My Top 5 Facial SPFs
Top 5 Face SPFs…
Wearing an SPF on your face, daily, should be the most important part of your morning beauty routine. You might think you only need to wear it if you’re on holiday sunbathing, but that couldn’t be more inaccurate.
Whether you’re chilling in the sun, walking your dog in the park or running around the block, you should be protecting your face from the suns rays every day and here’s why…
There are two kinds of ultraviolet rays emitted from the sun. UVA (Ultraviolet radiation) and UVB. UVB rays are the ones that cause sunburn and their intensity varies from summer to winter but UVA rays have the same intensity during summer or winter.
It’s important to know that UVA rays are the ones that penetrate deeper into your skin and can cause skin ageing and skin cancer. UVA damage is not reversible and we must protect ourselves at all times of the year from these rays.
It’s cloudy out, so you don’t need protection right? Wrong! According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, up to 80 percent of the sun’s UV rays can pass through clouds. Meaning on a sunny or a cloudy day, an SPF face cream is just as vital.
Below are a list of SPF face creams that I have tried myself and genuinely recommend to anyone looking to implement an SPF into their morning beauty routine, or even just to try a new one.
bareMinerals - Complexion Rescue Defense, SPF 30
Just like you protect your skin from the sun, it's also important to protect your skin from damage encountered both indoors and outdoors. Long term exposure to Blue Light, a light that comes from your phone or computer screen, may lead to premature skin ageing and skin damage. Pollution, such as exhaust smoke, can sit on the skin and may cause irritation and contribute to skin damage. Which is why I rate this product a 10/10, it also comes with a slight tint and gives your skin a glow. I use this under my makeup every day and love it.
50ml £31.50 - Available here
bareMinerals is 100% cruelty free.
Nivea - Sun UV Face Shine Control Cream, SPF 50
Always my main concern with any face cream and moisturisers is the shine they can give, but this truly does leave you with a mattifying effect. Now, because it is an SPF 50, it is quite thick, looks like old school sunblock (you know the ones I mean) and it’s a little sticky, despite it saying 0% sticky feel, but it will be one of the most protective face SPFs out there for you, protecting against both UVA and UVB rays. I have used this one whilst abroad travelling and recommend it for that reason.
50ml £7.99 - Available here
Nivea admits it only tests on animals in countries where the laws require these testing methods. But they are working on changing this by proving alternative test methods are just as affective as per their practices alternative countries.
Dermalogica - Prisma Protect, SPF 30
I have genuinely used various Dermalogica skincare products for years, I have found they are particularly suited to oily skin. They have various moisturisers suited to acne prone skin also, which back in my younger days I found to be a great help! The Prisma Protect defends the skin against UV light, skin ageing and pollution. This product leaves a luminosity on the skin and is suitable to be worn under makeup. I also rate the Dermalogica tinted moisturiser with SPF 30, it is a god-send for that added face colour around the pool, all the while protecting from the suns rays.
12ml £17.50 | 50ml £58.00 - Available here
Dermalogica doesn’t test on animals and is cruelty free.
e.l.f - BB Cream, SPF 20
I was only introduced to e.l.f last year, but since then have become a big fan! Have you heard of them? They have a few SPF moisturisers and tints ranging from SPF 15 to SPF 50. I personally tried and tested the BB Cream with SPF 20, as someone who doesn’t wear foundation, I found this tint to be a really good for coverage and also protection against UVA and pollution. It’s infused with jojoba oil, cucumber and aloe vera, so is really soothing for the skin also.
28.5ml £7.00 - Available here
e.l.f is 100% vegan and cruelty free.
Kate Somerville - UncompliKated, SPF 50
Well, what a revelation this is! I recently discovered Kate Somerville’s beauty range and haven’t been disappointed. This SPF 50 spray is suitable both over or under makeup, giving full UV protection. It’s shine free and works over makeup as a mattifying setting mist too. I must say this did sit on top of my makeup like a dream. I also used her ExfoliKate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment and found that to really help even out my skin tone.
100ml £32.00 - Available here
Kate Somerville is 100% cruelty free, they also don't sell any of their products where animal testing is required by law.
*Disclaimer, I am not a skin expert by any means but I believe I am educated enough to write and share known facts and my own experiences on facial SPFs.