Why Skipping SPF In Your Daily Skincare Regime Could Cause More Damage Than You Think

We’ve come a long way since the days of slapping on the body oil and frazzling ourselves to a crisp on the beaches of Benidorm (well, we’d like to hope so anyway).

But are you actually doing more damage to your skin when you’re NOT sunning it up on holiday?

Wearing an SPF all year round is one of the best things you can do for your skin, but many people are still clueless when it comes to sun protection in the UK.

In fact, a recent study by skincare brand La Roche-Posay found that while 94 per cent of respondents understood that exposure to the sun could cause health problems, only 12 per cent protected their skin all year round.

But would you be more likely to slap on the SPF if you knew that by going bare-faced, you’re increasing your risk of not only sunburn, but skin cancer too?

Why You Need SPF In The UK

Ultraviolet (UV) rays penetrate the skin on any given day, whether it’s cloudy, snowing or blisteringly hot.

Suncream acts as a protective layer from these harmful rays, preventing radiation from damaging the skin, making SPF a year-round essential – even in the UK.

But you didn’t just hear it from us – the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommend a minimum of SPF 15 every single day, even if you’re an office worker and only see the sun twice a day on your commute to work.

Skincare expert to Hollywood’s elite Dr Murad is a skincare obsessive and agrees that daily SPF use is of utmost importance to protect skin against harmful UVB and UVA rays.

(In layman’s terms, UVB rays cause sunburn and UVA rays are the cause of skin cancer and premature ageing. An easy way of remembering it is UVB for Burning and UVA for Ageing).

“Wear your sunscreen all year round. Wearing broad-spectrum sunscreen every day regardless of the season will protect against the sun’s UVB and UVA rays,” he said.

“UVA rays are the same strength all year round and can penetrate through clouds and windows, contributing to collagen degradation and skin cancer.”

In France, women educate their daughters to wear sun cream daily in order to protect their skin from harmful UV rays – whether the sun is shining or not, according to Imane Mahlous, Skincare Expert at Eau Thermale Avène.

“Using a moisturiser that contains SPF is easy to incorporate into a daily skincare regime throughout the year and will help fight signs of photo-damage that even low UV levels can create,” she said.

What To Look For On The Bottle

Sadly it’s not as simple as popping into the supermarket and picking up a bottle of Factor 30.

Because SPF is only the number for UVB – in other words, how much exposure to the sun you can have before the rays begin damaging your skin, causing sunburn.

Despite rumours to the contrary, the factor number is NOT the amount of time you can spend in the sun before burning. It’s more about your exposure to the sun’s intense rays.

SPF protects against UVB rays, which cause the majority of sunburn. But UVA rays penetrate much deeper in the skin, causing skin cancers such as Melanona. It also causes premature ageing of the skin.

For that reason, it’s best to invest in a broad-spectrum sunscreen. On the bottle, look for something which has both UVA and UVB protection.

“I would say here in the UK, wear SPF15-20, but on warmer days, wear SPF30-50, just on areas that are exposed, such as your face,” said Dr Barbara Kubicka, an expert in female facial skincare who’s currently working as an ambassador for Remington’s beauty range.

“SPF is only the number for UVB – UVA is either in the product or it’s not. SPF30 is normally OK for abroad but getting Vitamin D is really important too, so I’d recommend taking a supplement in the winter.”

SPF For Your Skintype

It’s no wonder many of us forgo wearing suncream on a daily basis as historically, some of the formulations of sun creams are thick and greasy, leaving an unsightly white layer on the face.

And while they may be made for sun protection, not all of them are specialist skincare products and so can fuel skincare concerns including oiliness and blemishes.

Dr Kubicka advises choosing the correct SPF for your skintype so you’re protected from the sun without channelling your inner Casper.

“I would recommend wearing SPF in the UK, but it has to be the right product,” she told us.

She also told us that SPFs are really absorbable and can be harmful for the skin, so we'd advise choosing products with as fewer additives as possible.

Oily and combination skintypes should avoid lotions with unnecessary preservatives and might find that water-based solutions suit their skin better.

While those with dry skin should look for products with extra moisture to keep skin hydrated throughout the day.

And a word about SPF in cosmetics. The problem with just relying on this is that people don’t put enough of the product on their face, so it doesn’t affect our skin as it should.

It’s certainly doesn’t have a negative impact on sun protection (unless you’re using it instead of a moisturiser with SPF) but see it more as an addition to your sun protection regime – not the backbone of it.

The bottom line?

Wear a minimum of SPF15 every single day. And if you’re sitting in the sun for an hour at lunch, slap on the SPF 30.

You only get one face. Make sure you protect it!

Product Picks

Murad Essential-C Day Moisture SPF30, £57.00, Murad.co.uk

This broad-spectrum SPF moisturiser protects skin from both UVA and UVB rays, while the factor 30 is ideal for sunny days in the UK and abroad. The fresh, zesty scent is an added bonus too.

Lancer Sheer Fluid Sun Shield SPF30, £40.00, Space NK

A firm favourite in the beauty bags of both Kim Kardashian and Victoria Beckham, this lightweight fluid is ideal for oily and combination skintypes, and has anti-aging benefits to boot.

Botanics Ultra Calm Skin Calming Day Cream SPF15, £6.99, Boots.com

Perfect for sensitive or irritated skin, this bargain SPF moisturiser is enriched with calming marshallow to soothe and hydrate while protecting from harmful rays. Bonus!

La Roche-Posay Anthelios AC SPF30 Matte Fluid 50ml, £16.00, FeelUnique.com

It has a reputation for being THE choice of SPF protection for dermatologists – and for good reason. This particular product has a lightweight texture suitable for oily skintypes but the comprehensive Anthelios range also caters for dry and sensitive skin.

Clinique City Block Sheer SPF 25, £18.00, Clinique.co.uk

Ideal for city-dwellers, this lightweight fluid has broad-spectrum UVA and UVB protection (winner) while working as a face primer too, so you’re getting more bang for your buck.

Avene Hydrance Optimale Light Protective UV SPF20 40ml, £14.50, Escentual.com

Disclaimer: We’ve been to actual Avene in France so we have a bit of a soft spot for this brand because we know where they came from. This SPF moisturiser is  lightweight enough to wear all-year round in the UK, while the ‘Riche’ version helps hydrate parched skin.

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream, £17.00, FeelUnique.com

There’s no point protecting your face if your lips are burnt to a crisp. Protect your pout with an SPF lip balm – we swear by this one from Elizabeth Arden because it glides onto your lips like butter (must be those eight vitamins and minerals it’s enriched with) and doubles-up as a lip primer too. Amazing.

[Which? Rates Popular Sun Creams 'Don't Buys' After Failing SPF Tests]

[SPF Moisturisers: Top 5 Tried and Tested]