Which sunscreen or sun cream to choose?

Protecting yourself from the sun is essential. Whether on holiday or in everyday life, it's a good habit to get into to protect both your skin and your health. Here's our advice on everything you need to know about sun protection and how to choose the SPF products best suited to your skin type.

What is SPF?

The SPF (Sunburn Protection Factor) is the index that represents the level of protection of a suncare product. The French acronyms (FPS for "facteur de protection solaire", and IP for "indice de protection") are synonyms.

There are 4 SPF levels: 6 to 10 (low protection), 15 to 25 (medium protection), 30 to 50 (high protection) and 50 and over (very high protection). The higher the index, the greater the photoprotection action, but no sunscreen can guarantee total protection against UVA and UVB rays, hence the ban on the use of the terms "total screen" and "total protection".

In all cases, for optimum protection, it's important to follow a few golden rules:

• Choose the right product for your skin type.
• Apply sun protection generously, every two hours and after every swim.
• Do not expose yourself to the sun between 12pm and 4pm.
• Renew your suncare products every year, as filters are fragile ingredients that can lose their effectiveness over time.

When should you apply sunscreen as part of your routine?

Sunscreen is the last step in your beauty routine. In the morning, gently cleanse your skin before applying a serum containing active ingredients, such as Vitamin C with its antioxidant action to protect your skin from free radicals, then move on to your moisturiser, before applying your sunscreen and then your make-up. In this way, the moisturising active ingredients penetrate the epidermis before the sun's protective film. If you use a tinted skincare product with an SPF, make sure you always apply sunscreen underneath. In fact, as mentioned above, a make-up product with SPF20 or 30 does not replace a sunscreen, but can complement your protector.

What is the difference between mineral and chemical filters?

The main difference lies in their mode of action: chemical filters need to penetrate the skin to absorb the sun's harmful rays for it, whereas mineral filters reflect them, a bit like a protective barrier. While chemical filters should be applied at least 20 minutes before exposure to the sun, mineral filters are effective as soon as the sun protection is applied.

Then, while chemical filters are harmless to health, some highly reactive skins are still allergic to them. Ultra-sensitive skin will therefore prefer to turn to mineral filters: inert for the skin, they are better tolerated and much less allergenic (as well as being more environmentally friendly).

Our selection of suncare products

Sun protection for the face

If I have sensitive skin

I opt for Oh My Cream Skincare Sun Protection Face Cream SPF50+, a moisturising cream with 100% mineral sun protection. Specially designed for urban skin, it's ideal for city dwellers on a daily basis, or as a sun protection product at the beach. And if there's one protective product you should always have in your bag, it's Rudolph Care Sun Stick SPF50. It protects all fragile areas while providing good coverage. Fragrance-free and boosted with vitamin E and shea butter, it cares for lips and all sensitive areas.

If I have mature skin

I go for Odacité SPF50 Mineral Drops Niacinamide + Green Tea Ecran Solaire Invisible. This sunscreen provides perfect UV protection against the burning, ageing effects of the sun, thanks to its complete formula containing niacinamide to even out and correct spots, and highly antioxidant green tea extracts to protect the skin.

Or you have the Rudolph Care Sun Face Cream SPF50. This sunscreen perfectly protects the skin from UVA and UVB rays, thanks to its health and environmentally-friendly sun filters. What's more, thanks to its cucumber and apple extracts, it tones the skin and ensures better cell regeneration to prevent the signs of ageing, while moisturising and soothing the skin.

Sun protection for the body

Our favourite? Rudolph Care Sun Body Oil SPF30! With its light texture, it can be used by the whole family. It's super water-resistant, adheres perfectly to the skin and can even be applied to damp skin. The right formula for maximum enjoyment in complete safety...

For the whole family

To protect the skin of adults and children (aged 5 and over) alike, we've fallen for the Oh My Cream Skincare suncare range. The Sun Protection Body Cream SPF50+ protects against the harmful effects of the sun thanks to its clean chemical filters, which respect the skin and the environment, and is water-resistant for optimum protection.