Don’t believe anti-SPF conspiracy theorists: ROSIE GREEN on the best sunscreens from £8
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Trinny Woodall is getting emotional about the subject of SPF. We are catching up (my first job was as her hapless assistant) at the launch of her new product See the Light SPF 50+ and she is railing against the swelling Gen Z anti-sunscreen movement.
This is partly because she regrets her own sun exposure (and subsequent damage) and also because she knows too many people who are being ravaged by skin cancer.
The social-media backlash against SPF stems mainly from a concern about the chemicals it contains, which is why TikTok influencers are now offering alternatives, from creating your own (inadvisable) to just going bare skinned (ditto).
Among older generations there’s growing sunscreen apathy, too. A couple of years ago Gwyneth Paltrow was lambasted for saying she was not a ‘head to toe slatherer’ and for being filmed for Vogue applying very small amounts of sunscreen.
The social-media backlash against SPF stems mainly from a concern about the chemicals it contains, which is why TikTok influencers are now offering alternatives, from creating your own (inadvisable) to just going bare skinned (ditto). Stock image used
She’s representative of many of my 40- and 50-something friends who are increasingly lackadaisical about its application – often using the fact they have low levels of vitamin D as an excuse.
Me? I think there is little to no evidence SPF is dangerous, but a lot that proves it prevents skin cancer. In truth, we need a wake-up call. Alarming stats are circulating. Skin cancer is now the most common cancer in Northern Ireland; in the UK there’s a countrywide rise among the over 55s according to Cancer Research UK. The charity puts the prevalence in this age group down to their penchant for tanned skin and the growth of package holidays in the 70s.
Spurred into action? When it comes to sun protection I’m a firm believer that SPF alone is not enough. Hat, plus shade, is also essential.
And there is now zero excuse to eschew sunscreen. Whereas once they were sticky and gave you a ghostly pallor, today’s formulations are sheer and often contain myriad skincare benefits – blurring blemishes, absorbing shine, fighting pigmentation. In fact, they make my skin look better and give it a nice glow.
Wear SPF daily and your skin will be plumper, firmer, more even toned and less lined.
So now I’ve got your attention, here are my recommendations…
MY FIVE FAVOURITES
Blemish blurring
Avène Very High Protection SPF 50+ Tinted Fluid, £21.50, lookfantastic.com
Mattifying
Elf Suntouchable! Invisible Sunscreen SPF 30, £14, elfcosmetics.co.uk
Moisturising
Hello Sunday The One That’s A Serum SPF 50, £22, cultbeauty.co.uk
Avène Very High Protection SPF 50+ Tinted Fluid, £21.50, lookfantastic.com
Elf Suntouchable! Invisible Sunscreen SPF 30, £14, elfcosmetics.co.uk
Ambre Solaire UV Anti-Dark Spots & Anti-Pollution SPF 50+, £8, ocado.com
Trinny London See The Light Moisturiser SPF 50+, £45, trinnylondon.com
Super sheer
Ambre Solaire UV Anti-Dark Spots & Anti-Pollution SPF 50+, £8, ocado.com
Silky finish
Trinny London See The Light Moisturiser SPF 50+, £45, trinnylondon.com
PRODUCTS FROM THE PROS
Former Vogue beauty director Kathy Phillips’s The Power Up Blend (£25 to Beauty Pie members, £80 to non-members, beautypie.com) is a high-quality, uplifting bath and shower oil.
Kathy Phillips’s The Power Up Blend (£25 to Beauty Pie members, £80 to non-members, beautypie.com)
Blogger @Reesonbeauty’s Highlighter Duo (£38, reesonbeauty.com) contains a wearable, flattering creamy bronzer and golden illuminating powder.
Blogger @Reesonbeauty’s Highlighter Duo (£38, reesonbeauty.com)
With her dark skin tone, beauty journalist Ateh Jewel felt left out by many make-up brands, so she created her own. Her Blush of Dreams in Watson Watermelon (£25, atehjewelbeauty.com) ‘pops’ on every complexion.
Blush of Dreams in Watson Watermelon (£25, atehjewelbeauty.com)
‘I believe in manicures. I believe in overdressing. I believe in primping at leisure and wearing lipstick’
Audrey Hepburn
UNDER £10
Venus 2-in-1 Cleanser + Shave Gel For Pubic Hair & Skin, £9.99, superdrug.com. I was sceptical, but if you remove down-there-hair with a razor this product is a genuine game-changer. Less irritation and mess.
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