SUNCREAM: HOW DO I CHOOSE THE BEST ONE?

A report from Which? found that several 'mineral' suncreams don't provide adequate protection

- SARA RIGBY

Summer is here, and much of the UK is feeling the heat. As temperatures rise, more and more of us head outside for barbecues, picnics and sunbathing. However, anyone who's turned lobster-red after a few hours outdoors will know that suncream is essential, even in the UK.

But which suncream should you choose? Lotion, spray-on or roll-on? Chemical or mineral? And can you get away with a moisturiser with SPF?

WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR ON THE BOTTLE?

The first thing to look for is the Sun Protection Factor, or SPF. This measures how much the suncream will protect you against UVB, the higher-energy, shorter wavelengths of the Sun's UV light.

"SPFS are rated on a scale of 2 to 50+," says Prof Brian Diffey of the British Association of Dermatologists. "We recommend an SPF of 30 or more as a satisfactory form of sun protection." In addition to SPF, make sure the suncream also displays a star rating. This is a measure of its protection against UVA, which is the lowerenergy, longer-wavelength type of UV light. However, a high star rating isn't enough: this only measures how much UVA the suncream blocks in comparison to UVB, so a high star rating and low SPF is still low protection overall.

"A sunscreen with an SPF of 30 and a UVA rating of four or five stars is generally considered as a good standard of sun protection, in addition to shade and clothing," says Diffey.

IS THERE ANY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SPRAY, LOTION, CREAM, STICK OR ROLL-ON SUNCREAMS?