Summer is here and hopefully it's going to be a hot one! Yes, I'm being hopefully. Whether you have a beach holiday planned or not, SPF still should be something you are using as without getting al serious - skin cancer is the most diagnosed cancer in the UK. Pretty scary, right?
But thankfully sunscreens have moved on from being white gloopy lotions that leave you slippier than an eel and with a casper-like white cast to your skin. The options are now endless, which may be a good and bad thing - which to go for! So here are five of my personal favourites, all of which offer something different, meaning you could find your own new favourite right here for this summer!
BUDGET OPTIONS
Garnier Ambre Soliare Dry Mist SPF50
£8.50 - Boots here
First up an easy to find spray suncream. This is exactly what it says - an ultra light dry protection mist that is easy to apply and smells like holidays. If you aren't a fan of the newer invisible/oil sprays, as you want to see where you're applying it but still want that dry-touch feel, then this is the one to go for. This sprays onto the skin like a light milk and with the aerosol nozzle your entire body can be covered in under a minute and then rubbed in to an invisible finish. As for the feel, this soaks into the skin well without a oil/greasy feel but more of a lightly moisturised one that within 10 minutes cannot be even felt on the skin. My only criticism is that aerosol sprays don't last as long as lotions or oil sprays so this isn't one to take on holidays longer than 7 days. Also great for sensitive skin.
Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration SPF30
Oh my oh my, how I love this suncream! Being a lover of oil sunscreens I really didn't expect to get on with this but as it's very much like a hydrating body lotion I couldn't not love it! I mean this literally feels like a body lotion on the skin with it's hydrating ribbons - silky to apply and dries to an invisible touch finish. Did I mention it also smells like heaven?! A suncream perfect for drier skin or if you feel your skin needs hydration in the heat - but again I must stress that this doesn't feel at all greasy or heavy! I've also used this on my face and though it isn't ideal for my oily/combination skin types I could imagine this to be perfect for normal to dry skin. Other benefits - lasts 12 hours and you can see how much you have used thanks to the transperent bottle.
Calypso Dry Oil Wet Skin SPF 30
£2.99 - Semichem here or £3.99 Bodycare/Matalan
This is a long time favourite for me and a great budget option! Plus with the new 'Wet Skin' bottle this may just pip all the rest to the post. What I love about this specific sunscreen is it truly is a dry oil, a single bottle lasts forever, it can be used on the face and it smells pretty good (think bananas)... not including the fact it's a total bargain. If you know you will be in and out of the sea or pool on holiday then this is definitely the one to go for.
HIGH END OPTIONS
SunSense Invisible Tint Finish SPF50+
£14.16 - Amazon here
Specific suncreams for the face are totally overlooked in my option. If you wouldn't use your body moisturiser as your face cream then why do it with suncream! The last thing you want in summer or on holiday is to break out in spots because your using the wrong suncream on your face. Having tried a few facial sunscreens now I feel the Sunsense Invisible Tint is the one that will suit all skin types as it's light and free from nasties, meaning it's good on sensitive skin. Though I sadly don't think the name of the product should include the word 'tint' as this gives zero tint to the skin but more of an even complexion - always a plus! This leaves the skin with a slight dewy finish that isn't greasy and you can apply makeup onto or leave bare, though maybe with a little mattifying power to remove that slight sheen.
I'm also currently trying out the Eurecin Mattifying Sun Fluid for oily/combination skin (£16.00 Look Fantastic here) which I'm so far loving - total dry to the touch in under a minute!
Riemann P20 Once A Day Protection SPF50+
£9.70 - Look Fantastic here
Lastly a sunscreen perfect for those who forget to reapply and end up burning. This totally works but comes with it's drawbacks - it doesn't smell good and it takes a while to soak into the skin. But that's the price you pay it you only want to apply sunscream once at the start of the day! This will be the one I take on holiday with me in a few months!
Hopefully you've found a new sunscreen here and convinced any non-users in to picking some up! Just do it!
Fee xo.
