Given the miserable, cloudy nature of our climate, do we need to wear SPF in the UK every single day, rain or shine? No. Is it highly, highly recommended? Absolutely. The truth is, although UVB rays (the ones responsible for skin burning) can’t penetrate clouds or glass, UVA rays (the ones responsible for an acceleration in skin ageing) can. So although we might not require the daily application of SPF to the extent that other countries with higher UV indexes might, if you’re serious about preventing premature skin ageing, applying an SPF to exposed skin is the single best thing you can do for it.
And no area of skin is more exposed to the sun than our faces. While the majority of our body remains protected underneath clothes, our faces lap up all of the damaging UVA rays that come their way, often resulting in dark spots, fine lines and crêpey texture. With experts agreeing that the best way to prevent skin ageing is by protecting it from sun exposure, daily SPF application on the face and neck particularly is highly encouraged.