If you've been enjoying some rays of glorious sunshine this Easter, you know what I'm going to say: 'Sisters, SPF 50 now!' Ideally, you will have been deploying this during winter anyway. The sun emits harmful rays all year, even on cloudy and rainy days, even through windows.
Dermatologists consider year-round SPF vital for everyone. And it's particularly important at moments of hormonal flux - hello, midlife - which can make skin neurotically sensitive to damage.
Still, the stats are lamentable. Only 22 per cent of Britons apply SPF daily, and a third of those are using less than the (minimum) factor 30. A bit of SPF in your moisturiser or foundation is not enough - we don't spread it sufficiently thickly. One in seven never apply sunscreen, and just over half only bother when it's glaringly sunny.
We oldsters are the worst: 60 per cent of those aged 45-54 only using SPF when the sun is blazing. Small wonder that - while melanoma skin cancer rates have dropped among the young - for those in our fifties the rate is up by as much as 102 per cent.
There is no point throwing money at complexion restoring, if you're not taking the one essential measure to prevent premature ageing. The good news: SPF tech and textures are now so brilliant that the right sunscreen will not only shield your skin, but make it look fantastic.
- My SPF all-rounder hero Heliocare 360° A-R Emulsion SPF50+ £32.99
Heliocare 360° A-R Emulsion SPF50+ (£32.99, Boots.com) was my pash of summer 2024, and I am yet to discover anything to supplant it. Heliocare has just become the first SPF to be included in Boots's new Specialist Skin section, dedicated to dermatologically-backed solutions.
Accordingly, it provides very high-level, full-spectrum protection (blue light from screens included - yes, we have to fret about that too), plus supercharged antioxidant benefits. But, I adore it because it makes my complexion look dreamy, imparting a lustrous gleam. Sensitive-skin friendly, it minimises redness, making a beautiful, stay-all-day make-up base. The business. - My SPF salve for dry skin Thank You Farmer Sun Project Water Cream SPF50 £22
Dry skin in the sun can happen - and make you even more susceptible to damage. Thank You Farmer Sun Project Water Cream SPF50 (£22, Boots.com) is a godsend, formulated with hydrators and oil for dewy resilience.
Yet, it's not in the least heavy, feeling like the loveliest day cream. Dryness, be damned. - My perfect SPF for oily skin Supergoop's Protec(Tint) Daily Skin Tint SPF 50 £40
US favourite Supergoop's Protec(Tint) Daily Skin Tint SPF 50 (£32, Boots.com) arrived on our shores this March, and is already the daily obsession of my oily-skinned tester.
Non-greasy, sweatproof, in 14 flexible shades, it offers protection-plus-pigment in a matte, second-skin finish, defence against blue light, radiation and pollution. Belt-and-braces brilliance. - The SPF make-up primer I swear by Mecca Cosmetica To Save Face SPF50+ Brightening Sun Serum £38
For women who demand their make-up be both exquisite and long-stay, Oz's Mecca Cosmetica is the answer. Mecca Cosmetica To Save Face SPF50+ Brightening Sun Serum (£38,) is incredible: a shield enhanced by 3 per cent niacinamide to smooth lines and hydrate, while light-reflecting pearls melt into the skin for a radiant glow. Stunning skin guaranteed. - My favourite mineral SPF Tatcha The Silk Sunscreen SPF 50 £65
There are two types of sunscreen: mineral and chemical. Mineral formulas are made from natural ingredients forming a physical barrier reflecting rays away from the skin. Chemical formulas absorb into your skin, then reflect UV light back.
Some users worry about this chemical content, preferring mineral blocks. Traditionally, these were pasty and greasy affairs. No longer! My favourite of these new-broom, beautifully-textured mineral screens is Tatcha The Silk Sunscreen SPF 50 (£65,). It's weightless, hydrating, and - yes - sensationally silky. - My luxury SPF hot take Sisley Sunleÿa Anti-Ageing Suncare SPF50+ £228
Sometimes one is ready to splurge on sunscreen-as-skincare. I'm currently rather partial to the Sisley Sunleÿa Anti-Ageing Suncare SPF50+ (a seriously hefty £228 for 50ml) making me feel like a soignée Parisian, who learnt skincare on her mother's knee.
Forget the dense and mask-like SPFs of old. This simply feels like a fancy, feather-light face cream. Then you remember that you are stalwartly sun-shielded. - My brilliant budget SPF Garnier Ambre Solaire Anti-Age Super UV Protection Cream SPF50 £8.65
As with posher options, Garnier's excellent Ambre Solaire Anti-Age Super UV Protection Cream SPF50 (now £8.65) also boasts skincare benefits such as hyaluronic acid and niacinamide reducing the appearance of wrinkles by up to 22 per cent.
Then top up every couple of hours with Garnier Ambre Solaire Over Makeup Super UV Protection Mist SPF50 (£12.99). Job done.