THE DO-IT-ALL SUNSCREENS

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Personally, I tend towards having a sunscreen wardrobe, but I know that not everyone is like me and a lot of people just want one product that's going to do it all. And, even if it's not your preference to have only one sunscreen, we also all have to travel! These are three formulas that are great all-rounders and can adapt to various scenarios, making them great to pack for your summer holiday...

First up is my beloved Ultra Violette Fave Fluid Ultralight Skinscreen SPF 50+ | £37. This is possibly my favourite in this category, though it's definitely the priciest of the three I have here today, which is really the only negative for me! This sunscreen has a milky-light texture that vanishes into the skin with no excess, no greasiness and no white cast. It's effortless on initial application but also when you reapply it, it doesn't pill or feel like there's a load of product sat on top of my skin. This is an Aussie-made sunscreen with broad-spectrum SPF 50+ protection and although it doesn't label itself as water-resistant, it does have amazing staying power and doesn't run into or transfer around my sensitive eyes. It's formulated with primarily next-generation filters, meaning it's unlikely to irritate sensitive skin and eyes and it has amazing cosmetic elegance. Plus, this is a fragrance-free formula and the fact it doesn't contain many added extras makes it versatile and I think it would work for almost any skin type. It also works beautifully under makeup and works well alongside my go-to makeup and skincare products. The fact I can equally wear this for a day at the beach as I do for a makeup day at the office is what cements it as a 'do-it-all' favourite.

Next, we have the Bondi Sands Fragrance-Free Lotion SPF 50+ | £8.99. I honestly had this very much in the category of a 'beach day' sunscreen because it has 4 hours of water-resistance and broad-spectrum SPF 50+ protection and have been repurchasing it for that reason for many years now. However, I took it as my only sunscreen one year on holiday and the sun was still out when I was getting ready for dinner one night, so I decided to re-apply my sunscreen after my post-beach shower, and this worked so well under my makeup! It's definitely on the more moisturising side, so I don't think oily skin types would enjoy this sunscreen (it would probably be fine after a single application, but as you're reapplying throughout the day, I think this could get shiny). It's a simple, fragrance-free formula with a combination of newer and older sunscreen filters; it doesn't irritate my eyes, despite containing some of those more traditional sunscreen ingredients. This product also comes in at under £10, which I love, because sunscreen is meant to be slathered on regularly and you don't want to subconsciously be scrimping with your application of an expensive product.

Note: since I wrote this post, this sunscreen from Bondi Sands was flagged as not meeting its advertised SPF protection in some third party testing carried out by Which! Personally, I will still be using this product because I've used it every year on holiday and never burned, plus sunscreen testing can be complex and the same formula can generate different results when tested and retested. Plus, this is an Australian-made formula, and this is the country with probably the most rigorous testing standards in the world so I do have faith in that regulatory system. It's just quite difficult to come to a solid opinion without knowing exactly how the Which! tests were conducted and what the results actually were (they've simply said it 'failed' to meet the advertised protection in their test). It's a personal choice, but I going to continue using this sunscreen. I just wanted to flag up the new information retrospectively so you have the knowledge and can choose what to do with it!

Finally, we have the Garnier Garnier Ambre Solaire Super UV Invisible Face Serum SPF 50+ | £14. This is one of my travel favourites because it's so compact - you can even comfortably throw this into your handbag for on-the-go reapplication. This is a light lotion sunscreen with a moisturising base, which includes ingredients such as ceramides and glycerin to boost skin hydration from within. It's formulated with mostly next-generation sunscreen filters, including some that are exclusive to L'Oreal-owned brands. This melts into the skin with a dry-touch but skin-softening feel. It's fragrance-free and I think would suit most skin types. It isn't marketed as water-resistant, but once again, I find it sets down and doesn't move or run when I'm wearing it whilst exercising or in the heat. It also makes a really nice base for makeup because of its silky soft finish; everything just glides over the top of it and it honestly barely feels like a sunscreen (but you're getting the benefit of a broad-spectrum SPF 50+ formula!)

Have you tried any of these formulas? What do you look for in a do-it-all sunscreen?

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