Sunscreen protects your face from UV damage and helps prevent skin cancer and premature skin ageing. Choose broad UVA and UVB protection with SPF 30 or higher. Here is how to make it part of a routine you enjoy.
If you cycle to work, see the practical plan for sunscreen on the ride to work and home, including arrival and reapplication.
If you work beside a window or spend long periods in a car, read about when sunscreen behind glass can be useful.
THE SHORT VERSION
The essentials to remember.
- Choose UVA and UVB protection. Your skin needs protection from both.
- Apply enough. And reapply during your time outdoors.
- Seek shade too. Clothing and a hat are part of the routine.
- SPF is not a timer. A high factor is not a reason to stay in the sun longer.
Why your face deserves protection
A jacket covers your arms. Trousers cover your legs. Your face usually goes without a similar layer. That makes it a natural place to give sun protection some thought.
If you have a fully healed scar on your face, read our guide to protecting it from sun-related discolouration.
Protection is about more than preventing redness: excessive UV exposure also contributes to skin ageing and skin cancer. The World Health Organization explains these effects of UV radiation.
You do not need a complicated skincare routine. Start by considering when you are outdoors, how strong the sun is and which areas of your skin remain exposed. Alongside your face, remember your ears and neck.
Sun protection and skin cancer
Sunscreen helps prevent skin cancer. Protecting your skin from UV radiation is a worthwhile everyday habit. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends sunscreen alongside shade and covering clothing.
Long-term research found fewer squamous cell carcinomas, a common form of skin cancer, among people who used sunscreen regularly. Read van der Pols and colleagues’ study for the results.
Read more about how sunscreen helps prevent skin cancer, with a clear explanation of the research and a practical protection plan.
Scars and discolouration
Scars deserve attention too. Once a wound has healed completely, sun protection can help limit red or brown discolouration. That is the purpose of using sunscreen on a scar.
The American Academy of Dermatology offers advice on this. Do not apply regular sunscreen to an open wound. After a procedure, or if symptoms persist, follow your healthcare professional’s advice.
UVA and UVB: what is the difference?
Sunlight contains different types of radiation. For sunscreen, UVA and UVB are the relevant UV categories that reach your skin at ground level. UVC from sunlight is absorbed by the atmosphere. That is why sunscreen mainly refers to UVA and UVB. The WHO explains the different types of UV.
Contributes to skin ageing and also plays a role in skin cancer.
Plays a major role in sunburn and also contributes to skin cancer.
This distinction is a memory aid. The effects are not completely separate. A broad-spectrum product addresses both. The American Academy of Dermatology explains why protection from both UVA and UVB is needed.
What does SPF tell you?
SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. The number describes protection against the development of redness under test conditions.
UVB plays the main role here. So a single SPF number does not tell you everything about UVA protection. The European recommendation on sunscreen therefore addresses both UVB and UVA protection.
SPF 50+ does not mean you are protected for fifty hours. How much you apply, how evenly you spread it and what you do afterwards all matter. No sunscreen blocks all UV radiation. Reapplication remains necessary, even with a high factor.
A high factor is a level of protection. Not a timer.
When choosing a sunscreen, look beyond the largest number on the front: check for UVA protection, read the directions and choose a texture you enjoy applying in a sufficient amount. The Dutch Cancer Society, KWF, recommends at least SPF 30 with UVA protection.
What research shows
An Australian randomised trial investigated whether daily sunscreen use could slow skin ageing in 903 adults younger than 55.
After 4.5 years, the increase in measured skin ageing was lower in the daily-use group than in the group that decided for themselves when to use sunscreen. Hughes and colleagues, 2013.
To learn what can help limit new dark spots, read our guide to preventing dark spots on your face.
Read how sunscreen helps limit wrinkles and skin ageing caused by the sun, with the long-term research explained and a routine for your face, neck and hands.
Protecting your skin regularly helps limit the sun damage that builds up over the years. A comfortable sunscreen and an easy morning routine make that habit easier to keep.
Our explanation of what SPF means and how to read SPF 50 takes you through the test, the plus sign and the UVA logo, with a simple UV-dose example.
