What is SPF?

Sun damage isn't only about burning. UV exposure is the single biggest external driver of premature ageing, and it's what causes dark marks to deepen and keep coming back. Most of it happens quietly, on ordinary days, when you weren't thinking about the sun at all.

Daily SPF is also what protects the rest of your routine. If you're using Vitamin C to brighten or targeting pigmentation, skipping sunscreen undoes that work faster than the actives can build it.

SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. It measures how well a sunscreen protects against UVB rays, the ones that cause burning.

The number tells you about filtration, not time. SPF 30 filters roughly 97% of UVB. SPF 50 filters around 98%. The jump from 30 to 50 is smaller than the numbers suggest, which is why how much you apply and how often you reapply matters more than chasing a higher factor.

What SPF 30 does not mean is that you can stay out thirty times longer. That's the most common misreading of the label.

Not sure which factor you need? Read SPF 30 vs SPF 50: Which Should You Actually Use?

SPF only tells you about UVB. UVA rays don't usually burn, but they penetrate deeper and are the ones linked to premature ageing and pigmentation. They also pass through cloud and window glass, which is why grey days and desk jobs still count.

In the UK and EU, look for the UVA logo, the letters UVA inside a circle. That means UVA protection is at least a third of the labelled SPF. "Broad spectrum" on a label means the same thing: you're covered for both.

If a product only gives you a number with no UVA marking, you're only getting half the picture.

Mineral filters, zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, sit on the surface and reflect and scatter UV. They tend to suit reactive or sensitive skin and work from the moment they're applied.

Chemical filters absorb into the top layer of skin, convert UV into heat and release it. They're usually lighter, sit better under makeup, and are less likely to leave a white cast.

Neither is better. It's about what your skin tolerates and what you'll actually wear every day, because the best sunscreen is the one you don't skip.

Want the full breakdown? Read Mineral vs Chemical Sunscreen

Dry skin needs a formula with hydration built in so it doesn't cling to flaky patches. More in Sunscreen for Dry Skin

Oily or blemish prone skin does better with lightweight, non greasy textures that won't add shine. More in Sunscreen for Oily, Blemish Prone Skin

Sensitive skin often prefers mineral filters and shorter ingredient lists. More in Sunscreen for Sensitive Skin

Pigmentation prone skin needs daily SPF without exception, since UV is what drives dark marks to deepen and return. More in SPF for Hyperpigmentation

Not sure of your type? Take a look at What's Your Skin Type?

Sunscreen isn't a replacement for either. It goes on top of both.

A serum treats a specific concern. A moisturiser holds hydration in. SPF protects everything you've just applied.

The order that works: cleanse, serum, moisturiser, SPF. Serum first because it's lightest and needs direct contact with skin. Moisturiser next to seal that hydration in. SPF last, because filters are formulated to sit on the surface, and burying them under cream reduces how well they work.

If your skin is oily or you're layering under makeup, Omega Water Cream at £14 is oil free and sits well under SPF. If you're drier or noticing fine lines, Bio-Active Ceramide Moisturiser at £20 gives you more cushion.

Most people apply far less than the amount sunscreens are tested at, which means real world protection is lower than the number on the bottle.

For your face and neck, roughly two fingers' length, squeezed along your index and middle fingers.

For your body, about a shot glass worth.

Don't skip your ears, your hairline, the sides of your neck, the back of your hands, or your eyelids. These are the spots that show sun exposure first and get missed most.

Every two hours when you're outdoors, and more often if you're swimming, sweating or towelling off. Sunscreen wears down through the day, so a single morning application won't hold if you're out in it.

If you're indoors and away from windows, your morning application will usually see you through.

For the practical side of topping up over makeup, read How to Reapply Sunscreen

Pilling is when sunscreen rolls into small balls instead of absorbing. It's almost always a layering problem rather than a bad product.

Three common causes: applying onto skin that's still wet with serum, using too much in one pass, or rubbing instead of pressing.

What helps: give each layer around thirty seconds to settle, press SPF in with your fingertips rather than rubbing it around, and use less per pass but go over your face twice.

SPF goes on after skincare and before primer or base. Let it settle for a couple of minutes before anything goes on top.

