Rubbing it in -get the right SPF for your face!

So today is officially my day off and what better way than to spend at least some of it enjoying this amazing weather we have been having? However as I drove to Aldi and then another Aldi (all in hunt of the newly released Miracle Oil, an Aldi Moroccanoil dupe, for a future review) I couldn't help but notice the abundance of people walking around burnt to a crisp and figured maybe a sunscreen blog was in order. My primary focus in this blog is actually sun screen for your face as thats the one that always seems to trip us girlies up! I have noticed that when people are buying foundations now they often ask about the presence of SPF which in itself is showing our increased awareness but more often than not if there is SPF present in the product its only factor 15. I say only as while this is fine throughout the winter months and in "normal" spring weather it is not really sufficient for the current kind of heat we are experiencing. My personal belief is that you should get your SPF from a dedicated cream not your foundation. I have selected 3 reasonably priced  high street store brands to review to show that protecting yourself doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg!!

The Detail:

So for years now I have used two brands of sun cream consistently (one for Ireland and one for abroad!) and they are Cien Sun from Lidl which I usually purchase when the weather starts to improve and keep in my handbag and kitbag all summer long for use on those rare days of sun we get here at home! The  other brand I use is Piz Buin Sensitive which is amazing if you suffer from prickly heat and is definitly worth the extra few euros but I tend to save this for my sun holidays and trips abroad as it's a bit pricey for everyday wear in Dublin so I'm not reviewing it here. Instead I reviewed my Cien Lidl cream along with 2 other high street brands...

1. Cien Sun, SPF 20,  Lidl. Prices start from €2.99 for 100mls 

Product reviewed here is Cien Sun SPF 20 100mls which comes in at the price above as well as the SPF 10. There is a 100ml SPF 25 which is a sport one and also a standard 100ml SPF 30 both of which are €3.99. Finally for those looking for uber protection there is a "kids" factor 50 also in 100mls for €3.99 too. It is important to point out that Cien Sun range does do standard 500ml bottles but I like the 100mls for my face and "on the go" as I can simply throw it into my make-up bag or handbag. I usually use their SPF 30 on my face in the spring/summer time. This cream is not too rich but is still slightly greasy as you will see from the swatch below - it does leave a slight shine after blending so not totally ideal for oily skinned peeps like myself. I still like it and use it though and I reckon it would be perfect for any dry and combination skin types.

2. Lacura Suncare, Anti-Skin Ageing SPF 30, Aldi €4.99 for 75mls

This product is a newbie I found on the shelves today and for a fiver thought it was worth a go, besides I couldn't get my hands on my usual SPF 30 in Lidl so needed a higher factor for my face anyway. It was available in both SPF 30 and 50. This is described as non-greasy on the packaging which really grabbed my interest. It also claims to have additional Anti-Aging properties via its "DNA-SOLAR-COMPLEX"which supposedly reduces cell skin damage.. more on that later perhaps.

3. Soliel Beauty, Face Defence Matte Fluid SPF 30 & 50, Tesco €5.52 for 50mls

Again, one I hadn't come across before so I spent quite a bit of time checking it out. I is a tinted cream which put me off a little and had quite a strong cocoa type smell to it. I was keen as it was a specifically designed face fluid and also was labelled as being matte. Unfortunately I found this not to be the case however with it feeling sticky, heavy and greasy on my skin!

The Images: 

Cien Sun Packaging:

 

Cien Sun Swatch in natural daylight (blob on left and blended in on right):

Lacura Suncare Packaging:

Lacura Suncare swatch in natural daylight (blob on left and blended in on right):

Soleil Beauty Packaging:

 Soleil beauty Swatch:

Soleil Beauty blended in natural daylight:

The Sciencey Bit:

Well most of us are well aware of the dangers of the sun to some degree and also familiar  with the terms UVA and UVB. However, I'll bet most of us don't know the difference between each and why it is essential that our suncream protects against both. UVA and UVB rays both damage collagen with UVB damaging it at a much slower rate than UVA rays. This can cause premature aging of the skin (and hence why I recommend a nice high factor on your face daily once the weather turns nice). Again both kinds of rays also destroy vitamin A in the skin which prevents wrinkles. UVB rays can cause direct DNA damage potentially causing cancer while UVA rays do not directly cause DNA damage.

SPF:

SPF is an indication of how well the cream blocks UVB rays. The higher the rating the longer you can stay in the sun before burning dependant of course on your skin complexion. SPF however does not offer protection against UVA rays and as a result many many sun creams neglect this aspect completely and therefore are not wholly effective. SPF ratings go from 10 - 50+ (50+ usually indicating a factor of 60) in the UK and Ireland and from 10 - 30+ in Australia.

UVA Star Rating:

This was created by/for Boots in 1992 as an indicator of protection against UVA rays, Boots therefore own the rights to this and allow other brands to use it for a nominal fee. The rating is a simple 1-5 stars measure with 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest level of protection. In 2004 this rating became the standard method used in UK and Ireland. Last Summer however Boots dramatically decided to ban low price competitor brands from carrying this rating making it hard to know if they do provide UVA protection at all. Boots still allow a number of higher end more expensive brands carry this rating.

The Conclusion:

1. Cien Sun, SPF 20,  Lidl. 

Well this has been a long running favourite of mine. As I mentioned above it may perhaps be a wee bit heavy for your face depending on skin type. This SPF 20 seems lighter than the SPF 30 I had last year however so I am unsure if they have changed the consistency or if its richer in higher SPF creams.... Either way for €2.99 & €3.99 its works a charm and if not for your face is grand and handy for the handbag for arms and legs etc. It has a pleasant summery sun cream smell without being overpowering or irritating on the skin. It has a note on top saying "Balanced UVA/UVB protection" which to me indicates it probably has a decent star rating that it's not allowed show!!

 

2. Lacura Suncare, Anti-Skin Ageing SPF 30, Aldi 

I'm really impressed with the consistency of this product and as you can see (or not as is the case) it has blended down well on my hand leaving no shine at all. It feels nice and light on the skin again with no heavy fragrance beyond the normal suncream scent. The "Anti-Ageing" claim kind of winds me up as effectively any UVB and UVA block is anti-ageing so I feel this is a wee bit cheeky! I cannot find any additional information online or on the product about the "DNA-SOLAR-COMPLEX" the packaging mentions however. This surprisingly carries the UVA Star rating and its a full 5 stars so all in all a great product for your face and neck. My only issue is the ridiculously oversized and clunky packaging. If I could put this product in the Lidl Cien style tube I'd be delighted. I dislike pumps anyway but this one is particularly large and clunky. I'm probably going to decant some into a travel sized pot for my make up bag.

3. Soliel Beauty, Face Defence Matte Fluid SPF 30 & 50, Tesco 

Another tube which I love so despite the slightly cheap looking design I was tempted to investigate further. I was a bit surprised when I noticed it was a tinted cream which I wasn't too keen on but tried it none the less. It looks really light but actually felt really greasy and slimy on my skin. It was the least matte of the 3 despite its mattifying claims. This put me off as it appeared very shiny and also looked a bit orange on my skin. It does carry a high SPF though and also says "UVA high protection"  so again one is left wondering at the actual protection due to Boots competitive tactics.  Unfortunately though regardless of the level of protection this one is not a runner at all for me - I dislike it completely!