The difference between UVA & UVB
There are two types of UV rays that affect our skin: UVA and UVB. UVB rays cause immediate damage such as sunburn on the skin’s surface. This is what SPF protects us against. UVA rays penetrate the skin at a far deeper level, causing long-term, permanent damage.
All our products have the 5 star UVA rating, giving you the maximum protection. To be safe in the sun, you should use a sun cream that has both a high SPF and the maximum 5 star UVA protection.*
How to apply sun cream
We all know that it’s essential to wear sunscreen in order to protect our skin from the sun, but we’re often not applying it in the right way to provide us with adequate protection. One of the biggest mistakes many people make is not applying enough sun cream. You should use about two tablespoons of sun cream to cover your body (while wearing a swimsuit) and rub it in evenly. Make sure you apply to clean and dry skin.
Unless your product states “immediate protection” make sure you apply sun cream about 20-30 minutes before you go out into the sun. Ideally do this before you get dressed for the day. This ensures you don’t miss any areas and also makes sure it doesn’t get on clothes. Then, reapply every 2 hours, or immediately after swimming, towelling dry or if you’ve been sweating a lot.
Top tip: Make sure your sun cream is not out of date. Most sun creams have a shelf life of two years. If the product is more than two summers old, it’s seeping liquid or smells ‘off’, it should be replaced.
Frequently asked questions
For the best protection, look for the 5 star UVA rating*. We also recommend using SPF50+ on children’s delicate and vulnerable skin. See our full Baby and Kids sun cream range here.
Soltan & Macmillan recommend SPF 30+, 5* UVA for the best protection
Spending time outside is really important, especially for our physical and mental health. Make sure that you always use sun protection. Vitamin D can still be synthesised through sun protection, but sun exposure without protection can cause deeper skin damage. We have a range of vitamin D supplements suitable for both adults and children.
Did you know?
The Department of Health recommends the general population should consider taking a 10μg vitamin D supplement throughout the autumn and winter months, whilst some more vulnerable groups (including children under 4 years old) should take a supplement all year round.
The most powerful burning rays are filtered out through windows. However, UVA rays do get through and these penetrate deeper into the skin. So, even if you wouldn’t get sunburnt easily, you could still get long-term damage from UVA rays through a window.
Unless your sun protection states “immediate protection” make sure you apply sun cream about 20-30 minutes before you go out into the sun. Then, reapply every 2 hours, or more frequently if you’re sweating, swimming or towelling dry.
Roll-ons and sun sticks are super easy for children to use themselves and they often love doing so! We also have some great advice here for how to help children learn the basics of sun protection application Soltan Sun Ready - Action Poem: Big Blob. We recommend supervising children who are self applying.
For ultimate peace of mind we’ve developed the Soltan Once Advanced range – this is our most advanced formula and gives you up to 8 hours of protection from just 1 application, meaning you can apply this before school. Giving you a worry free day and them a full day of fun!
You can also engage with children and get them to practise the our Soltan sun cream dance to make applying their sun cream fun.
Whatever your skin type it still needs protection. Everyone is at risk from sun burn, sun damage and skin cancer if you are exposed to the sun without adequate protection.
Melanin is a dark brown to black pigment that occurs in the hair, skin, and irises. Melanin is what causes the skin to tan when it’s exposed to sunlight and people with darker skin tones produce more of it. While it does offer some sun protection, it isn’t enough to protect against the UVA and UVB rays that cause cancer and age skin.
We recommend trying our Clear & Cool Protect range which has a transparent formulation and leaves no cast on your skin, making it perfect for darker skin tones.
Babies under 6 months have extremely sensitive skin and so should be kept out of the sun. Babies 6 month plus should wear factor 50+ and should be kept in the shade for as long as possible as well as wearing hats, UV wear and sunglasses
Children’s delicate skin is very vulnerable and in younger children the skin’s natural protection is still developing (this isn’t fully reached until teenage years). We also know that frequent sunburn incidences in childhood can lead to skin cancer in the long term so it’s really important a very high factor and full 5* UVA protection are used. Soltan have developed longer lasting products meaning children can enjoy longer in the pool or you can send them off to school worry free. See our Soltan Once Advanced range here.
UVA filters in sun protection can sometimes cause yellow staining. This happens if fabric comes into contact with the product before it’s fully absorbed into the skin. We advise applying suncream before getting dressed. If fabric does become stained, wash first at 30 degrees without detergent and then again at 30 degrees with detergent. If the stain is still visible a rust stain remover for fabrics can help. Use according to the instructions
Apply generously using one to two tablespoons full of product for the child’s entire body. One bottle contains up to 26 applications for a small child’s body size. Remember to reapply every two hours.
Ensure you are applying enough sun cream. Did you know that The World Health Organisation recommends 35ml for the whole body? That’s around seven teaspoons: one for the face, head and neck, one for each arm and each leg, one teaspoon for your front and one for your back.
To achieve the claimed SPF value, a product needs to be applied liberally. This would equate to a teaspoonful of sunscreen for the face, for example. Cosmetic products such as foundations are applied at a much lower amount and therefore will not give the level of
protection required if used alone. Applying your sun protection product first will ensure you’re properly protected.
SOLTAN
*The star rating is a measure of the absorbance of UVA relative to UVB. Other brands not displaying a star rating symbol may still offer high levels of UVA protection. Data to support can be found at www.boots.com/soltan-uva-protection
