SPF, UVA, UVB: Suncreams Explained

Sun cream…. What we need to know!

As I fight with my children to have sun cream put on their faces, I have to ask myself, and I’m just going to put it out there, how much do we know about SPF, UVA, UVB?

I thought I was quite clued up until I started chatting with other parents & realised the sun cream I was using wasn’t actually the best you could buy!

We all know to apply suncream before we head out in the mornings, whether during sunny days or sunny ski days, to apply every few hours during the day, more so if we’re in & out of the water in the summer but how much do we understand the information on the bottles and whose cream is the best?

SPF explained…..

SPF is the Sun Protection Factor…. It’s a ‘sort of’ guide as to how long you can/should stay in the sun meaning the higher the SPF factor the longer, technically, you can stay in the sun, but we all know our own bodies! The numbers themselves refer to how long you can bake in the sun without burning: If it takes 20 minutes for your bare skin to start reddening, using an SPF 15 sunscreen is meant to let you have fun in the sun for 15 times longer – about five hours. But you still need to reapply it every two hours because of sweating and all that, so don’t actually pay attention to the whole time thing.

UVA & UVB explained….

We use sunscreen to block ultraviolet light from damaging the skin. There are two types of UV light – UVA and UVB – that we consider in terms of sunscreen. UVB causes sunburn, and UVA has more long-term damaging effects on the skin, like premature aging.

We have always used the SPF of a suncream to determine the UVB factor but now almost all suncream a will give you a star rating, up to 5 stars, for the UVA factor also.

So…. now we know what it all means, who is selling the best sun cream…

Nivea is probably one of the best known sun creams and comes in a variety of packaging to help make applying as simple as possible, my kids have always loved the roll on for maximum coverage! However, Nivea has a 4 star UVA rating in comparison to almost all the supermarket brands with 5 star!

M&S have worked hard to get their sun cream to a strong position in the marketplace with a lightweight feel, sand resistant & a 5 star UVA rating, they are doing well!

Boots is another ‘go to’ Suncare brand, good for sensitive skin, rubs in easily and again has the 5 star UVA rating!

 

Above are the 4 major supermarkets…. Morrison’s, Sainsbury’s, Tesco & ASDA, they all have the 5 star UVA rating and boast water resistant, moisturising features, easy absorption and most come in a number of bottled forms helping you choose which one works for application best!

And last we have Aldi! Aldi’s beauty products are getting more and more popular and the suncream is no different. 5 star UVA rating, easily absorbed, extra sensitive for children’s skin and 24 hour moisturisation!

There are, of course, specific sun creams for sports such as Skiing. The most well known brands would probably be Piz Buin &  Ultra Sun for their extra resistance to snow, sweat and water, they look after your skin, even in extreme conditions and are created specifically to help protect the skin against the effects of the sun and cold encountered at high altitude. Their UVA & UVB are 4 star but their extra properties give excellent protection against the elements.

So, as you can see, there are so many sun creams to choose from, I hope I have given you the essential pieces of information with regards to how to choose your sun cream for your little active people!

If you’re heading out for some garden play or off to a beach, check out our range of UPF50+ sun safe swimwear for that added layer of protection!

Thank you for reading and have a great summer/ski season of fun, wherever you are!

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