Of everything in a skincare routine, this is the category with the strongest evidence behind it. Most visible skin ageing is accumulated sun exposure, and no cream reverses what protection would have prevented.
The quantity problem
Most people apply about a quarter of what the SPF number assumes.
SPF ratings are measured at 2 mg per square centimetre. For a face that is roughly two finger-lengths of product — considerably more than the pea-sized amount people use for a moisturiser.
Applied thinly, an SPF 50 product delivers protection far below 50. This is the single most common reason sun protection underperforms, and it costs nothing to fix.
What the numbers mean
SPF measures UVB — the rays that burn. SPF 30 blocks roughly 97%, SPF 50 roughly 98%. The step from 30 to 50 is small; the step from nothing to 30 is enormous.
UVA protection is not in the SPF number. UVA penetrates deeper, does not burn, and drives ageing. Look for a broad-spectrum marking or a UVA seal — the catalogue lists what this product carries.
Using it
- Last step of your morning skincare, before makeup
- Two finger-lengths, and do not forget the neck, ears and the backs of the hands — where sun damage shows first and protection is least often applied
- Reapply every two hours in strong sun, and after swimming or heavy sweating
- Indoors is not exempt. UVA passes through window glass
The excuses worth dropping
Cloudy — UVA passes through cloud largely unchanged. Winter — reduced, not absent, and snow reflects. Indoors by a window — you are being exposed.
What it does not replace
A separate sunscreen if you will be outdoors for an extended period. A day cream with SPF is excellent for ordinary days; for a beach or a hike, a dedicated sunscreen applied generously and reapplied is the better tool.
If you use a retinoid
This step stops being optional. Retinoids increase sun sensitivity, and using one without daily protection undoes the benefit.
The full composition is in the Faberlic catalogue. For sun protection in detail, see the skincare section.