Summer is the perfect time to stock up on SPFs. UK temperatures are set to soar into the twenties this July, so we’re all going to need a good sun cream.
But an SPF isn’t just for sunny days. In Britain, we’re used to near-constant cloud cover, so you’d be forgiven for thinking that the overcast sky will protect your face, arms and everything else.
In reality, harmful UVA and UVB rays, which can cause skin cancer, are still present when the sun is behind cloud cover. So, though it might feel odd to wear sun cream on cloudy days, it’s crucial to protect your skin with sun cream, whatever the weather.
But it’s not always obvious how much to use. It seems logical that you only need a tiny amount of SPF50 compared to SPF15, but how much SPF should we actually apply every day? You’d think it’d be less on an overcast day than the blazing heat of summer, but it isn’t always clear from sun cream marketing.
We spoke to a skincare expert to clear up confusion. Here’s everything he had to tell us.
Meet the experts
Dr Marko Lens is a consultant plastic and reconstructive surgeon and a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons. He also owns an antioxidant-focused skincare brand, Zelens.
How much SPF should you apply daily?
Dr Lens revealed that we should “use one teaspoon over the face and neck”. For context, one teaspoon’s worth of SPF is around 5ml. But it doesn’t stop there. Dr Lens adds that “it should be reapplied every two hours if we are exposed to the sun”.
As for the cloud cover, he clarified that the reason for wearing SPF in these less exposed circumstances is down to the fact that “you don’t know what the UV [index measurement] is. The days when it’s grey, the UV light is still there. You should be protected.”
Again, for context, a high UV is considered eight or over, with a UV from three to seven being in the range where it’s recommended to limit exposure to the sun.
“There are so many foundations nowadays with SPF, but [this type of SPF] isn’t going to last. The best protection would be to not expose ourselves to the sun – but of course, we need to live a life.” So, a teaspoon a day it is, with reapplication every other hour.
Sun exposure is any day on which we can see the sun through the clouds, like a typical autumn/winter day. As for your summer beach holiday? “For one day at the beach, a man my height and weight should probably use one bottle [of sunscreen] a day,” says Dr Lens.
If you need a good sun cream, our tests of the best sunscreens for your face found a clear winner.
This SPF50 came out on top in our ranking of the best sun creams. Recommended by many dermatologists, our tester found that it “absorbs quickly and easily without leaving the skin feeling greasy.” It holds up well, lasting throughout several workouts.
After more suncare recommendations? Why not browse the 16 face moisturisers with SPF that make daily sun protection simple
