Blog: Youth In A Tube

I have been working in Ibiza this week and while packing my personal bags and kit, I was thinking about how much choice we have now when it comes to facial suncreams. When I was in my teens, a very well-preserved Norwegian lady I knew told me off for getting a facial tan by warning that "A tan lasts a week but the damage lasts forever" Admittedly this was years ago before the advent of lasers, retinol creams and peels etc but it stayed with me. As an acne sufferer I had a love/hate relationship with suncream back then and wearing creamy, pore blocking SPF creams made me very nervous. I understood (although there was a lot less information available about what the changes actually were) that the UVA rays could potentially damage and age my skin and the UVB could cause skin cancer but I hated the breakouts that followed suncream use even more. My focus back then was definitely on controlling the spots and living in the moment and the lack of non- greasy products meant I usually went bare faced.

The first time I got excited about SPF was when I went travelling in the US and found that there were a lot more dermatologist brands creating oil-free formulations with high protection aimed at acnegenic skin - it was a revelation! Although I have the acne under control now I'm still always on the look out for the best facial blocks that really work with, not against, my skin type. Today it's a lot easier as there are so many textures, finishes (oh how I used to dream of an oil free, matte finish sunscreen in my teens) and price points to suit everyone. So combine protection with a texture that makes your skin look and feel great.

Here are a few facial creams I like for different skin types....