SPF BODY Recommendations Round-up

I've had some urgent requests on social media and in the comments section from people going away on holiday imminently that want SPF recommendations 'NOW'. LOL

So let's make like speed-dating and run through some of my favourites - I don't want to get shouted at for being too slow! ;)

It is worth remembering that:

SPF items are the most widely-varied legislated beauty products on the market. An ingredient that I mention in a product might be completely different in the US or Australia. Do your research in your own country before you buy. The main differences are between Australia, Europe and the US. For the rest of you it will depend where the brands that are sold in your country are made. 

Things to look out for: fragrance or alcohol really high on the inci list - probably best avoided if you're sensitive.

Try and avoid methylisothiazolinone if you can see an ingredients list and are particularly sensitive - it's one of the biggest allergens around at the moment in leave-on products and although Europe is ahead of the game, it's still readily used in the US in particular. I tried to include Ulta own-brand SPFs in this overview because they look good from the outset but they all contain it so I left them out.

Once-a-day formulas. Not a fan of promoting once-a-day SPFs. And frankly, using them on children and actually not reapplying them throughout the day is tantamount to child abuse. What I would do, is use them in the morning and top up with a spray. But only applying SPF once a day and never reapplying is too dangerous, especially on children.

Supermarket/chemist (Boots/Superdrug/Sainsbury's etc in the UK) products are incredibly cheap, but can come with more fragrance and higher levels of alcohol - do your research - and by all means if you find a great one, share in the comments! The huge exception is below in the overview as a Star Buy.

If in doubt, don't go over a 50. I personally tend to stick to 30 on my body these days as I know I have to reapply it, whereas a 50 makes me think 'It'll be ok'. The difference in strength between a 30 and 50 is between 1% and 4% depending on the product - its not an 'extra 20'.

This is an overview and obviously won't be in-depth, but if you are happy to roll with my recommendations (plus boring stock pictures) and check the details out for yourself - I'll provide links - then off we go:

What I take on holiday for me:

Clarins
I know they've been on the blog already with the face, but this is an evergreen product range for us. We've never burned or had any issues. Broad Spectrum. This SPF30 is the best IMO. It's £19.50 for 125ml.

There is also an SPF20 that comes in a 200ml size for £21.00. Both great and available here. 

Clinique

Ava has just been dispatched on her hols with this SPF35 stick by Clinique - fragrance-free and perfect for kids as they seem to find it easier to apply that a lotion. She has creams as well of course, but she actually enjoys using this and with children/teens, that's half the battle right there.

Clinique SPP body products are especially great for those of you with fragrance issues. Being Clinique, all of the sun products are fragrance and oil free (check your region) and Broad Spectrum (across the board). Available here.

Marks & Spencer - *STAR BUY*

This is the exception to the own-label warning in the bullet points at the beginning. Good old M&S list their ingredients, have all the appropriate warnings, are Made in England, in an eco-factory, BUAV approved (cruelty-free) at source, vegetarian and HALF PRICE at the moment. 

UK people: run, do not walk, to your local M&S and clear the shelves. Also available here.

Decleor

Decleor have long made great sun products and I know it's not relevant, but their red, soft touch packaging is easily my favourite. The 50 for body is a good place to start. It's £24.00 for 150ml and available here.

Hawaiian Tropic

I include this as I've probably used a bottle of some sort of Hawaiian Tropic every year of my life. What we won't do is talk about/recommend the SPF4/6 etc because that's just crazy talk. Stick to the 30s and 50s, enjoy the scent and reminisce and laugh about my generation that would lie on foil and use baby oil. Or you know, don't. *fries* Available here.

Coola

Coola has one of the best websites I've seen for descriptions, warnings and clear ingredient listings. It puts everyone else to shame. They're clear about nano, fragrance and give true water-resistant times. The 30 in the picture above is particularly lush. Available here. 

Bioderma

Available everywhere in mainland Europe and not extortionate, stick with the 50s as the 20 and 30 only come in sprays. Available here. 

Hampton Sun

I've worked with Hampton Sun for nearly 5 years. Just putting that out there. I stay with them because I love the products. That's why they are listed here, not the former. This in particular, is wonderful as a baby body SPF OR facial SPF for an adult. I use it on Max, Ava and myself. Available here.


If you have any other quick yes or no questions do please leave me a comment below and I'll do my best to answer them in a timely fashion! :)

Instagram catch-up and I promise I haven't fallen off of the face of the planet...

Hi Everyone.

I don't know where the last few weeks have gone but I do know that I've hardly been around either here or on YouTube. I can only apologise and thank you for sticking around. It's a little calmer around these parts now and there should be more activity going forward!

I haven't completely fallen off the face of the planet though...

I took Max and Ava to Tanya's new launch where.....

they hung out with some of my favourite people....

House porn. That is all.

This is beautiful...

Poor Max. 'Smell this.'

Carluccio's....

gives me joy.......

New from Nude next year...

Antonia Burrell and I were among the judges at the Stylist Skincare Awards

Gave a talk at Mumsnet's Blogfest with Lucy Mangan and Sali Hughes...

Took the kids to see the brilliant Miranda Sings in Brighton. Go. She's BRILLIANT.

Hung out with Sal from Hampton Sun... One of these people needed their roots doing....

and Tony from Anthony for Men...

Went to see the Counting Crows with Ruth where we both looked V ATTRACTIVE not.

Bobbi's Christmas is just beyond....

As are these from beefayre...

Sorted  my storage! This is before.....

Had a blissful few hours at the hairdressers until I read this monstrosity.....

