OUR EXPERTS

AVA MATTHEWS, co-founder of Aussie SPF brand Ultra Violette, kicks off by answering that age-old question: how much SPF should we be applying to our face each day? ‘Use three fingers’ worth or at least half a teaspoon,’ says Ava. ‘I would reapply every two hours if you’re in direct sunlight. If you’re working during the day and leaving the office for your lunch break only, you could get away with applying once in the morning and again before you go outside.’ As for those who rely on their SPF foundation or moisturiser to provide their SPF for the day, Ava has a few words of advice. ‘You need to wear a lot to get the protection listed on the bottle. You’d probably look ridiculous with that much foundation on. It never hurts to layer up your sun protection, but don’t rely on foundations or moisturisers as your only form of SPF.’ Duly noted.

DR JUSTINE KLUK, a dermatologist, knows it can be tempting to sideline your SPF until summer. ‘But it is advisable to apply sunscreen to exposed skin daily in spring and summer (April through to September) as a minimum.’ She adds, ‘Those wanting to reduce hyperpigmentation and skin photoaging may choose to wear sunscreen all year round, as UVA levels are relatively constant. I apply sunscreen as the final step of my skincare routine every day.’ You could do worse than follow the example of a leading dermatologist, right? Your chosen SPF needs to tick some key boxes, too. ‘I typically advise using broad spectrum UVA/UVB sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 30. This blocks approximately 97% of UV rays, while SPF 50 blocks 98%.’