Skin Care The Sun, Our No1 Frenemy

There's nothing nicer than basking under a hot sun and showing off gorgeous, bronzed limbs... But be warned, the sun's not as skin-friendly as you may think! UVA and UVB rays can wreak havoc with unprotected skin.

Sunshine is essential to our health. It strengthens our bones, keeps our skin healthy, regulates our body clocks and lifts our spirits. We all love summer living - al fresco lunches, countryside walks, lazing in the garden, and so much more. Getting the warm sunshine on your skin makes you feel happy and relaxed.

And yet the sun isn't always on our side. Whatever our age, wherever we are, the sun is constantly bombarding our skin, leaving us at risk of sunburn, age spots, ageing skin, wrinkles, dehydration or even cancers. So how can we have fun in the sun without damaging our skin?

We know the basic rules - avoid exposing our skin between midday and 4pm, wear a hat and sunglasses and don't stay out in the sun for too long. And, most importantly, religiously apply a sunscreen suited to our phototype. Oils, creams, mists, lotion, whatever the texture, the trick is to remain protected at all times. If you are looking for a lightweight and non-greasy sunscreen that not only protects your skin from the sun but also enhances your skin’s colour and youth, try the UV Perfect Even Complexion by L’Oréal Paris. This sunscreen has SPF 50 and it protects your skin against signs of photo-ageing, external stress and pollution particles adhesion while also beautifying your skin and making it more radiant. You can even pick up moisturisers or BB creams that contain an SPF to protect your skin and complexion all summer long!