Calling all red-heads and those of fairer skin!

[LittleEsme]

Please can I ask what SPF you use when factoring 50 doesn’t give you enough protection? I’m looking at Eucerin 100 for my red headed daughter after a disastrous week with high street/popular factor 50 brands.

Grateful for any advice on this!

I'm a redhead and have very sensitive skin so swear by Kiehl's Ultra Light daily UV defense. It's expensive but worth every penny.

I also cover up with light clothing. The best suncream in the world is no replacement for good layering, unfortunately something all redheads need to learn!

We use ultrasun 'extreme' and reapply mid day. We have been doing 10 hours days in high heat and been fine. But I'd say the best thing is very wide brimmed hats, sun glasses, always have shoulders covered.

Depends where abroad, UV rays are stronger closer to the equator so sometimes you can get caught out when it’s cloudy or you think you’re in the shade.
(Yes I speak from experience after burning in Tenerife a couple of years ago!)

I used SPF 50 Soltan mist spray and burned so badly in Portugal a few weeks back. I think the mists can be blown away from the skin.
I had to wear a rash vest for the rest of the holiday which worked well.

I nearly bought soltan for dc this year but all the reviews on boots suggested they'd changed it and lots of them were reporting severe burns.

I'm a (fading with age) redhead with very pale and sensitive skin. I use Eucerin 100 as it was recommended by a dermatologist and I love it. The only downside is that it does stain white clothes which is a nuisance.

I used to use Ultrasun Extreme 50+ but they changed the formula and the new version felt greasy and didn't sink it. It did stop the sunburn even in southern Africa and Australia though.

But, like most other posters above, I keep out of the sun as much as possible and always cover up and wear sunglasses 😎

Reapplying is what works for me. That and keeping my shoulders covered. We use suncream we bought in America. Just CVS’s own brand. I always find US formulas less greasy than UK brands 🤷🏻‍♀️

I find p20 is good but you must apply before leaving the shade and it stains terribly so preferably before even getting dressed. Then you probably won’t burn if you’re in avoidable sun but you can’t sit it with bare skin. You just can’t. I don’t know any redhead that wouldn’t be deeply uncomfortable at the thought of it because we’ve all been caught out. It’s sad but true.

We use P20 as we have a lot of pale skin in the family and it's really good (if expensive). Only one application required and supposed to last for ten hours. Depends if you can trust it, but we haven't had any issues.

A PP mentioned reapplying every thirty minutes! I could not be arsed with that at all and would opt to stay indoors if that was rhe alternative.

Red hair, white skin here. I burn in the shade with no sun screen on....P20 factor 50 and rarely reapplied, hat, shade, sometimes linen trousers and shirt

I’m a red head. Different brands of factor 50 actually vary in what factor they actually give (it’s not an exact science). I will only use La Roche Posay Anthelios Uvene 400 factor 50. If I use that and top up at lunch I’m fine. I’ve burnt with other factor 50’s. I also put absolutely loads on.

I'm a fair skinned redhead and agree with everyone else saying there's no particularly special sun cream, it's behaviour that matters:

1. Apply sunscreen at least 20 minutes before going out in the sun so it has time to absorb; it doesn't kick in instantly. Apply it thickly and wait.
2. Reapply often. The aerosol spray kinds are very easy to top up with and you can get facial ones that work over make up too. I would have lived those as a teen!
3. Wear loose layers over swimwear. Encourage her to have fun with beach dresses, etc.
4. Stay in the shade. Sorry!

I’m fair skinned and red haired and use factor 50, Aldi one has been fine, but I cover up in the pool and sit in the shade a lot and generally don’t get burned. However my DS who tans and doesn’t burn easily got burned last year when we were in Mexico, even with sunscreen and through a rash vest. So it also depends where she is on holiday as I think the closer you are to the equator the greater the risk of burning.

'Apart from swimming' though. Swimming is the easiest time to burn. Suncream will wash off and also the UV reflects off the water and can be even worse. I git burned under the chin that way once!

I had a couple of holidays with friends where I was so desperate not to miss out that I took clothes to swim in - one was snorkelling in Thailand and another a boat trip off a Greek island where we all swam in the sun. I wore a big white t-shirt to reflect the rays and a pair of shorts, plus sunglasses, and didn't get burned. Not stylish but no one cared and it was a game changer as I got to join in!

The boat trip involved us all jumping off the boat and swimming to a nearby island for lunch. I remember now that I stuffed a bottle of sun lotion inside my bikini waistband so I could reapply it when we got to the island. We redheads are not made for the Mediterranean!

I don’t go out in the sun all. If I had to use sunscreen I would use le Roche posay but I stay out of it because even that cant stop the burn. It’s hideous, I feel like I’m dying in direct sunlight.

For swimming we all use long sleeve rash vests, shorts, hats when we aren't putting our heads under, and extra zinc face stuff like surfers and cricketers use across nose and cheeks.

I can definitely burn in the shade and with factor 50 on. I wear long sleeves most of the time. If I swim between 11-4, I wear a rash vest.

I have two red head fair skinned children (although I’m not) I’ve had most success with Eucerin and la Roche posay.

In my experience there is no better protection than staying out of the sun.
We use beauty of joseon factor 50 on our faces and always long sleeves and big hats. We stay in the shade during the dsy and often hit the beach at 7pm if on holiday.
Skin cancer in the family, we are blueish pale.

Pale skin here and I work outdoors year round - Factor 50 reapplied every couple of hours does the trick - any brand seems fine. At the moment I’m using Aldi but have previously used Boots, Ambre Solajre and Morrisons own with no issues.

I'm not red haired but have similar skin colouring, lots of ginger in my family although I'm brown. I avoid the fun to be honest. Always walk or sit in the shade. I put on factor 50 anywhere exposed. I'm currently on holiday somewhere hot and I top up 50 on my face and shoulders if I go swimming. That's the only time I'm in direct sun. If I'm hanging around the beach with kids I wear a beach cover thing, not sure of the name but it's like a dressing gown but floaty and white. No skin shows. If I'm lying by the pool I use 30 sometimes but stay in the shade at all times. If the sun creeps around and I can't move I cover the exposed part with a sarong.

Factor 30 will do if you don't go out in it much if at all. 10 min walk to bus, 1.5 bus to work building.Hols don't do hot beach madness. Forgo walking, exercise except in the evening til it's done

Invisible zinc. Its the only thing to work.

I keep factor 50 beside be shower, apply every day after drying off. This gives it time to soak 🛁 n.

hat sleeves and pop on loose clothing after 90 minutes nurse, reapply through the day but stay in shade after 1pm

Not putting enough on. Not reapplying frequently? Not covering up? Not going out at peak UV?

Bloody boiling as I wear long sleeves and long trousers all the fucking time.