routine and protect your skin the way itdeserves.

Invisible Zinc - Face & Body sunscreen SPF 30, £18.50

As described in the previous post Zinc oxide is a physical sun protection,it is the ideal form of protection. This product is typical of zinc sunscreensin the sense that it is slightly thick in consistency and the trade mark'white' colour, however i have tried many worse sunscreens and once it has beenused sparingly onto the skin it absorbs well and does not leave a white film onthe surface of my skin. The slightly thick consistency would not put me ofpurchasing and at £18.50 (on cult beauty.com) its is mid band and overall iwould give it 4 out 5. remember sunscreens are there for one purpose to protectfrom UV and this is what this product does.

Heliocare SPF 50, £20

In the aesthetics we use this product a lot after treatments such aschemical peels and laser peels/resurfacers, you can also get it in prescriptionfrom a dermatologist if you require it. It has a light texture and is easy toapply, what I would say is don't expect anything else other than a sunprotection (a very good one at that), this product is solely here to protectyour skin from UV. This is the reason it is used in advanced skin care, thereare very little ingredients that could cause the skin to become irritated orcause breakouts, it is also fine to use on active breakouts.  It does notleave the white film that other products do and you only a small amount. Theprotection that this product gives is the reason that i'm going to give it a 4out of 5.

Dermaquest On the Go Finishing Powder SPF 30, £51

Genius product!! my absolute favourite, a light translucent powder which ismatifying, holds make-up and protects the skin from UV. A physical sunscreen itcontains both zinc and titanium oxide, simple dust over the face and your goodto go. The powder is see through so even if you have a full face of make-up youcan just dust over the top, not even needing a mirror. It comes in a handybrush applicator and has 3 settings depending on the level of cover. I was alittle sceptical at first as to whether this powder would actually protect myfair skin but even the mexican sun was no match for it. Unfortunately thisproduct is £51 which is pretty expensive and although it lasts a long time itis the initial out lay for the product which may put people off i also foundthat you over compensate for that fact that it is invisible and probably usetoo much of the product, (but we cant win we want a product that is invisibleon the skin and moan when we get one). Overall given the ingredients,protection and application i'm giving this product a 5 out of 5. Oh and itswater proof for up to an hour and a half!

Are all SPFs the same ??

The answer ........ NO

Forget about factors for a minute and let's look at the ingredients.

On the market there are hundreds of different sun creams, invisible ones,non-sticky ones and ones that last all day, but which ones really protect you.Remember that time when you lathered yourself in sun cream and then woke uplike a burnt crisp? I bet if you read the small print on the bottle it saysapply 40 minutes to an hour before sun exposure, each time you applied thisproduct it was at least another 40 minutes before it protected you. Thereason... The Ingredients of course.

There are two main types of sun protection, physical and chemical lets lookat them in more detail.

Physical sun protection, the best.

Physical sun protections contain ingredients such as zinc and titanium, fromthe moment they are applied to your skin they protect you from harmful rays.They act like a mirror reflecting the rays off of the skin and preventing theskin from absorbing them resulting in no bright red skin from burning.

Chemical sun creams, avoid if possible.

These types of sun creams are unfortunately usually the most appealing, theyare mixed with moisturisers, invisible and easy to apply. They work withingredients such as organic chemical compounds and work by absorbing theharmful rays and give them back out as heat energy, they do not give youimmediate protection and must be applied much more regularly.

When it comes to wearing sun protection they should be part of your dailyroutine not just when your on holiday. Our skin is constantly under attack formharmful UV rays, driving in the car, sitting in the office window, staring atcomputer screens and even from bright lights.

UV is one of the skins biggest enemies, it is responsible for many of thefactors that age your skin, lines, wrinkles, brown spots ( pigment ), uneventone and texture. It's also preventable by wearing sun protection daily take alook at a few of my favourites .....