From sunscreen essentials to weatherproof wearable tech, here we shine the spotlight on some of sun protection’s most interesting new innovations
Is sunscreen all streaky marks and sticky formulas? If you’d asked us a decade ago, we’d probably have said the majority were, and of those that weren’t, few would have offered the requisite sun protection credentials needed to best safeguard your health in the long-term. However, skincare and sun care have come leaps and bounds since then and the offering now available ensures that we are now able to choose from a multitude of different technologies that provide both high protection and supreme practicality in equal measure.
From tech to tailor-made beauty, the best sunscreens to sunglasses with the facialist seal of approval, here are the more unique ways to protect yourself from sun and skin damage this summer and beyond.
La Roche-Posay My UV Patch
Created to increase awareness of UV exposure and sun protection, this new piece of wearable tech looks set to take sun safety to the next level. The first-ever stretchable electronic UV monitor that adheres to any area of the skin, its photosensitive dyes change colour when exposed to UV rays to help spread the message that the damage caused by them can occur to anyone at any time of the year. “It’s a totally new way of measuring UV in a very accurate way,” says Guive Balooch, Global Vice President of L’Oreal’s Technology Incubator. “The patch is able to monitor both UVA and UVB exposure with a specific technology that allows it to first get an accurate measure of UVA radiation and then extrapolate the UVB for an accurate overall UV reading.”
Pictures of the patch can then be uploaded to the La Roche-Posay My UV Patch mobile app with advice also available free of charge, from top dermatologists and Boots skincare experts. Guive explains, “Through a smart algorithm factoring in the user’s personal data, the app generates two indicators – sun behaviour and daily sun stock – to provide advice on sun safe behaviour and when to re-apply sun cream.” Thin, comfortable and surprisingly lightweight, it’s certain to become a useful tool in helping promote better protection against the sun, plus help build a healthier relationship with your smartphone too.
My UV Patch from La Roche-Posay will be free to consumers from May 2016.
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Sarah Chapman x Tom Davies sunglasses
A fast yet fashion-forward way to help safeguard eyes and the delicate skin around them from the sun’s rays, top facialist Sarah Chapman’s new limited edition collection of sunglasses with luxury eyewear designer Tom Davies, offers both style and substance in equal amounts. Providing UVA and UVB protection, on-trend oversized lenses and angular rims, staying safe in the sun has frankly never looked so good.
Prices start from £295. Available: Summer 2016 from the Sarah Chapman London boutique, 259 Pavilion Road, Sloane Square, London, SW1X 0BP, 020 7589 9585.
Cover FX Clear Cover Invisible Sunscreen SPF 30
When it comes to customisable beauty, Cover FX is one of the leading brands in the game and this summer, it looks to welcome a new addition to the family - Clear Cover Invisible Sunscreen SPF 30. Designed to add a drop of UVA and UVB protection to your skincare and makeup for a little extra strength, they effectively melt into your product of choice to leave zero white marks and greasiness.
£36. Launching in May/early June.
Piz Buin Protect & Cool Refreshing Sun Mousse SPF 15 and SPF 30
Wonderfully cooling to bring some welcomed relief on the most humid and scorching of days, this new launch provides a refreshingly lightweight alternative to heavier textured lotions when the prospect of adding additional layers is enough to make you break into a hot sweat. Hydrating, deliciously airy and offering a choice of SPF 15 and SPF 30 UVA/UVB protection, it can at times almost feel like you’re wearing nothing at all.
£9. Buy online .
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Ultrasun Hand SPF 30 Anti-pigmentation
Thanks to its high protection and range of products to suit every skin type and need, Ultrasun has fast become a firm favourite in the GTG office. Its new range of targeted sun protection creams doesn’t disappoint and the collection's hand sunscreen in particular will make for a valuable addition to many people’s suncare artilleries this summer. Its anti-pigmentation properties, water-resistance and fast-absorbing texture make it stand out from the rest, to provide a helping hand (pardon the pun) to an area of the body which often shows the signs of sun damage and ageing first.
£18. Buy online .
Murad Luminous Shield SPF50 PA++++
Make the chalky residue of sunscreens of yesteryear a distant memory with this illuminating daily protector. If seeking luminosity in what is essentially shiny (read: sweaty) season seems counterintuitive at first, rest assured that this quick dry lotion sinks into rather than sits on top of skin, to leave a rosy radiance in its wake that protects and preps in one fell swoop. We're convinced.
Launching on the 1st of May. £55.
Nivea Sun Roll-on SPF30 and 50+
Sun protection at a swipe, these new portable protectants make for the perfect mess-free way to ensure you and your children are well covered when on-the-go. With a roll-on design that glides on skin with ease to make the prospect of sunscreen re-application more of a joy rather than a chore, (especially when children are involved), it’s the type of coverage that the whole family will approve of.
£7.99. Buy online .
Occles Travel Eyewear
And finally, the ideal way to protect your eyes should you fancy a quick 15 minute nap on the beach - a new range of sunglasses that provide the ultimate barrier to slumber-disturbing sunlight while on your sunbed. CE Accredited for UV Protection, they also provide total blackout abilities, plus their bridge-less and ergonomic design ensures that unwanted tan lines are swiftly avoided too.
£22. Buy online .
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