5 Best Sun Cream Tips

When the time comes to stock up on sun cream, you know summer has well and truly arrived. Where ever you are enjoying the glorious weather this year, these sun cream tips will come in handy when the sun has got his hat on.

Pick the Right SPF

SPF stands for sun protection factor and sun creams are rated on a scale of 2-50+. It’s the measure of how long you can stay in the sun without getting burned with sun cream applied versus without the sun cream. For example, if your skin tends to burn after 20 minutes of being in the sun, applying an SFP10 will means it will take 10 times longer to burn.

As a general guide, the paler the skin (most at risk of burning quickly) the higher the SPF advised. A higher SPF doesn’t mean any better protection but it allows you to stay in the sun for longer. Which leads us on to…

Reapply Regularly

Sun cream should be applied at least every two hours, but this can vary depending on your chosen SPF and skin type. However, other typical holidaying factors may mean that tops ups should be even more regular, like swimming and sweating.

Apply Generously

Most people are aware that sunscreen should be applied to all exposed skin but might not be applying enough of it. As a rough guideline, the NHS recommends two teaspoons of sun cream if you’re covering the head, arms and neck. And two tablespoons of sun cream if you’re covering the body in a swimming costume.

If you’re using spray-on sun cream and want to monitor how much you’re applying, then spray the recommended amount into your hand rather than directly on targeted areas.

Keep in Fridge

It may be tempting to keep your sun cream in your beach bag at all times, but storing in a cool place is the preferred condition for your lotion. Keeping it in the fridge also has the added benefit of a refreshing, cooling effect when applied on the skin.