What SPF sun protection do you use? & do you tan or burn easily?

[MsMiaWallace]

I am a red head & would usually use factor 20. I don't tend to burn with this on but guidelines state we should all wear a minimum of spf30.

So even if you tan easy do you still wear spf30 or go lower?

I never go below 50

I tan easily and use factor 100 (neutrogena but not sure it’s legit) or factor 50 because randomly and suddenly became intolerant of sunlight in my old age, eg getting a rash even through my clothes or indoors (via windows).

Redhead who doesn't tan
Factor 50 always, and on my face all year round

I tan easily but use factor 50 on face and 30 everywhere else. I use fake tan though.

I want to keep my skin as fresh as possible!

I also tan easily, but always use factor 50 on the face and at least 30 on the body. Heliocare oil free or La Roche Posay Anthelios IVMune 400 are both elegant, non-greasy SPF 50 formulations for the face.

Factor 30 for me (50 on face) and I basically stay in shade anyway and would not sunbathe, but when I was a young teen /20’s Factor 15 was seen as a high factor and most people used Factor 5 and would use F15 for the first few days of holiday only !
I burnt every year so damage has probably already been done.
My DDs are much more sensible and sun aware than I was so thank goodness message has been received.

I use Ultrasun

I burnt at the beginning of March when we had that lovely weather! I do use tret though and as I had been indoors all week I just didn't think. I use a Nivea face one now, shine control I think its called. Factor 50 and feels like a good moisturiser. No thickness or greasiness or white cast.

Blonde and do tan ever so slightly. Use factor 30 and cover up with hat, long sleeves etc. in any sunny conditions.

Everyday, on my face just the inbuilt SPF, which I think is 15. I don't tend to put body sunscreen on when pottering about in the UK, and although I am blue eyed blond, tan readily, probably because of lots of exposure in early life in Italy.

I put 30 on in Italy and have never burned but do tan. But again, we never spend the whole day in the sun, much of it in the shade reading a book, afternoon naps etc.

Factors are not exponential. There is only a 1% increase in protection between a 30 and a 50.

I heard somewhere recently that the difference between factor 30 and 50 is actually quite small.

I burn very easily. I wear factor 30 on my face at all times via moisturiser and/or additional sunscreen. But if I'm actually in the sun, would reapply. Ditto, I might use 30 or 50 on my body but would reapply regularly and, as much as possible, stay out off the sun anyway.

I had never tanned until a couple of years ago (and even then what I consider to be a good tan for me is most people’s winter shade). I use 50 on my face and 30 on my body

I have a face moisturiser which is SPF15 which I wear ask year round. In the summer, I use 50 on my face and 30 elsewhere. I don't burn but if I miss a spot I always burn, so it's definitely doing the job.

Unless you’re spending a long time in the sun, which I personally don’t do, the factor matters less than applying it properly and reapplying frequently. Spf 50 on your face isn’t going to be providing much protection by the afternoon if you applied it at 7am, unless you’re using a once a day formula. Spf 30 but re applied every 2 hours would be superior.

I use SPF 50 on my face year round, plus a sun hat as soon as the weather is warm enough not to need a warm winter hat. I upgrade to a more sweatproof SPF in very warm weather though or if we go to the beach etc. I use SPF 20 or 30 on my hands when it's sunny out, or 50 if I'm out all day. I generally cover up as well - long sleeves, long dresses or trousers, etc. I don't usually go bare arms or legs. I've just ordered some high SPF hats from Australia with a wider brim. I only sunbathed once in my teens & found it rather boring. Have only ever got properly sunburnt once, on my back one spring when I was gardening. If I tan it's really uneven, it looks like I've done a bad job with a fake tan, I must have uneven pigmentation or something. IDK why. Always been like that.

Dark haired & I tan easily just from walking up & down to school & work everyday. I wear factor 30. All 5 dc have dh's olive skin & all wear factor 50. We use Soltan or Nivea as they don't seem to irritate any of us.

I am middling on the tan/burn spectrum, except my chest which tends to go pink and stay that way. I find there’s a big difference between Soltan 50 8 hour and normal Soltan 50 - the latter spreads thinner and doesn’t seem to give much protection even when reapplied. So always use the 8 hour one for my face and chest, and will use up the other on my arms etc.

This is really interesting!
So even those who tan easy wear 30/50?

I was bought up by the generation who wore factor 4 oils!!

My sister tans super easily while I burn very easily. We both use sunscreen at Factor 30 or above.

The difference between her and me is that I reapply regularly and probably avoid the sun as much as possible while she puts it on in the morning and then considers herself done for the day (barring a day on the beach in Greece or something).

Ditto, her DC tan easily but she always makes them put sunscreen on if they are going to be in the sunshine. But probably doesn't force them to reapply it like I would with DS whose skin is like mine.

I use La Roche Posay Anthelios IVMune 400 on my face and Altruist SPF 30 everywhere else. It’s not about burning on my face, it’s about preventing sun damage, I don’t want huge brown splodges of pigmentation.

Factor 50. La Roche Posay.

I tan easily rather than burn, but I'm also in Australia so it would be insanity to use anything less!

If I am in the sun or think I am going to be in the sun I wear factor 30, but I do not use SPF every day because SPF chemicals are brutal for my skin - cause breakouts, dryness and eczema - no matter what brand - I have tried lots. i tend to not go out to long in the sun, sit in the shade or wear a hat instead. DS is like me but sadly has also had allergic reactions to many brands of suncream.

I used to use 25/30. Then one day I forgot to reapply at all, spent the whole day in the sun and burned so badly that it took over a week for all the dead skin to peel off. 50 ever after, with a sunhat.

I had this trouble most of my life, always got rashes and prickly heat as a child/teen. It was definitely the cream, not the sun, as when I didn't use the cream, I was fine, but then of course did some damage to my skin. I think anything that clogged the skin was really reactive for me. My neck is particularly sensitive, and sadly hasn't done well as I have aged.

More recently I have found Ultrasun good, but also have used Amber Solaire for many years. Much frowned upon as it doesn't have ultra high UVA, but as a cream it is really light, and I don't react to it, so that's the one we use.

I use SPF 50 on face and body. I have dark hair but pale Irish skin that freckles and burns easily. I only apply first thing in the morning unless I know I'm spending a lot of the day out in the sun. If I'm gardening, walking around or sat In a pub garden I usually reapply 2 or 3 times. I do still get a bit of a tan during summer so probably should reapply most days but I very rarely burn.