The best SPF moisturisers for older skin
Our beauty expert has her choice of the best moisturisers with sunscreen to protect and hydrate your skin.
Image credit: Getty Images/Dimensions
Our beauty expert has her choice of the best moisturisers with sunscreen to protect and hydrate your skin.
Recently, I was chatting to a friend on the phone about her husband’s unbearable snoring habit when she suddenly said, in a slightly outraged tone, “Are you brushing your teeth while talking to me?”
Reader, I totally was. But I wasn’t about to let a small detail like the truth stand in the way of my dignity. “Absolutely not!” I insisted.
Mercifully, I remembered the mute function, which allowed me to continue doing all manner of things during that call, entirely free from judgement.
Technology has let me turn multi-tasking into an Olympic sport: I’ve googled “why is shih-tzu sulking with me?” while participating in a Zoom panel discussion on being present in the moment; I’ve offered relationship advice to a friend while downloading bank statements for my accountant; and I’ve completed an entire Duolingo French lesson during a phone call to the pharmacy about my HRT prescription.
So, it’s no wonder we’re also in search of beauty products that can multitask like a boss. Show me a product that does two jobs at once, and I’ll show you a woman who’ll put a ring on it immediately.
That’s why I’m now evangelical about SPF moisturisers. We’ve all read the memo – for any sort of prolonged sun exposure a hardcore dedicated SPF is a non-negotiable.
But when you live in a country with a temperate climate, it’s easy to forget that UV rays penetrate even on a cloudy day. So, you need a baseline level of defence for your skin 365 days a year.
Think of SPF moisturisers as your basic daily insurance policy against sun damage:you get the skincare benefits of a moisturiser with the added bonus of some sun damage protection all in one bottle.
RRP: £13
This could well be the best money you’ll ever spend on your skin. The skincare properties are next level – it’s packed with moisture-boosting hyaluronic acid and peptides to plump and firm.
And as a broad spectrum, it protects skin from both UVB and UVA rays. For a powerful moisturiser that delivers on the protection front, it’s also fabulously lightweight and left my skin looking wonderfully dewy.
RRP: £34
Aussie brand Ultra Violette arrived early to the skincare-meets-suncare party. Ultra Violette Supreme Screen Hydrating Facial Skinscreen SPF 50+ offers an impressive level of sun protection fused with an antioxidant-rich moisturiser that both hydrates and brightens.
Its beautifully silky texture, with no trace of sticky SPF residue, makes it ideal under make-up. My new ride or die.
RRP: £17
Dermatologists rave about cult US skincare brand CeraVe and I’m totally with them. The CeraVe AM Facial Moisturising Lotion SPF50 is loaded with broad spectrum SPF and its super-gentle, ceramide based formula delivers long-lasting hydration.
CeraVe’s products are also great for sensitive, easily irritated skin, so if SPFs cause you to break out, this is all your dreams come true.
RRP: £39
This had me at ‘youth-extending’. Offering a powerful defence to UVA and UVB rays, it’s also packed with green tea extract to help reduce fine lines and restore your glow.
Reassuringly non-greasy, it dries to a satin matte finish with not a hint of SPF shine. Paula, we salute you.
RRP: £26.50
Finally, if, like me, you suffer from the occasional red blotch outbreak, it’s time to call in the cavalry in the form of La Roche-Posay Toleriane Rosaliac AR SPF30.
Not only does it boast a sun-protective shield but it’s also formulated with thermal spring water to gently soothe and reduce redness. A hydrating powerhouse and a miraculous little multitasker.
Enjoy your SPF moisturisers. I’m off to call my energy company about my tariff while giving my chin hairs a quick tweeze.
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