Your Ultimate Guide To SPF
Your Ultimate Guide to SPF
Incorporating a high quality sunscreen into your morning skincare routine all year round is one of the best things you can do to prevent premature photoageing caused by the sun's UV rays.
With the summer season here and plenty of sunshine-filled days ahead, here are some of my top SPF tips that can be applied year round to ensure your skin is properly protected.
How Much SPF Should I Apply Each Day?
Most people aren't applying enough sunscreen each day. To ensure that you're receiving optimal levels of protection from your SPF, it's essential to make sure that you're applying enough.
When applying sunscreen to your face and neck, I recommend following the 'two-finger rule' which is a great general guideline. Squeeze a line of sunscreen along the length of both your middle and index fingers, and apply to your face, neck and ears. If you're using a sunscreen with a fluid or watery consistency, it's a good idea to apply a little more.
It's also important to apply sunscreen to every area of your body that's going to be exposed to the sun. The NHS advises that adults looking to cover their entire body should be applying at least six to eight teaspoons of sunscreen. Another way to look at this is to apply a golf ball sized amount of sunscreen to each body part that will receive sun exposure.
What Factor Sunscreen Should I Choose?
There are a wide range of different sunscreens available on the market with a sun protection factor (SPF) ranging between 2 and 50+. Sunscreens with a 50+ SPF provide the strongest protection from UVB rays. I always recommend choosing a sunscreen that offers an SPF of at least 30, which will absorb around 97% of the rays that can burn the skin.
It's also important to look at the UVA protection a sunscreen offers, which is measured using a star rating system. Sunscreens with a 5-star rating provide the most protection from UVA, and I always recommend choosing a product that has been awarded at least 4 stars.
Don't forget to keep an eye on the expiry date on your sunscreen because expired sunscreen is unlikely to offer the same level of protection.
How Often Should I Reapply SPF?
To continue receiving sun protection benefits, sunscreen needs to be reapplied often and liberally. Sunscreen should always be reapplied immediately after being in water or if you've been sweating, even if the product you're using says that it's water resistant.
The sun can also dry sunscreen off the skin, so it's important to reapply every two hours, even if you haven't been sweating or in water.
Key Techniques For Maximum Sun Protection
Here are some key techniques to keep in mind to experience maximum protection from the sun.
1. Be Mindful When Applying SPF
It can be easy to forget areas like the neck, decolletage, hairline and ears when applying sunscreen, so it's important to take care and ensure that all areas of your body are protected. We can also benefit from resisting any temptation to wash our hands after applying SPF, as this will ensure the backs of your hands are properly shielded.
2. Don't Forget Your Lips
Many lip balms are formulated with SPF, so don't forget to reapply often throughout the day to protect this delicate skin from the sun.
3. Make Smart Clothing Choices
We shouldn't be relying solely on sunscreen to protect our skin from the sun, so as well as applying a high quality SPF throughout the day, I also recommend wearing a wide-brimmed hat, clothing that has a close-weave and won't let sunlight permeate through, and sunglasses that offer full protection for your eyes.
4. Seek Out Shade
The sun is strongest between 10am and 4pm, so stay in shady areas as much as possible during these hours.