STOP THE NONSENSE. VASELINE? Cotton pad? Really effective? At what? Making your face fall off?

And that would be me circa 1984 captured in a Duran Duran documentary bunking off school to see them arriving at Manchester Airport. As you do.

I'll see you really really really soon on YouTube.

Empties continued. Clarins and Hampton Sun.

Unexpected bonus of having small children and their luggage allowance: we literally took 20/25 bottles of suncream/sun products with us on holiday. I figured 'now's a good a time as any to trial everything' - and we did. 

However, predictably there were some stand-alone winners.

Face:

When your teenage son says 'Mum where's that yellow face stuff?' you know you're on to a winner. The entire family used this day in day out. It lasted almost the full 2 weeks being used on 6 faces. 4 big people, 2 little people. I should have taken 2.

Kids - Body:

Full disclosure: Hampton Sun were one of my first clients. I love them like I love SLB* (well, almost). 

One day over lunch in NYC with the founders Grant and Sal (this is about as name-droppy as I get, stay tuned), I said 'I really LOVE using the 55 on the kids. It's so easy. Ooh! I know what you should do - you should make one JUST for kids. Literally whack the SPF to a 70 or something and write 'for kids' on the front. It'll be a sellout. Trust in the Hirons.'

And that dear readers leads us to the easiest SPF to use and with a whacking high SPF to boot.

If you've never been a fan of the thick, white, gloopy kids SPF's - this could be up your street. 

Trying to apply sunscreen to small, mobile people is like trying to herd cats. This is perfect. You just chase them down, say 'Make like Jesus on the cross' (apologies for the potentially offensive, politically incorrect instruction), and spray them back and forth, across the body and up and down. 'Turn around'. Repeat the action and the best part if you have boys, you can spray the entirety of their neck and the tops of their ears - the most forgotten about part on people's bodies. No need to rub in. You can literally spray them as they are trying to run away from you.

Perfect, genius. We used all of ours up the first week. I should've taken more.

Then the kids moved on to the same as their brothers and Dad:

Exactly the same concept, continuous mist, no CFC's (thus no ozone problems) - and comes in 15/35/55 so you can adjust downwards if you wish. 

The grown-ups moved down to the more traditional SPF30 in a lotion form by week 2 (the kids stayed with sprays):

And we finished up with the aloe mist - perfect for post-sunbathing instantaneous cooling off and the traditional after sun. Both lush.

All were used up, all were binned before we came home.

Moral of the story? 

Take more than you think you need.

Leave it behind, forcing you to buy fresh each trip. SPF degrades.

Reapply regularly - especially on small, very active children that are in and out of water. At least once an hour for us.

Don't forget the ears!

*SLB is Simon Le Bon. Obvs.

Clarins SPF30 is £18.00 and available on Clarins.co.uk and all Clarins counters.

Hampton Sun prices start at £30.00 and it is available at SpaceNK, Beauty Works West, and Net-a-Porter in the UK and Sephora, Skinstore.com, Space NK, Net-a-Porter and Blue Mercury in the USA.

Clarins was a PR sample (this year, but I've used it for the last 20 years).

Hampton Sun, as mentioned, are friends - but I wouldn't recommend them (much less work with them) if they didn't work. Honest. Bible. No payment made for the post and no affiliate links.

Hampton Sun Privet Bloom Shower Gel

Just a quick one - I've just noticed that Beauty Bay have this on sale for £11.04 (I know - I don't know why £11.04?).

This is my favourite shower gel in the whole world. It's also Mr Hirons favourite - he's equally obsessed with it. 

The Privet Blossom is prevalent in the Hamptons. This shower gel is not organic or anything fancy schmancy - it does contain SLS and parabens (before I get abusive tweets) - but I've never been overly worried about parabens and I don't mind using SLS on my body (just not my face or hair). 

I've been lucky enough to spend time in The Hamptons and the reason I am obsessed with this shower gel is that with one whiff it transports me back to this....

the beach in East Hampton

If you are sick to death of this weather and craving sunshine showering with this might help you get up in the mornings.

Available here.

Overnight Travel Kit

I went on an overnight trip to Monaco earlier this week - more of which to come at a later date.

I snapped off this pic very quickly as I was packing up to come home as it was probably the best overnight kit I've managed to put together for some time.

As I was going on my own and didn't have to make room for seven billion items belonging to my children that normally fill all of my cases - I didn't worry too much about travel sizes.

Included above is:

• balance Me Cleanse and Smooth Face Balm cleanser - full review to follow - but lovely!
• Serge Normant Volumizer, Shampoo and Conditioner (Hairspray out of shot) - the only range to use if you have long hair
• L'Oreal Tecni Art Volume Architect - when you want ridiculous OOMPH
• Aesop Petitgrain Hydrating Gel - reviewed earlier this week - lovely
• Alpha-H Liquid Gold travel size - obviously
• Frederic Malle Lys Mediterranee - obsessed
• Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Mist travel size and Illuminating Moisturiser - loving at the moment 
• Kate Somerville Deep Tissue Repair - brilliant for glow and travel due to the packaging
• Hampton Sun After Sun Moisturiser - as a body moisturiser - not aftersun...
• Oral B Pro Expert - I remain completely obsessed with this toothpaste and now have the entire family addicted also - go get your free sample via the link

That's it. Stood me in good stead. Anyone have any good suggestions for travel sizes for the future?

* the above are a mixture of PR samples, purchases and product from clients (Serge, Hampton) but are all equally amazing.  No affiliate links. Just being helpful.