With summer here, we need to have our minds set on good quality, high factor sunscreens to help keep our skin remain youthful, wrinkle-free (more or less) and of course, protected.
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Why sunscreen?
With so many sunscreens on the market, what do you look out for in an SPF? Always remember: no matter the colour of your skin, it’s not recommended to go below an SPF30. So, get rid of those SPF15’s.
Keep a look out for UVB (protects from burning) and UVA (protects from ageing) protection. If your skin burns, or has turned red, your body is telling you to get out of the sun, but it’s the UVA’s that we can’t actually feel, that do all the damage. UVA rays penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin, causing premature ageing and skin cancer.
Don’t let that take you out of the sun completely – vitamin D is vital for our health, and we can’t get that from food alone. At least 15 minutes of sun on our skin a day is good enough, but that’s no excuse to push it any longer without protection.
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A good quality sunscreen will allow you to tan, while protecting your skin. We recommend re-applying your SPF every hour or even more frequently if you’re in and out of the pool or the ocean. This doesn’t mean applying the whole tube in one go, but rather enough for your skin to absorb, without feeling greasy or uncomfortable. You can even pop it on under your foundation for extra protection.
These are some of our favourite sunscreens…
For your body
Filorga UV-Bronze Mist SPF 50, R326.25 for 60ml
Eucerin Sun Protection Extra Light Sun Lotion for Body SPF 50, R224.99 for 150ml
Clarins Sun Care Milk-Lotion Spray SPF 50+, R460 for 150ml
Australian Gold Xtreme Sport SPF50 Spray Gel, R189.99 for 237ml
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For your skin type
For combination and oily skin: Dermalogica MediBac Clearing Oil Free Matte SPF 30 sunscreen, R879 for 50ml and Skinceuticals Physical UV Matte Defense, R680 for 50ml.
For mature skin: Eau Thermale Avène Anti-aging sun cream SPF 50+ , R229.95 for 50ml and Nivea Q10 Plus Anti-Age Extra Protection Day Cream SPF 30, R189,99 for 50ml.
For dehydrated skin: Neostrata Sheer Hydration, R626 for 50ml
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Organic sunscreens
Pradiance Sun Stick SPF 30, R250 for 30ml
Sunumbra Sport Natural Sunscreen SPF 40, R328.50 for 100ml
Perfect for travel
La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL Stick SPF50+, R220 for 9g
SPAR Sola Sachets 10’s. A convenient way to carry sunblock. Each box contains 10 snap sachets that can be put in any travel bag for a sunny day out.
Pop these caps in your handbag, and take them in conjunction with your usual external sunscreen application. Heliocare Ultra Capsules, R450 for 30 capsules
By Beauty Editor, Martinique Stevens. Additional words, Michelle Nortje
