YOUR PLACE in the sun. . .

…is mostly beneath a wide-brimmed hat, under an umbrella and with a slather of sunscreen. But not always.

- ALEXA FORBES

Being in the sun makes you feel healthy, happy and glowing. But I’m sorry to say it’s mostly an unrequited love affair. The sun is just not that into you. You spend winter pining for it, and the minute it starts tip-toeing back in spring after four months spent hobnobbing on the other side of the world with who knows who, you just forget about all your principles and good intentions, and take the unreliable sod back again.

But this time, honey, you’ve had a long, hard year to think about things, and from now on the relationship is going to be on your own terms – which means enjoying all the good bits and saving yourself from the bad.

Sunscreens

Sunblocks have advanced to the point that they now offer more than just protection from ultraviolet B (UVB) light – although this is what the sun protection factor (SPF) rating refers to. Some, like the Heliocare 360º range and Lamelle Helase 50, also help to repair skin already damaged by sun exposure, and provide screening against ultraviolet A (UVA), infrared as well as visible light.