I tried 5 of the best sun creams on the high street – Asda’s was so sticky but a super cheap shop came out on top
WHEN it comes to slapping on sunscreen, we can be slapdash.
Cancer Research UK has revealed people aren’t protecting themselves properly, with around 3.7million UK adults saying they don’t use an SPF when outdoors.
With National Sunscreen Day last Saturday, we asked tanning fanatic Kate Wills to test out five of the top supermarket offerings.
Each morning, writer Kate Wills, 38, from East London, applied a different SPF50 sunscreen to her face and carried out normal activities, such as working, travelling and eating meals.
She didn’t exercise, swim, sunbathe or apply any other cosmetics.
Eight hours later, skin specialist Dr Ifeoma Ejikeme, of the , used a professional UV face scanner to check how much protection remained on her face.
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“The darker the image, the higher the SPF and protection from UV radiation,” says Dr Ejikeme.
“Pale areas, white patches and speckles show less SPF on the skin, so less protection.”
Here, Kate gives her verdict on each and rates them for ease of application – while reveals how much protection they offer.
Sainsbury’s Sun Protect Sensitive Sun Lotion SPF50+, £4.50 for 200ml
KATE SAYS: “Although the bottle says it’s ‘easily absorbed’, it took me ages to rub this in and it left a slightly sticky sheen on my skin.
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“The ingredients include green tea extract and vitamin E and it did feel moisturising, but it also made my skin feel clammy. It smelled quite strongly of chemicals, too.”
Application: 2
DR EJIKEME SAYS: “I’d describe this coverage as a bit patchy.
“In the mid-face and forehead you can start to see some of the skin underneath coming through, meaning there’s not as much coverage here after hours of wear.
“But otherwise it’s offering pretty good protection for only one application.”
Safety: 4
Wilko Skin Therapy Moisturising Sun Lotion SPF50+, £4 for 200ml
KATE SAYS: “This lotion felt very thin and runny, but rubbed in easily and had the classic sun cream smell to it.
“My skin felt very smooth all day, but not sticky. It is also notable for being vegan, unlike some, which use animal- derived ingredients such as beeswax and collagen.”
Application: 4
DR EJIKEME SAYS: “Of all the SPFs we tested, this had the least coverage by the end of the day.
“The mid-face, nose and forehead have all lost protection, as well as the mid-cheeks.
“If you’re using this sun cream, you would need to apply it more frequently to ensure you’re protected.”
Safety: 1
Tesco Soleil Moisturising Sun Protection Lotion SPF50+, £2.80 for 200ml
KATE SAYS: “This yellow-tinged lotion was thicker than most, but wasn’t too greasy.
“It was easily absorbed and smelled like coconuts, with a bit of a chemical tang.
“If anything, it made my skin feel a bit dry at the end of the day.”
Application: 4
DR EJIKEME SAYS: “This is the winner for me. There’s full SPF coverage of the skin here, even at the end of the day.
“We can see this because all of the face is dark, with barely any white patches.”
Safety: 5
Asda Protect Sensitive Formula Sun Lotion SPF50, £3.50 for 200ml
KATE SAYS: “The thickest of all the lotions I tried, this felt very gloopy and sticky.
“It also had a very chemical smell and left a greasy residue on my skin.
“It claims to be formulated for sensitive skin, but I felt like it clogged my pores.”
Application: 1
DR EJIKEME SAYS: “There is a reasonable amount of coverage after eight hours with this sun cream.
“However, you can see that around the eyebrows and the mid-forehead, there are paler patches, meaning you’re starting to lose coverage here.
“But it offers fairly decent protection.”
Safety: 3
Lidl Cien Sun Lotion SPF50, £3.69 for 250ml
KATE SAYS: “Like Wilko’s offering, this Lidl sun cream is also vegan. It had a good consistency, rubbed in well and my face felt smooth.
“The mild floral scent made a surprising change and the packaging was also the nicest of the lot. It would look nice in your bathroom or on your beach towel.”
Application: 5
DR EJIKEME SAYS: “This has good coverage overall, but in the mid-face and around the bridge of the nose and the cheeks we can see the natural skin pigmentation coming through.
"This shows we’re not having full protection in all areas.
“If you use this cream you’d need to apply it more regularly throughout the day.”
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Safety: 2
KATE'S VERDICT
For long-lasting coverage and price, you can’t beat Tesco, but my personal favourite for scent and texture was Lidl. Now bring on the sunshine!
How to protect skin this summer
DR Paul Banwell, founder and former head of the Melanoma And Skin Cancer Unit, says we must protect ourselves from the sun at all times.
Here he offers advice to ensure you are fully covered.
He says: “Most people apply sunscreen too thinly and that means protection is reduced.
“An adult should be using around six to eight teaspoons to cover their body.
“If you are using a spray, you want to apply it until an even sheen appears all over the skin.
“Regardless of the SPF, it’s important to put on sunscreen 30 minutes before going outside and reapply it every two hours or immediately after swimming or sweating.
“A high SPF should not lead to a false sense of security – it will not protect you from burning.
“And a high SPF also doesn’t mean you need to reapply it less often.
“Such sunscreens block slightly more UVB rays, but none offer 100 per cent protection.
“I would always advise people to wear SPF throughout the year, no matter what the weather, and recommend a 50+ SPF.”