Welcome to the gorgeous month of June. It’s Mark and my birthday month so it’s a double celebration for us and we plan to take a week off to spend at home and enjoy the beauty of a June garden…bliss.

And now the warmer weather has decided to grace us with its presence, we should all be thinking more about our SPF and what we’ll need this season. SPF’s should actually be worn every day of the year, but let’s be honest they really come into their own when the sun comes out. 

Often, we’ll ferret around the back of the cupboard and find last year’s half empty bottle, with the thought crossing our mind that it’ll do for this year too, but did you know all skincare products have an expiry date? This is called ‘Period After Opening’ and you’ll spot a pot with an open lid and a number followed by a ‘M’ on the packaging to show this. It indicates how many months you have to use your product before disposing it, so more than likely your SPF from last summer is out of date and you’re due a new one! Sometimes a sticky label with the date of when you opened your SPF can be massively helpful for knowing when it’s time to pop it into the recycling for a new life. 

So it’s time to shop for a new SPF, but what do we need to be looking out for? Because 90% of all skin related problems are caused by UV light, you’ll need an SPF with broad spectrum UV protection as this helps reduce the probability of sun burn, prevent premature skin ageing, discolouration and most important help reduce the risk of skin cancer. There are two types of UV light, UVA and UVB, and the way I remember it is UVA = ageing and UVB = burning, so I always make sure my SPF has broad spectrum protection against both. 

At TEMPLESPA we would always recommend a minimum of SPF30, even 50 if you’re prone to burning or heading to an exotic location with all day sunshine. It’s key to remember regular application, especially if you’re in direct sunlight for long periods or you’ve been taking a dip in the pool or sea. As I’ve already mentioned, you should be wearing an SPF on your face 365 days a year, the sun doesn’t just shine for the summer, and even on cloudy days the harmful UV rays can penetrate your skin and reach the lower levels of your skin to cause damage. And if you’re an outdoorsy person like I am you have to also think about your ears and back of your neck especially if you wear a pony tail or have short hair. It’s really true that nothing works harder to keep you looking younger for longer than your SPF!

You’ll find two SPF options on our website, LIFE DEFENCE SPF30 or 50 High Protection Moisturiser, a feather-light, easy to blend and nourishing texture that’ll finish your skincare routine just wonderfully. Of course, with UVA and UVB broad spectrum protection and an antioxidant complex of rocket, ginseng root, vitamin E and sodium hyaluronate to help create a barrier against free radicals, city pollution and high energy visible blue light from digital devices. Not forgetting our lips, LIP DEFENCE SPF30 Protecting Lip Balm provides all the brilliant UV ray protection in a gorgeously hydrating and refreshing lip balm. I always have a few stashed away in my car, desk drawers and various bags to top up whenever I find myself.

We wouldn’t want to be missing out on that post-holiday sun-kissed glow and tanning safely is much better achieved with a bronzing gel and we have the perfect product that adds a gorgeous glow without the risk of exposing your sun to harmful UV rays. LOVELY DAY Instant Bronzing Gel does exactly as it says, our tube of sunshine provides a natural golden tan glow fast. You can use it across your face and body as it is, or mixed with a face or body moisturiser, which is my favourite way for a natural, seamless blend and perfectly hydrated and radiant skin. 

Well dear friends, I hope you have some wonderful outdoor activities planned for this beautiful summer month and manage to enjoy the sunrise and sunsets June provides us with.

My love, Liz xx