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18 of the best sunscreens for protecting your face — according to our Beauty Editors
Keep your skin safe from am to pm...
Whether it's daily defence or your summer beach protection, it's so important to keep your skin safe with the best sunscreen. Yup, finding the right facial SPF will ensure your skin is guarded against premature lines and pigmentation. But even when you've found your sunscreen soulmate, there are still loads of SPF myths out there that can confuse even the best of us. That's why we hit up Dr Ewoma Ukeleghe and Dr Sophie Shotter, to help de-bunk some of the most common misconceptions...
"My foundation already contains SPF so I don't need one."
Incorrect, and the same goes for your moisturiser. You need to apply a dedicated broad spectrum (as in, it fights UVA and UVB rays) as the final step in your skincare routine.
"I can ditch SPF during winter."
Wrong again. You need to protect your face all year round with a factor 30 minimum, even on grey days. Dr Ewoma Ukeleghe recommends applying at least a 20-pence-piece-sized blob during winter months, and a 10-pence-piece during summer.
"Sunscreen causes breakouts."
“There are sunscreens designed specifically to control sebum production,” explains Dr Sophie Shotter. “Just look for a product labelled ‘oil-free’ and ‘non-comedogenic’", which means it won’t clog pores and cause further eruptions. Check out Heliocare 360 Oil-Free Gel SPF 50, if you need somewhere to start.
"Deeper skin tones don't need SPF."
"Darker skin like mine already has a natural built-in SPF of around 12,” explains Ukeleghe. “But I still protect my skin from ageing UV rays.” (And why wouldn’t she? They’re responsible for a terrifying 90% of ageing). “It’s especially important if you use ingredients known to sensitise the skin, such as retinol.”
Ok, so now we've sorted the facts from the fiction, here are the sunscreens we're stocking up on this summer all year round...
Best face SPFs
Victoria Jowett is an award-winning journalist and the Beauty Director at Cosmopolitan UK. She was named one of PPA’s 30 Under 30 for her work in beauty journalism and oversees the skincare, hair, makeup and fragrance content across all of Cosmopolitan’s platforms. She's worked in the beauty industry for over 13 years (and tested 1000s of products), making her an expert when it comes to recommending beauty brands that truly work. Having started her career working weekends on a makeup counter, Victoria began interning at the likes of AnOther and IDOL magazine, before landing her first Beauty Writer job at weekly fashion magazine, LOOK. Joining Cosmopolitan in 2016, Victoria has always remained a beauty fanatic and has been lucky enough to interview everyone from Britney Spears to Kourtney Kardashian about their beauty routines. Follow her on LinkedIn.
Lia Mappoura (she/her) is the Beauty Assistant at Cosmopolitan UK. Covering everything from viral celebrity hair and makeup news to the latest trend predictions, she’s an expert in recognising the season’s next big beauty look (before it ends up all over your social media feeds). You’ll usually find her putting TikTok’s recent beauty hacks to the Hype Test, challenging the gender-makeup binary and social stereotypes, or fangirling over the time Kourtney Kardashian viewed her Instagram Story (yes, it’s true). Find her also on LinkedIn.
Charlotte Bitmead (she/her) is the Senior Beauty Writer at Cosmopolitan UK. She has over six years experience writing about beauty and has previously written for ELLE and The Sunday Times Style, covering everything from politics to sustainability to inclusivity within the beauty industry. When she’s not writing in-depth features, testing out the newest skincare fad or trying to decide what nail art to get, you can find her overspending in bookshops or shouting at Arsenal matches. Find her on LinkedIn
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