If you follow me on Twitter you'll know that I've just got back home from an amazing
two week holiday in Florida, it gave me the opportunity to give lots of sun care products a thorough test. I don't use low factor products because I end up burning and it totally spoils my holiday, my absolute must haves for any holiday are a good facial SPF which doesn't make me greasy, an easy to apply one for my body which doesn't take an age to rub in, a lotion which I can use to target sensitive areas (such as moles) and finally some really good after sun products to stop my skin getting dry.
So I took 5 products with me (strategically placed next to the pool in the above photo), everything I used this holiday was SPF factor 50; I get the impression that some people are under the illusion that factor 50 is only for children... in short, it's not.
First up there's Nivea Sun Protect and Refresh Invisible Spray* (£8.00), this is non-oily and quickly absorbed without any stickiness or white residue. It's so easy to apply, a couple of sprays and a quick rub and you're all set; it offers high UVA and UVB protection as soon as it's applied. It's easy and convenient to reapply during the day as you wish to and it did the trick for me; the main areas where I would usually burn (shoulders and chest) were absolutely fine all holiday.
I took 2 Eucerin SPF facial lotions; a mattifying one and a regular sun creme. I didn't actually use the sun creme on my face as I thought it would be too much for my oily skin, instead I used it on areas which I feel are more sensitive to the sun such as moles (I'm always really worried that they're going to turn into something sinister). The Eucerin SPF 50 mattifying fluid* (£16.00) is much lighter than the creme, doesn't leave any oiliness and it didn't break me out (I can pretty much guarantee that I'll break out in spots if I use regular sun protection on my face); for this reason it's especially good for combination/oily, acne prone skin. Eucerin SPF Face creme* (£16.00) is a lot thicker in consistency and takes a little longer to rub into the skin but it doesn't stay white for long and it didn't leave any residue on the areas that I used it. Eucerin is gentle enough to be used by those with skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis or those who have had minor peeling or laser treatments... the fact that it's perfume free means that it is suitable for even the most sensitive skin.
If you are interested in any Eucerin sun products, you should probably wait till 1st June to buy them from Escentual because they'll have 1/3 off all French Pharmacy products!
Now onto after sun. I had two types, one which you use in the shower and an old favourite: an aloe vera one. The Nivea In Shower After Sun Lotion* (£4.13) is much the same as the Nivea In Shower Moisturiser that I use when at home; you wash as you normally would and then slather this on, gently massaging it into your skin as you go. I used this every single day after being in the sun and it kept my skin soft and moisturised without feeling sticky or having to wait for it to absorb before putting clothes on... these in shower products really are a saviour for anyone who hasn't got time to properly moisturise.
No matter where I go on holiday I always take some kind of aloe vera gel with me because I think it does the best job at cooling and soothing any skin irritation quickly. The Banana Boat Aloe Vera Gel (£2.98) is an absolute bargain at the moment in Superdrug and it really does the trick for me, although I didn't burn while I was in Florida, I got bitten a few times and I had some minor irritation and dryness on my legs from shaving so I covered them in this and it felt better within five minutes of application. I would recommend this to anyone because it really does come in handy for all sorts of skin complaints.
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