The sunny spell is great news for everyone’s mood, and the perfect time to invest in your skin with one of these new invisible sunscreens
The sun has now been shining in parts of the UK for more than four hours straight now. Countrywide, the city’s parks are packed out with people enjoying their meal deal lunches, there is talk of heatwaves and hose pipe bans and a portion of the evening news will be given over to images of beaming parents and kids eating ice creams. Give it another 10 minutes and your grandpa will probably start lamenting how it’s nothing compared to the summer of 1976 – he’s probably right, but who cares when it’s this sunny. The mood of the nation has lifted.
It’s also an ideal moment to say, ‘have you got your SPF on?’ Because while it shouldn’t take a sunny day to remind you to apply (SPF is your number one skincare defence against skin ageing every day of the year), sometimes we fall into bad winter habits and this is a great moment to break them.
It’s also a great moment to discover a swathe of new, easy-to-apply sunscreens that leave no white marks on your skin when you apply them. Non-greasy, not tacky-feeling and swift to absorb, these are some of our favourite new sun creams to get your through the sunny spell, and the whole of the summer.
I tried Trinny London’s Miracle Blur Diffuser and I’m wowed by the line-smoothing results
Belif Super Drops Hydrating Sun Serum SPF50- best for hydrating and as a primer under make-up
This K-beauty brand’s brand new SPF is so light and absorbent, it feels more like a moisturising primer than a sun cream, and leaves skin beautifully smooth and plump – an ideal base for applying make-up over. It’s fortified with Haeyun Complex, made from three types of seaweed from Jeju Island in Korea, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Locally, the seaweed is known as a superfood.
Nuxe Fresh Sun Mist High Protection SPF30
The only SPF30 to make it into our list – Nuxe do also have an SPF50 spray with many of the same benefits, but this newbie has an especially fresh finish for an even more lightweight, barely there feeling (and don’t worry, with full spectrum UVA and B, it definitely is there). In their tests, 97% of users said it had a fresh feel on application, and 100% reported no white caste at all, across all skin types. 360º pump applicator makes it easy to apply at any angle.
The Skin Diary Age Defence, £92 – best for anti-ageing skincare in SPF form
A moisturiser with SPF or an SPF with anti-ageing capabilities? How about both? Age Defence uses encapsulated SPF – cutting edge tech that encloses the UV filters in microscopic spheres, which sit invisibly on the surface of the skin, for more stable protection. The cream also contains DNA repair enzymes and antioxidants to protect from the breakdown of collagen and to help repair UV-induced DNA damage, targeting the root cause of premature ageing.
Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Invisible Fluid Sunscreen Hydration SPF50, £16.99 – everyday use in the city… and wrestlers
Sun protection you just can’t see as fronted – slightly unexpectedly – by John Cena from the World Wrestling Federation. It comes in three variants – Hydration, Age Shield and Oil Control (all SPF50) and it shields against pollution as well as sun damage, with it’s Helioplex SL™ technology, while hydrating for 24 hours. Packed with glycerin, niacinamide, and vitamins C & E, it’s fast-absorbing, non-greasy, fragrance-free, and leaves zero white cast.
ISOSKIN Halo SPF 50, £17 – best for whole family, on-the-go protection
With a 360º nozzle you can spray at any angle, this is perfect for spraying all over the kids before they manage to run off. It dries in 60 seconds with no rubbing in required and won’t leave a white residue on any skin types. It’s water and sweat resistant, and contains aloe vera for an extra hydrating hit.
Attitude Sunly Miracle Sunscreen Stick
So smooth and easy to apply, without dragging over the skin, this is the perfect SPF to have on hand when you suddenly wonder if you remembered to do the tops of your feet or the back of your neck after you’ve already left the house. It’s great on face and body, and stays water-resistant for up to 80 minutes. We rather like sunscreen to smell of holidays so we’re down with the Tropical Coco scent, but if you prefer you sunscreen not to battle with your fragrance, it also comes in an unscented version.
iUnik Centella Calming Daily Sun Water
Another K-beauty classic that’s newly arrived in the UK, but this one is especially good on sensitive or acne prone skin. Lightweight and non-sticky, it contains centella extract (a potent Asian herb sometimes known as tiger grass), to calm redness and heat-stressed skin, as well as ingredients to boost the skin barrier and moisturise for 12 hours.
