Gloss Report: aftersun reviews

Whether to prevent peeling, to rehydrate or to prolong a holiday tan, an aftersun cream or oil can make a huge difference to the condition and look of summer skin. A souped up moisturiser in many ways that caters to a wide range of holiday-focussed concerns, which ones are worth spending your money on? From high street to high end, we put a range to the test to find the best around.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

Buy online

The promise: “A readily absorbed post-sun skin soother that intensively restores moisture, softness and comfort and helps to prevent peeling.”

We give it: 9/10

Review: “This moisturiser has a beautiful summery scent of mimosa and shea butter that instantly transports me back to my recent Cypriot holiday, so it’s safe to say I was quickly under the Clarins spell. It has a light and silky texture that is absorbed quite quickly, leaving me wondering ‘Is this it?’ as I am so used to aftersuns being thick and a bit tacky to the touch. This one definitely proved me wrong as my skin was still ‘ultra-hydrated’ the next day, showing off my tan beautifully.”

Reviewer: FD

Buy online

The promise: “Can be used to soothe the skin as well as hydrate it to help premature aging that can occur after getting sun burn.”

We give it: 10/10

Review: “If I ever find something that can top this after sun then I'll know I've struck gold. Until then, this soothing classic from Nivea is my go-to every holiday - in fact, I actually use it 365 days of the year. The smell reminds me of my yearly Greek summer beach holiday, which instantly brightens my mood (it's heavily fragranced so it may not be ideal for those with sensitive skin though!). Fast-absorbing, non-greasy and non-sticky, it hydrates the driest of skin and I use it on both face and body. Enriched with the addition of aloe vera and avocado oil, it makes those sunburned areas feel soothed and cool. Skin is left moisturised for hours, smooth and incredibly soft. I am thankful that Boots stock it all year. I absolutely will never stray. Ever.”

Reviewer: SM

Buy online

The promise: “A double usage aftersun, to use on wet or dry skin, which soothes the feel of skin, refreshes and hydrates.”

We give it: 8/10

Review: “The formulation of this particular aftersun is refreshingly unique - an in-shower body oil that can be used on wet and dry skin alike. Reminiscent of Johnson’s Baby Oil, it’s quick and easy to apply (just what’s needed when a day in the sun can leave you feeling especially snoozy - my kinda bliss), with skin left feeling smooth, soft and nice and supple too. It’s surprisingly non-greasy, so while its combination of shea, apricot kernel, coriander seed, blackcurrant seed and echium oils add a great dose of hydration to dry legs, it doesn’t leave that scuzzy film that many similar products can leave behind. Particularly dry skin types may benefit from something more intensive and those who like a cooling effect may prefer something more targeted however, I’d be quite happy to keep this on my bathroom shelf all year round whether after sun or after summer.”

Reviewer: AM

Buy online

The promise: "Calms, moisturises and prolongs a tan."

We give it: 7/10

Review: “This mildly scented lotion in a pump dispenser (points for both those factors) had an instant cooling and soothing effect and absorbed quickly leaving my skin well hydrated, rather than merely changing the surface texture. I tested it at home pre-holiday so I can’t vouch for its tan-prolonging abilities as an aftersun, but Institut Esthederm are specialists in all manner of sun protection, tanning and aftercare and have developed ‘adaptasun technology’ to optimise all stages of the pigmentation process for faster, longer-lasting tanning (they say) as well as a patented Cellular Water technology to combat dehydration. Personally I prefer something without mineral oil and parabens, but I liked the fact that it moisturised well and the smell was subtle. If you’re after a specialist product that’s high-tech and don’t mind paying for it, this is for you.”

Reviewer: VW

Buy online

The promise: “Cools, soothes and regenerates sun allergy-prone and sun-stressed skin.”

We give it: 9/10

Review: “Finding an aftersun for sensitive skin is pretty hard unless you go for straight and simple aloe vera - that lovely nostalgic scent that so many have is one that I’d react to instantly, but with Eucerin that’s no such problem. Free from perfumes and preservatives, it’s a great option for reactive skins; it has a light, gel-cream formula which initially feels a little tacky on the skin but sinks in with a silky texture thanks to the silicones in the formula. Whether it ‘regenerates’ is hard to say without a lab but after use my skin does feel notably calmer - and if I suffered with PLE it’d be a no brainer.”

Reviewer: JJ

Buy online

The promise: A moisturising milk that soothes and prolongs the tan, for face and body, adults and children.

We give it: 6/10

Review: “This light cream went on well, spread and absorbed easily and felt cool. The immediate effect was soft skin that wasn’t tacky. I prefer a slightly oily feel as I have dry skin, and felt that this was lacking, especially a couple of hours after application when the product had sunk in. If you have a different skin type this may be what you are looking for. I tested it under normal at-home conditions rather than after sun exposure (not that I ever tan) so can’t vouch for its tan-prolonging abilities, however I do know that good moisturising is key and for me, it didn’t quite do it. It doesn’t contain parabens, but does contain mineral oil, sodium cetearyl sulfate and sodium lauryl sulfate as well as fragrance (which may be an issue for sensitive skin), and the smell is ‘aftersunny’ but not so dominant as to compete with your perfume.”

Reviewer: VW

Buy online

The promise: “Fast-absorbing, non-greasy, non-sticky. Gives an immediate cooling effect but also a long lasting action.”

