Exactly how much sunscreen should you be applying when you jet off to sunnier climes?
Spoiler: You’re probably not smearing on enough.
A recent study found that 67% of British people don’t use enough sun cream, with 44% using less than half the recommended amount.
You’re supposed to use six teaspoons or more of sun cream for your entire body, but that’s a bit tricky to visualise when it comes to actually applying.
Handily, The Hospital Group has broken it down for us, creating images of the recommended amount of sunblock you should be using for each body part.
We’ve also got the lowdown on how much product you’ll need to take with you on your next holiday, taking the hassle out of packing your UV protection.
Face and neck
Loads of us forget to smother our face in sun cream, and when we do it’s rarely enough.
The British Association of Dermatologists recommends half a teaspoon of sunscreen for your face and neck. It might be handy to actually crack out a teaspoon (at least while you’re getting the hang of it) so you can get a proper measure.
Arms
Research found that 46% of Brits don’t apply enough sun cream to their arms (which we assumed was the easiest bit to cover, honestly).
The recommended amount is one teaspoon for each, which equates to a dollop around the length of the tip of your index finger from your first knuckle to the tip
Legs
You need to rub in one teaspoon of sunscreen to each leg – so reserve two teaspoons’ worth for your pair of pins.
As another way to eyeball the measurement if you’re stuck, a teaspoon is roughly equal to a standard water bottle cap in volume.
The front of your torso
One teaspoon for your chest and tummy, please.
You may also want to add more to your chest if your cleavage tends to get burnt in the sun.
The back of your torso
And another teaspoon for your back and shoulders. Enlist the help of a pal* to get every bit covered.
*One you trust not to give you a rude sunburn tattoo.
There are also parts of your body you’re probably not slathering with suncream whatsoever, so make sure to save another teaspoon or so for those often forgotten areas.
This includes the soles of your feet, your lips (you can get special sunblock lip balms if you suffer from dryness), your eyelids, and your hairline or parting.
Oh, and your bum needs a layer of sunscreen, too – as 87% of Brits forget to cover this bit.
Bear in mind that the six teaspoons rule is the ‘bare minimum’ of what you need, and ‘more is better’ is a good mantra to follow.
Six tips for staying safe in the sun:
Lauren Mackenzie, Head of Medical Aesthetics for Transform and The Hospital Group, shares her tips for staying safe in the sun:
- : 23% of Brits never or rarely apply sun cream in the UK. This figure reaches 31% for males in the UK who appear to be less conscious when it comes to protecting their skin. That’s compared to 17% females who rarely or never apply sun cream in the UK.
- One in three Brits do not wait, which means their level of protection is much lower than they might realise
- : It doesn’t have to be bright sunshine for the sun’s rays to cause skin damage – yet the majority (41%) will only apply sun cream if it’s a sunny day in the UK.
- : 16% of Brits only apply sun cream a maximum of once per day when on a ‘sun holiday’ and one in five Brits apply sun cream just twice per day when on this type of holiday (21%). Only one in four Brits apply sun cream the recommended amount (at least every two hours) – one in four females do this versus one in six males.
- : It might feel like summer never fully arrives here in the UK, however UV rays across the country can often be as high as other warmer countries such as Spain and the US.[5]
- : Almost half of Brits (44%) use sun cream that has SPF 25 or lower. 23% use the recommended SPF 30, which will protect your better when applied correctly. Always read the instructions for the specific brand of sun cream you choose, as application may vary slightly between brand, type, and SPF.
The British Association of Dermatologists says: ‘When using lotions, as the bare minimum you should to apply at least six full teaspoons (approximately 36 grams) to cover the body of an average adult, which is more than half a teaspoon of sunscreen to each arm and the face/neck (including ears), and just over one teaspoon to each leg, front of body and back of body.
‘This is the amount used when products are tested for their SPF (it equates to 2 mg /cm²). Applying less will reduce the protection to a higher degree than is proportionate – for example, only applying half the required amount can actually reduce the protection by as much as two-thirds.
‘The overall message in terms of sunscreen use is “more is better.”’
The body also highlights how easy it is to forget to reapply throughout the day. They recommend putting some on 15 to 30 minutes before you go out in the sun to allow it to dry, then again shortly after heading outdoors to cover any missed patches and to make sure you’re wearing a sufficient layer. After this, it’s every two hours, and immediately after swimming, perspiring and towel drying or if it has rubbed off.
In short: smother yourself with sun cream. No tan is worth serious skin damage.
How much sunscreen do you need for a one-week holiday?
The exact amount one person needs is all dependent on factors like how long you’ll be in the sun each day, whether you burn easily (and therefore need more) or what kind of activities (such as swimming, after which you’ll need to reapply more often) you’ll be doing while you’re away.
However, using the six teaspoons calculation, a teaspoon measures 5ml, so you’re looking at 30ml per application.
If you spend less than two hours in the sun each day, that’s one daily application, which over a week comes to 210ml – although this doesn’t give you any wiggle room for touch-ups or areas where you need a little extra protection.
Assuming you’re spending longer catching rays (8 hours daily or four applications of sun lotion) that’s an absolute minimum of 840ml of protection required per person over the course of a seven-day break. To be on the safe side, though, around a litre should suffice for each holidaymaker.
The vast majority of sunscreens on the market are sold in measures of 200ml, meaning you should look to save space in your luggage for between two and five bottles of lotion if you’re a solo traveller, multiplying this amount for each additional person.
If you’re jetting off with the family and struggling to fit in what you need, either look for larger bottles that’ll fit more neatly into your case or top up while you’re away. Decent sun protection isn’t hard to find in most holiday resorts, so you don’t need to resort to rationing the supply you’ve packed.
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