Try saying that after a day of sun exposure! Listen up my freckly friends: with the heat wave that we’ve all been promised fast approaching at the end of the month, all your summer suncare issues will be solved in this one blog post and to my gorgeously tanned pals, this concerns you too because I’ve been trying out some products that will prolong your tan AND protect you from premature aging. Something for everyone, I’m sure you’ll agree, so read on as I review two essential suncare products and share my ideas for of surviving the summer.
You may already know that I’m a pale kinda gal. I wear ivory shade foundation and SPF 30 most days of my life. This is because without it I would burn baby burn and peel immediately afterwards. Yes, any sun exposure would seriously hurt my delicate freckly skin and leave a lasting legacy of damage and additional wrinkles that I’d really rather avoid. So I’m going for SUPER strong suncare this year and have gone over to the dark side, (or should that be light side?) of Sun Protection Factor 50 lotions and potions.
I’m not talking about the ‘just for children’ sun creams out there which, in my search for high SPFs, I have tried before and found them to be rather difficult to absorb into my face and they leave a whiteish glow to my skin; as if I need to be any more ghostly white than I already am! Nope, the kiddies range is not for me, although I do want that same level of protection to keep myself from burning and aging prematurely, so I’ve investigated the best adult products on the market with ultra-high SPFs and here are the best of the bunch:
I’m looking at protecting my face and have therefore plumped for the fabulous Dior product above. Part of the Dior Bronze range is the SPF 50 Beautifying Protective Suncare face cream. The high protection factor shields against UVA and UVB rays whilst delivering antioxidant “Tan-Protect” microcapsules to the skin to moisturise and ‘embellish’ the skin, making your tan last longer without allowing the skin to burn. It recommends applying generously to the face and reapplying regularly, so I applied it in the morning and spent a normal day out and about, staying in the shade as I usually do but sometimes wandering into the sun too. I am pleased to say that this sunscreen let a lot less sun through to my skin than my usual standard sunscreen and my face didn’t have that ‘tight’ feeling at the end of the day, as it sometimes does with a factor 30. I didn’t reapply the product during the day because I wasn’t sat in the sun but I imagine I would need to reapply it if I were actually exposed to full sun. You can read more about this Christian Dior range here. The blurb on the box claims that ‘your ideally protected skin gradually reveals a more intense, more luminous and more lasting tan’, and I was unsure whether this meant that it contained self-tan, but having tested it out there is no color in the cream; it simply means that you’re less likely to burn so your tan will be less likely peel off, and will therefore be prolonged. This increase in SPF combined with the additional moisturiser to keep your tanned skin supple, again makes your skin less likely to peel. Having never had a tan in my life, I can’t vouch for this, but the theory seems logical so if you’re someone who does tan evenly, please let me know how you get on with this product and I’ll share this information with you all!
The scent is pleasant and smells like summer holidays but a little less pungent than the normal sun lotion you’d slap on at the beach. One important point to make is that the cream absorbed quickly and was completely non-greasy, so felt much more like a facial moisturiser than a sun cream and is considerably nicer to apply than the bright white emulsion-like factor 50s or the oily high-SPF sprays. I would definitely recommend investing in a specific face cream like this as you’ll feel more inclined to wear it daily as a normal moisturiser rather than only applying when the sun is out, and the extra protection from the sun can only be good thing!
Elizabeth Arden‘s famous Eight Hour Cream is now available with SPF and in a Targeted Sun Defence Stick with factor 50 sunscreen. It is so good at shielding over-exposed areas including lips, nose and scars from the sun’s harmful rays that it is even recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation as an effective UV sunscreen. The blurb on the box tells us that this product lasts for up to 2 hours before needing to be reapplied and even “retains SPF after 40 minutes of swimming or perspiring” so I had to test its water-resistance claims by smearing a section of my arm with the product before rinsing with water. The patch appeared unaffected and I think that only towelling off would have an effect on it’s longevity. The product combines the classic 8 hours hydrating effect of the original Eight Hour Cream with UVA and UVB filters that is suitable for all skintypes. As someone with sensitive skin where any change to my normal skincare routine can lead to breakouts, I was impressed by how gentle this product was on my skin and it’s claims to be ‘non-acnegenic’ certainly rings true in my experience.
The stick is like a large lip-balm and the product glides on to the skin invisibly, without needing to be rubbed in so it’s ideal for those over-exposed areas like the top of your ears. The balm has a fresh lemony scent which reminds me of a normal honey-and-lemon lip balm, so I am delighted that I will be able to will be apply it regularly to my lips, as this is the only area of my face that usually ends up tingly and stinging after a day in the sun. The density of this Eight Hour stick means that it is great for covering scars and as my husband is currently nursing a healing scar, it is important that he keeps it covered and out of the sun, as the skin is particularly thin and prone to burning, so he’ll be using this cover-up stick to keep the scar safe.
Wear a hat!
Both of these wonder-suncare products can be bought online from cosmetics shop Click Fragrance at really good prices – click here to visit the shop & browse their extensive suncare ranges. I hope that these reviews will help you to decide what products to invest in for Summer 2014 – I know how difficult it is to choose a sun cream without being able to try it out first, so I hope this has given you a bit of an insight into these specialist high SPF ranges and how well they perform. Hopefully, you’ll chose a combination of these excellent products (let me know if you try any of the Dior or Elizabeth Arden suncare items!) and your skin will stay protected and un-burnt all summer long! And now that I’ve discussed a couple of wonder products, I want to give you some other ideas for ways to prevent sunburn or skin damage during the summer months – especially with that heat wave approaching at the end of the month:
- Wear sensibly high sunscreens and reapply often
- Wear a hat with a wide brim to keep your face shaded
- Stay out of the strong midday sun
- Sit in the shade whenever possible
- Keep covered up with thin layers of clothing
So now you can imagine me sitting in the shade, covered head-to-toe in clothing, hats and sunscreen all summer long, but you can be sure that I won’t be getting burnt this year! I hope you have a lovely warm sunny summer and keep safe in the sun
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Categories: Beauty | Tags: Beauty, click fragrance, Dior, dior bronze, elizabeth arden, review, SPF 50, summer, sun cream, suncare, UVA, UVB | Permalink.
Author: Cassie Fairy
Cassiefairy blogs about everything she does & anything that inspires her; popular culture, film, art, fashion, recipes, craft and design.