To understand the filter types, read about the difference between mineral and organic UV filters.
See what the difference between SPF 30 and SPF 50 means for your choice.
Sun protection in four steps
A routine is easier when you know what you need. Use these four steps as a starting point. Before your next trip outside, check which UV index calls for protection and how to read the local forecast.
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Check the UV index.
Temperature does not tell you how strong UV radiation is. The Dutch public health institute, RIVM, advises taking extra care and protecting yourself from a UV index of 3. Your skin type and time outdoors also matter. Read the RIVM’s guidance for the Netherlands.
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Apply enough.
Spread sunscreen evenly over exposed skin. A tiny dab over a large area will not reliably provide the tested level of protection. Follow the amount and directions stated on your product.
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Make reapplying easy.
Take your sunscreen with you. KWF recommends applying it half an hour before going outdoors and reapplying every two hours during exposure. Reapply after swimming too; follow any additional label directions after sweating or towel drying. Read how to store sunscreen at home, in your bag and in the car.
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Give your skin some shade too.
A hat, protective clothing and less time in direct sunlight remain part of your protection. In the Netherlands, KWF advises staying out of the sun as much as possible between 12 noon and 3 pm in spring and summer. Read KWF’s practical tips.
If sunscreen feels uncomfortable on dry skin, explore a routine with gentle cleansing and suitable moisturising care.
If you want to use a stick, read how to apply a sunscreen stick carefully to your face.
If you have diagnosed rosacea, read how to care gently for your skin with rosacea alongside your personal treatment plan.
If your face still stings or feels tight after skincare, read what helps with an irritated facial skin barrier.
If your skin becomes drier around menopause, read about gentle care and suitable sun protection.
Want to add one habit? Keep your sunscreen next to something you already use before leaving home. It makes remembering it and taking it with you easier.
A pleasant finish and good protection
A light texture and a comfortable finish make sunscreen easier to wear every day. Choose a product you enjoy applying generously, with both a suitable SPF and UVA protection on the label. For darker skin, see how to choose sunscreen without a noticeable white cast. If your skin feels oily, our guide to sunscreen for oily skin helps you compare labels and how a formula feels.
At Soluveli, we are developing facial sunscreen with SPF 50+ and UVA and UVB protection as our goals, alongside a matte, invisible finish, sweat resistance, comfortable wear under make-up and an affordable price. We also want daily skincare to be part of that formula.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need sunscreen when it is cloudy?
Cloud cover does not automatically mean low UV exposure. Check the UV index and consider your time outdoors. The WHO’s UV index helps explain the strength of UV radiation. Protect exposed skin when conditions call for it.
Does SPF 50+ also protect against UVA?
Look for SPF 30 or higher and UVA protection. SPF tells you mainly about protection against sunburn; a broad-spectrum sunscreen also protects against UVA.
Can one application be enough for the whole day?
A high SPF does not guarantee this. Outdoors, the AAD recommends reapplying roughly every two hours, and sooner after swimming or sweating as directed. Read the AAD’s application advice.
Can I order Soluveli yet?
Not yet. We are developing the product and working towards a launch in a few months. Discover our plans and sign up for launch day. Free delivery on every order is already a firm commitment.
Sources & further reading
The guidelines and studies behind this article.
- WHO — UV radiation and your healthOverview of health effects and sun protection.
- Van der Pols et al. (2006) — sunscreen and skin cancerResearch into the long-term effects of regular application.
- AAD — wound care and scarsAdvice on sun protection after a wound has healed.
- WHO — UVA, UVB and UVCExplanation of the different types of UV radiation.
- AAD — sunscreen: questions and answersBroad-spectrum protection, SPF and reapplication.
- European Commission — sunscreen recommendationUVA and UVB protection and product labelling. PDF, 2006.
- KWF — protect yourself from the sunPractical Dutch guidance on sunscreen, clothing and shade.
- Hughes et al. (2013) — sunscreen and skin ageingRandomised trial involving 903 adults.
- RIVM — protection from a UV index of 3Guidance for periods of higher UV exposure.
- WHO — the UV indexWhat the UV index tells you about UV radiation.