We give it: 9/10

Review: “I am a big fan of Ultrasun’s SPF range and though it may not look flashy, this aftersun is just as impressive. A viscous clear gel in a large pump bottle, it delivers its promise on that much-needed cooling factor that sun exposed skin craves while also hydrating it back to life. The thickness of the gel means it takes a little time to sink in but it’s also incredibly moisturising and left skin feeling softer and well looked after. With a barely-there fragrance which didn’t irritate my sensitive skin and an oil-free formula so it didn't leave me feeling greasy, this one’s a definite keeper.”

Reviewer: JJ

Buy online

The promise: “Provides the skin with important nutrients, cares intensively and prolongs the tanning effect.”

We give it: 9/10

Review: “I sometimes haven’t really seen the point in aftersun, particularly when it’s sticky, overly tingly or whiffs of Malibu, but this light green gel is in another league. It smells refreshing in a herbal rather than try-hard ‘beachy’ way, it’s cooling without the pins and needles effect and it absorbs in a ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ fashion. Post-application, my previously clammy skin felt smooth and softer than with any of my regular body lotions or oils. Actual silken limbs like I haven’t had in ages. Sun or no sun, I’m using this on the regular, and the fact that it’s organic and brimming with nourishing natural actives is a bonus. What is not a bonus is the price tag, but it can be used on the face and I would happily do so given its effect on my bod, plus it’s almost as green as beauty gets, so you know, economics right there.”

Reviewer: AH

Buy online

The promise: “This fresh, silky-smooth body lotion instantly soothes the skin. Intensely moisturised, it feels regenerated deep-down while your tan is enhanced with iridescent pearly particles.”

We give it: 9/10

Review: “I applied this silky lotion after a hot bath and it had an instantly cooling effect without being too tingly (I’ve used aftersun creams in the past that have left me shivering as opposed to soothed). It has a lovely light texture and sinks in fast, and a few hours after application I noticed that my limbs were definitely a lot more luminous thanks to added iridescent pearly particles. This was a pleasant surprise - the cream delivers a subtle sheen that would be very flattering at sunset after a day on the beach. The ingredients list itself sounds refreshing, with aloe vera, water lily extract and macro-algae from the Philippines keeping sun-induced dehydration at bay. The beautifying benefits and softening effect of this aftersun make it a great buy for a foray into the sunshine, but for more intense and nourishing post-burn repair I think I’d opt for a richer cream.”

Reviewer: AH

Buy online

The promise: “Specially formulated to refresh, hydrate and soothe your sensitive skin after sun exposure.”

We give it: 7/10

Review: “This cream is very light and absorbed into my skin very quickly without leaving a greasy residue (which is never pleasant, particularly if you are in warmer climes). It went on like a moisturiser but didn't have any added cooling effect; after a day in the sun it wouldn't have the same impact as say a soothing aloe vera gel. On the plus side, I have very sensitive skin so usually never put aftersun on my face, but as it was so light I gave it a go and had no adverse reaction the next day.”

Reviewer: RM

Buy online

The promise: “24 hours of luxurious moisturization with refreshing hydrating ribbons.”

We give it: 9/10

Review: “Hydrating and tropically scented with a funky-looking ribbon of aloe vera running through it, this particular aftersun instantly transported me to a beach in the Caribbean (although the reality, to my dismay, was really rather different). It sank in pretty quickly and left my skin with a subtle sheen which flattered my tan. It was a little tacky upon application, but overall I thought it was a great way to make the most of sunkissed limbs and ensure you have silky smooth holiday skin whether you’re Bahamas or Bournemouth-bound this summer.”

Reviewer: AM

Buy online

The promise: “Uniquely formulated with moisture-replenishing watermelon extract and self tanning properties to keep skin soft and smooth while maintaining and deepening your tan.”

We give it: 9/10

Review: “A very similar product to the Clarins After Sun Ultra-Hydrating Moisturizer, however the Self Tanning version is much lighter and extremely hydrating too. After tanning, fake or not, it gives brilliant coverage and pretty much does what it says on the box: it truly intensified my tan. It has a gentler fragrance but enough that it leaves a lasting reminder of my summer holiday. I’m a Clarins convert.”

Reviewer: FD

Buy online

The promise: “Helps calm sun-exposed skin and minimize peeling.”

We give it: 7/10

Review: "I really try very hard never to burn my skin when I go on holiday and I slather my red-headed children every few hours and after swimming in factor 50. However sometimes despite using every good sunblock in the world, there comes a time when you miss a bit of skin. This happened to me and also for the first time ever, my children, on holiday this year (argh). On the first day, I used a sun cream that seemed to come off easily in water and I burned my back and my children got pink shoulders for the first time ever. I used this aftersun on all of us and it did a great job at cooling and soothing the delicate areas. It has a light texture that sinks in very rapidly, which leaves skin silky not tacky. I did worry that it wasn't quite as moisturising as it could be though. I want an aftersun to feel like it's really nourishing the skin."

Reviewer: ST

Buy online

The promise: “24 hour moisturisation will help skin recover and minimise peeling while reducing skin redness.”

We give it: 6/10

Review: “This aftersun is designed specifically for use on the face alone, so it’s naturally a lot more lightweight than your generic huge bottle of the all-over stuff - a gently soothing cream that rehydrates skin that’s suffered a little too much sun exposure by minimising redness and helping it to recover by packing in a lot of moisture. It's definitely moisturising, but I don't get the cooling element I do from other creams and that's more what I'm looking for in an aftersun. Containing the ingredient Matrixyl 3000, it adds an anti-ageing benefit to target lines and wrinkles. Probably best suited to those looking for some anti-ageing skin boosting benefits from their aftersun to help restore skin and target fine lines. The smell puts me off unfortunately - a little too potent, but not in a fragrant way. It definitely does the job, but for me, there are others I would buy over this.”

Reviewer: SM