Be Safe in the Sun

4 min read

Sunshine! Hallelujah! And with some heat in it too. But, that also means it has some UVA and UVB rays in it, and those aren’t such good news.

So, if you are out in the sunshine make sure you have some sun protection on. This is particularly important for us fair-skinned Scots. Your fake tan may give you a golden glow, but remember your real Scots peely-wally tone is not good in the sun. We need to be careful and cover up.

Factor 30 is usually ideal for the body, but when I hit hotter climes, I always up to Factor 50. For the face, it’s Factor 50, pretty much all of the time, and maybe Factor 30 after a while.

The sun damages our skin with the UVB rays by burning us, but the UVA rays are the ageing rays of the sun. Sun exposure ages the skin – that’s an indisputable fact, and the longer you enjoy the sunshine, the more your skin will age. You need suscnreen that filters the UVA and UVB rays. You need sunscreen with high star ratings.


Crystal Clear Protect & Repair SPF40 (£45) is complete sun protection for the face, combining sunscreen technology with active anti-ageing ingredients. It includes broad spectrum UV absorber, Tinosorb. By absorbing, reflecting and scattering the sun’s UV rays, Tinosorb provides high-level broad spectrum coverage of UVA and UVB rays. Vitamin E offers excellent anti-oxidant properties while Lupine Extract and Thermus Thermophilis help prevent sunburn, dehydration and ageing.

I have enjoyed using this, and it works brilliantly. It’s a great sunscreen, and although you don’t need another moisturiser with this, I do like to use one as my skin does get dry.

Darphin Sun Protection Cream for the Face SPF30 (£35). This beautiful facial sunscreen is packed with high protection UVA/UVB and skin perfecting agents.  Karanja (a tree that grows in even the driest conditions), Avocado and Coconut provide a non-greasy, sensuous, nourishing texture for a smooth,silky feeling to the skin. Hyaluronic acid and Vitamin E work to optimise hydration and leaves skin youthful glowing.I used this on holiday last year, and even in really hot weather it didn’t let me down.

Clinique for Men SPF 21 Moisturizer (£26) is brilliantly suited to men’s skincare needs, which are different, even with suncare. This lightweight oil-free moisturiser provides non-irritating sun protection – and also stops my husband using my facial sunscreen!


This weekend, I’ve been using the new Filorga Bronze suncare range. It has a genuine anti-ageing focus, and is concentrated in smoothing, firming and nourishing active ingredients, as well as smelling lovely thanks to white flowers and tiaré flower. It is also a sublimated tanning range – which means it accelerates the natural tanning process.

UV Bronze Face SPF50 (£25) is  especially for wrinkles and dark spots, and is an ultra-fluid, non-greasy product. The formula is enriched with sulforaphane, which acts on the formation of wrinkles, and Vitamin PP, which acts on dark spots to unify the skin and even out the tan.

UV Bronze Spray Solaire Nutri-regenerating Anti-Age Body SPF50+ (£29) is a coconut-oil based dry oil which combines maximum protection with firming and regenerating anti-ageing active ingredients. I love an oil suncare product, and this brilliant oil smells gorgeous, has a collagen booster combined with Hyaluronic Acid to strengthen the skin’s elasticity to restore tone and firmness. The  coconut oil nourishes deep down leaving a silky soft finish. You can also use this product on the hair!

Finally, there is a UV Bronze Mist SPF50 (£29) which I suspect is best for face, as it’s not a large spray. Wouldn’t last me one day if I used on my body! It’s cooling, and accelerates your natural tan, and is water-resistant. And super easy to use.

Filorga is available from all sorts of stockists, including Marks and Spencer, and feelunique.com


Origins GinZing SPF 40 Energy-Boosting Tinted Moisturizer (£27) is a multi-tasking product that hydrates, energises and protects to maintain skin’s momentum all day. As well as suncare, it gives moisture and a sheer tint.  It contains Caffeine, derived from coffee beans, which is a natural anti-irritant  known for its energising benefits and ability to help keep skin healthy and refreshed.

It also contains Panax Ginseng, an adaptogenic herb revered in Traditional Chinese Medicine as a tonic to restore vital energy , and Barley, a popular health food which will help skin stay hydrated and healthy.  It smells delicious thanks to an essential oil blend with notes of Grapefruit, Lemon and Spearmint to help uplift the senses.

The Body Shop Skin defence Multi-Protection Essence SPF50 (£17) is multi-protection for everyday wear. It’s a really light, milk-to-water essence that has broad spectrum UV filters, brightening red algae and antioxidant Vitamin C. So, it helps skin from the UVA and UVB rays, and brightens the skin at the same time.

There are lots of suncare products to choose from – just remember to choose those that have UVA and UVB proection, and with the highest star rating as well.