If your base clings to dry patches, HydroSurge Dewy Face Mist at £12 helps without disturbing the SPF underneath.

Yes. Check the small open jar symbol on the packaging for how many months it lasts once opened, usually 12.

Filters degrade over time, so an old bottle won't protect the way a fresh one does. If the texture has separated, the colour has changed, or it smells different, replace it.

Storing sunscreen in a hot car or on a sunny windowsill speeds that up. Keep it somewhere cool and out of direct light.

Tinted formulas contain pigments, usually iron oxides, which add light coverage and give some protection against visible light. That matters most for melasma and pigmentation, which visible light can worsen.

Untinted suits anyone who wants SPF to disappear under makeup, or who doesn't want to match a shade.

We don't currently offer a tinted SPF. Dewy Sunscreen SPF 30 is untinted and formulated to sit invisibly on skin.

For pigmentation specifically, SPF for Hyperpigmentation and our Hyperpigmentation guide go further.

UV levels in the UK peak between March and October, and UVA is present year round, including through cloud and window glass.

A simple rule: when the UV index hits 3 or above, wear SPF. In the UK that's most days from spring through to early autumn.

Below 3 in deep winter, daily SPF still matters if you're spending time near windows, at altitude, or using retinol or acids, all of which make skin more sun sensitive.

Full detail in Do I Need to Wear SPF All Year Round?

Faces get all the attention, but hands, chest, neck and ears show sun exposure just as clearly, and often earlier.

Same rules apply: be generous, reapply every two hours if you're outdoors, and don't skip cloudy days.

If you're exfoliating your body with Glycolic Acid Exfoliating Body Stick, SPF matters even more, as freshly exfoliated skin is more sun sensitive.

Sunscreen is designed to stay put, which means a splash of water won't shift it. Left on overnight it can sit in pores and contribute to congestion.

Start with an oil based first cleanse to break it down, then follow with your usual cleanser. With Oat Cleansing Balm at £15, your makeup and SPF don't stand a chance.

More in How to Remove Sunscreen Properly and The Complete Guide to Double Cleansing

Vitamin C in the morning and SPF go together. Antioxidants help defend against free radical damage that sunscreen alone doesn't address, and SPF protects the work your Vitamin C is doing. Read Vitamin C and SPF: Why You Always Need Both

Retinol is the opposite. It goes on at night only, and it makes skin more sun sensitive, so daily SPF isn't optional while you're using it. Retinol Serum is PM only.

More in our Vitamin C and Retinol guides.

If you've caught more sun than you meant to, focus on cooling and hydrating rather than treating.

HydroSurge Dewy Face Mist at £12 works well here, and keeping it in the fridge makes it more soothing. Ectoin Hydro-Barrier Serum at £13 supports the barrier when skin feels stressed.

Skip actives such as retinol and acids until skin has fully settled.

Dewy Sunscreen SPF 30 - £15 | 50ml

Your daily hydration and protection essential. SPF 30 sunscreen that delivers instant and lasting hydration whilst shielding from UV damage, leaving skin with a natural dewy finish. Broad-spectrum UVA & UVB protection powered by an 8% hydration trio of Polyglutamic Acid, Glycerin and Squalane.

• Broad-spectrum SPF 30 UVA & UVB
• 8% Polyglutamic Acid, Glycerin & Squalane hydration trio
• Lightweight, non-greasy, dewy finish
• 97% said it looked invisible on their skin tone*
• Suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding safe
• Fragrance-free | Non-comedogenic | Dermatologically tested

*Based on a 2-week independent consumer trial of 66 people

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• Do I Need to Wear SPF All Year Round?
• SPF 30 vs SPF 50: Which Should You Actually Use?
• Mineral vs Chemical Sunscreen
• How to Reapply Sunscreen
• How to Remove Sunscreen Properly
• Sunscreen for Sensitive Skin
• Sunscreen for Oily, Blemish Prone Skin
• Sunscreen for Dry Skin
• SPF for Hyperpigmentation
• Vitamin C and SPF: Why You Always Need Both

Explore More Guides

• Vitamin C
• Retinol
• Hyperpigmentation
• Niacinamide
• What's Your Skin Type?
• The Complete Guide to Double Cleansing
• Skincare Routine Guide