Temperatures across the UK are set to soar over the coming weeks, with experts predicting that record-breaking heat is on the way.
The weather has continued to heat up recently, and it looks set to only get hotter with temperatures in the low 30s expected soon.
Due to the recent warmer weather, suncream has become an essential item for many as they look to protect their skin and avoid getting sunburnt.
The majority of people will have a bottle of sunscreen lying about at home somewhere from a previous summer and will be wondering whether it's still suitable for use.
It's important to check the expiry date on sunscreen bottles, as out-of-date cream may not have the effect your desire.
If it has been stored correctly and kept in good condition, most suncreams will be effective right up until the expiration date, but if they have been left in heat or in moisture, the quality of the cream can degrade much faster.
Over time, the ingredients that are used to protect your skin and reflect sunlight can begin to spoil and eventually it loses its strength.
Suncreams that have passed their expiry date shouldn't be used as they cannot provide reliable sun protection, and can even cause sore or red skin.
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Besides checking the expiry date, you can also tell if suncream is out-of-date by looking at its colour. Should it appear more washed out with a looser consistency, or no longer smelling as fresh as usual, then your suncream has most likely expired.
Alongside saving you from sunburn, sunscreen can also help to reverse the signs of ageing according to experts.
“Research demonstrated that daily use of a facial SPF not only protected against signs of ageing but also significantly reversed pre-existing signs of ageing,” says GetHarley.com expert Dr Fiona McCarthy, a specialist in skin cancer and aesthetics. As well as warding off wrinkles in the future, skin looked smoother, more even toned and younger in the here and now.
Even if you already uses topnotch ageing prevention products on your face, using SPF daily can still noticeably reverse the effects of ageing.
“SPF is the most important step in any skincare regimen,” stresses Dr McCarthy. “If you don't use it daily, you’re reducing the long-term efficacy of all other anti-ageing skincare products and probably wasting your money.”
Without sunscreen you risk turning your skin regime into something that causes wrinkles. “Retinol, AHAs, peels and lasers can work wonders, but these also make your skin more prone to sun damage and premature ageing unless you use SPF too,” warns Dr Osman Bashir Tahir, aka Dr OBT, founder of Halcyon Aesthetics.
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