Seriously, am I meant to be wearing suntan lotion every day?

[AutumnalEquinox]

It seems that I am doing something really wrong here, because I am not wearing SPF every day. I've tried to find one that is light, and in the past I have had face creams and foundations with SPF 15 in them, but I just can't seem to tolerate getting up in the morning and slapping on sun tan lotion under my makeup before I go out in the winter. It would break me out in greasy spots.

Am I doomed? I am wearing toner, serum, and moisturiser, but not putting a layer of SPF on. I know it is about UV rays I can't see, but I don't have many wrinkles or sun damage as I've had my skin analysed tested.

It isn't a stench. It is a smell you dislike. Do you always use such dramatic language?

It is, to me, an unbearable stench. I tried a new one I bought on my hand this morning, and had to wash it off immediately, soaping my hand multiple times. I then wahed my hair, and obviously washed my hand in the process. Have since washed my hands for various reasons throughout the day, and I can still smell it.

Lucky you, if you don't notice such things.

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but can you get sunburnt through a (closed) window? Or if sitting indoors near an open window?

Open possibly but not closed as glass blocks uvb rays. UVA rays penetrate glass and contribute to aging.

I use tretinoin, so I wear SPF 50 every day if I'm leaving the house. It's just part of my routine now - I've found it much easier to apply SPF in small amounts and then build up as it absorbs better that way.

I've found a couple of tinted ones that are excellent, so use those through the winter as they are more than enough to wear instead of foundation/ tinted moisturiser. If I'm putting foundation on afterwards, I need to leave it a few minutes to absorb properly.

The key for me is making sure that I take them off properly at night - a dermatologist told me to massage cleanser in for 60 seconds and then to rinse - since I've been doing that I've had no problems with spf related breakouts.

Yes, this.

Whether you wear SPF in winter in the UK depends on whether you care about skin ageing and non-melanoma skin cancers.

UVB rays are the main cause of skin cancers especially melanomas. They do not pass through windows and are also partially blocked by clouds. So you do not need wear SPF to be protected from them indoors, and you are unlikely to get much exposure if outdoors in the UK in winter for short periods.

UVA rays cause ageing effects. They contribute to skin cancers too, but not melanomas (the most serious kind). They pass through windows and clouds so you need to wear SPF every day for protection.

I've found a couple of tinted ones that are excellent, so use those through the winter as they are more than enough to wear instead of foundation/ tinted moisturiser.

Please can you recommend any @MrHopsPortal? I have the Boots City Light tinted moisturiser, but it is ony SPF15. It is quite thick for a tinted moisturiser and more like a foundation IMO.

I am into skincare but haven't got time every morning for serum, moisturiser, SPF and primer before I even get to my makeup! I am using that new Boots No 7 moisturiser which has SPF 40 in it. I always wear a couple of layers of foundation over and I think that has SPF in too. Plenty enough for the winter when I am indoors practically all day.

In the summer if the sun is out and I'm going to be in it I will wear a dedicated SPF plus all of the above but it would be overkill for me the rest of the time.

I don't wear it in winter. Need all the vitamin d I can get and I'm
Not outside long enough. Summer I used a tinted spf so it doubles up as a bit of a base and I don't need foundation on top.

I use Elemis marine cream moisturiser that has spf 30 and put it on every morning.

It's lovely and light, you would never know it has SPF in it

I think it's pretty much impossible to find a spf 50 cream that doesn't feel thick and greasy

SPF in make up is pretty pointless because no one wears enough of the make up product to get proper protection. It can create a false sense of security. SPF in moisturiser is better as long as you apply generously.

not sure how avoiding skin cancer is misogynistic tbh 🤷‍♀️ I wear spf 50 everyday. The altruist daily suncream is very light, cheap and made by a dermatologist who wanted to create a cheaper daily suncream to encourage British people to protect themselves.

I don't because even the most sensitive ones cause cystic acne for me, even in my 40s. I'd much rather have sun damage and wrinkles than acne.
If it made my skin look better I'd consider it but it makes it look and feel considerably worse

I stopped when I got a vit D deficiency and have trouble taking it in from tablets and liquids. Not out in sun all that much anyway…

Yeah, men are 70% more likely to die from skin cancer, but SPF is definitely a conspiracy against women 🤔

I do, I use a Korean mineral one and it’s not expensive or greasy.

It's going to be really weird in 50 years time when everybody in their 80's is wrinkle free!

Just by the by, the huge incidence in cancers, inc. skin cancer is because we have more elderly. The highest incidence rate is in the over 85's.

I use factor 50 everyday, I have done since my early twenties, I’ve used facial suncream daily since being a child, as beyond reducing my chances of skin cancer, it also reduces the chances of skin discoloration which I would be at high risk of. From about 8-9 we were always made to apply suncream to our face and neck, particularly focusing on areas that commonly suffer hyperpigmentation.

I have very sensitive eyes, so I wear la roche posay, my husbands eyes aren’t so he tends to wear altruist, cheap and not greasy.

I have roseacea so have to, also a lot of beauty products nowadays effect how your skin deals with rays from the sun so most toners and acids afaik. I live off Roche posay, the hydrating cream spf. It’s spf 50 and I put it on pre primer. it took me some time to find the right one. Definitely don’t give up!

herethereandeverywhere
if you live in the uk or Ireland you should be taking vitamin d in the winter and for the summer let your arms or legs get 20mins of even light sunlight before you cover/ put spf on them.

Just by the by, the huge incidence in cancers, inc. skin cancer is because we have more elderly.
I was at a talk a few years ago and there was the highest incidences of skin cancer were early twenties and mid fifties

SPF, yes, sun tan lotion, no. Recommended products are light, fluid lotions that go on after your moisturiser, eg Garnier or La Roche Posay. If you don't have time to let them sink in get an over make up spray like Garnier, Ultrasun or Kate Somerville. Your future skin will thank you.

I have never worn SPF and - whilst I am no beauty - I am nearly 60 and don't really have any wrinkles on my face.

The cosmetics industry (and it is a very lucrative industry) will tell you that you should put all sorts of stuff on your face. If you want to, that's fine but it's also fine not to do any of it - your choice. Most of us just rinse our faces in the shower and that's it 😂

Almost all cancers increase in incidence with age. That doesn't mean that they aren't a concern for younger people. Melanomas are one of the commonest cancers in adults under 35.

I honestly have never met anyone in RL who does this.
I wear a facial suncream on holiday or if it's more than 20°C in the UK and I'm going to be outside ALL day. Otherwise, not. SPF 25 in my moisturiser and 15 in my foundation. Good enough for me.

Ah, thank you.

I'm on immuno-suppressants that raise my risk of skin cancer, particularly non-melanomas, so knew I had to wear factor 50 and cover up when outside, but until seeing this thread, it hadn't occurred to me that I might need to even wear high SPF indoors.

Only started the drugs this month but due to be on them long-term.

SPF 50 on my face every single day.