Beauty Clinic Revisited: Sunscreen for men

Q. My partner has discovered moisturiser (quite late in life) and now wants one with an SPF as he spends a lot of time outdoors. What are the best options – which I might use as well?

A. Well, hats off (or rather on….) to him. We don't know enough British men who’ve really got the message about sun protection – unlike Aussies, who are watching their older counterparts dealing with skin cancers.  And thinking of that, please make sure your partner dabs it on his ears and also eyelids, both commonly missed and very vulnerable to UV.

There is a range of men’s moisturisers with an SPF, including American Crew All-in-One Face Balm Broad Spectrum SPF15, £30 for 150ml. A colleague’s husband is keen on this one.

Murray Clark, Digital Style Editor at Esquire, recommends Aesop Facial Hydrating Cream SPF15, £30 for 40 ml. “Heavy-duty sun products don’t translate well from body to face. Aesop’s facial hydrating cream is a little more delicate on the old mug, and won’t leave pores feeling clogged or oily afterwards.’

But since your partner is outside a lot, he might be better with a higher SPF, either 30 or 50. Ultrasun products come in unisex packaging, are long-lasting (although every sunscreen should be reapplied after swimming or umm sweating…) and combine sun protection with great moisturisation. Ultrasun Face Mineral is an ultra-light sunscreen, based on a physical mineral screen. It comes in SPF30 or 50 versions, at £26 for 40ml.

If your chap is really into natural products, we suggest award-winning Green People Facial Sun Cream Scent Free SPF30, £19 for 50ml. And finally, for chaps with less hair, a brush on powder works well, eg Susan Posnick Brush On Block SPF30, currently £22.50.

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