Five mistakes you make with your sunscreen: using an SPF to make up or hide vulnerable areas

Sun's out, suncream's out (or it should be!). But do you damage your skin by unintentionally making the same mistakes with your SPF each year?

A recent survey found that 90% of 13-24 year olds admit to having already been burned by the sun and that almost one-third of them have been burned more than five times. *

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So why is the message not happening? After all, Dr. Hiva Fbadihi, a dermatologist in La Roche-Posay, explains, "Sunscreen helps prevent skin cancer and is the best anti-aging product you will ever use."

The same rules always apply: apply a sunscreen 15 minutes before going out, apply a generous layer from top to bottom, then renew the application every two hours.

However, according to a Cancer Research UK study, skin cancer is on the rise and is the most common form of disease in the UK. H

How to banish these blunders from sunscreen for good.

You rely on SPF in makeup

Whatever the height of your SPF in your foundation, concealer or primer, it will not protect your skin like a proper sunscreen.

"Research has shown that we do not mock enough to benefit from the level of protection promised by a FPS," warns Dr. Fbadihi.

• Solit Fluid Anti-Aging Face SPF50 +, £ 3.49, Superdrug – buy now

"We would need to apply four to six times more to reach the right level."

Before going out, apply a generous amount of SPF30 or 50 before your foundation, then renew the application every two hours.

Anti-Aging Facial Fluid Solan SPF50 +, £ 3.49, matifies and smoothes the appearance of the skin and contains vitamin E to protect against free radicals.

You are using an old sunscreen

We are all guilty of using the bottle last summer.

"An Asda poll conducted in 2013 found that 57% of Britons were wearing sunscreen obsolete," says Abi Cleeve, executive director of Ultrasun.

• Soltan Protect & Moisturise Suncare Lotion SPF30, € 4, Boots – buy now

But how does the formula change over time? "The texture of the lotion may have changed and the effectiveness of UV filters may have decreased, so it is worthwhile to buy new filters," Dr. Fbadihi says.

Check the label for its shelf life as the average is six to 12 months.

"Take note of the jar symbol on the package to make sure the validity period of the formula is not out of date," says Dr. Howard Murad, founder of Murad Skincare.

Soltan Protect & Moisturise Boots Suncare Lotion SPF30, £ 4, is non-greasy and leaves the skin soft and protected.

You overestimate the tightness of your SPF

A whopping 25% of the sunscreen is washed during a 20-minute immersion in the sea. **

Water resistance in FPS is tested in the laboratory by applying it to a human arm before plunging it into hot water.

• Nivea Sun Protect & Moisturizer SPF50, 7 €, Superdrug – buy now

Tests done in the UK allow manufacturers to claim that a sunscreen is water resistant even though the SPF drops 50% after

two immersions of 20 minutes.

"Plus, exercise and sweating can involve accidentally wiping it up. So always reapply afterwards, "says Dr. Fbadihi.

Nivea Sun Protect & Moisturizing Spray SPF50, £ 7, is easy to apply and offers high protection.

Anthelios XL Spray La Roche-Posay SPF50 +, £ 18, water resistant, does not leave traces and is formulated for sensitive skin.

You miss vulnerable areas

It is easy to neglect certain parts of the body when applying sunscreen, but this can lead to sunburn, despite new formulas covering the skin more effectively than ever before.

Missing areas are usually feet, ears, collarbone, nose and neck. Keep them in mind when applying the FPS.

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"Women often neglect their shins and their feet, while malignant melanoma develops most often in men: chest, back and scalp," says Abi.

Lancaster Sun Beauty Velvet Milk SPF30, £ 32, continue evenly and smell delicious.

"The lips also tend to be forgotten and, unlike the lower lip where there is natural shade, the upper lip shows more quickly the damage caused by the sun," she adds.

You do not understand the label

BEFORE buying a sunscreen, you must make sure that it protects you from UVA rays (which penetrate deep into the skin and cause aging) and UVB rays (which penetrate the skin's surface and make it burn).

"The number of SPFs on the bottle is a measure of UVB protection and the UVA logo surrounded by a circle indicates that the sunscreen meets the EU's requirements for UVA protection." Says Dr. Fbadihi.

• Piz Buin Tan & Protect Oil Spray Accelerator Tan SPF30, £ 8, Boots – buy now

If you want your sunscreen to protect you as much as possible against UVA rays, opt for one that displays a five-star rating on the package.

Similarly, if the label indicates "broad spectrum", it will mean protection against UVA and UVB rays.

"I recommend looking for protection against daily skin aggressions, such as blue light, pollutants and free radical damage," said Dr. Murad: "Look for ingredients like vitamin E and lutein in your skin." # 39; tab.

Piz Buin Tan & Protect Oil Spray Accelerator Tan SPF30, £ 8, protects against UVA and UVB rays and contains melitan, which stimulates the natural tan.

NHS video explains how to properly apply sunscreen

sources: * Teen Cancer Trust ** Journal on Environmental Health Outlook

Resellers: boots (Boots.com) Lancaster (Selfridges.com) La Roche Posay (Laroche-posay.co.uk) Nivea (Superdrug.com) Piz Buin (Boots.com) SoLait (Superdrug.com)