 Nivea Sun Moisturising Sun Spray SPF15, £11.99 for 200 ml at www.boots.com; click here to find it on-line
Score: 8.33/10
The lowest SPF of the body suncare that did well in our trials - but it also bagged the highest score, by a few fractions of a point: a spritz-on lightweight formulation which goes on easily, sinks in fast. An ingredient called ‘Hydramine’, plus vitamin E, quench skin, but leaves no tell-tale film.
Comments: ‘Needed little rubbing in, left no sticky residue but nice sheen’ • ‘doesn’t cause the horrible rash I get with other products’ • ‘great spray delivery, good for whole family’ • ‘very good moisturiser, comfy on skin; great spray delivery - good for whole family’ • ‘lovely fresh smell; didn’t leave any marks on clothes – excellent product’.
 Garnier Ambre Solaire Light and Silky Protection Mist SPF30, £13.99 for 150 ml at www.feelunique.com; find it on-line here.
Score: 8/10
What sets all the sun brands in L'Oréal's portfolio apart (and that includes Garnier, L'Oréal Paris and Lancôme) is that they all feature unique sunscreens called Mexoryl™ SL and XL, which (unlike most) are not so easily broken down by sunlight. Theoretically, then, you don't need to be so diligent about reapplication - but we always counsel: better safe than sorry in the sun. This mist-on emulsion spreads easily and is water-resistant.
Comments: ‘Light but very, very moisturising; took a while to rub into skin but left skin glowing’ • ‘very easy to rub in, pleasant citrussy smell, liked the feel of the spray lotion, not like sun creams: smells nice and feels good, I will buy’ • ‘really liked this: would definitely use as my preferred sunscreen: good moisturiser, lovely feel and texture, made skin silky - very easy to apply from any angle’ • ‘love the “beach” fragrance, left skin with nice sheen’.
 Philosophy Shelter UVA/UVB Broad Spectrum SPF30 Sunscreen for Face and Body, £20 for 56.7 g at www.qvcuk.com; click here to find it
Score: 8/10
Do you often find that sun products leave you too sheen-y? Then you'll want to know about this matte-finish daily moisturiser from 'cult' skincare brand Philosophy which is antioxidant-rich and incorporates peptides, which are still a bit of a beauty 'buzz' for their anti-ageing properties.
Comments: ‘Very moisturising and comfortable; sank in easily after a few minutes, smelt fresh and light, like the high SPF for face and neck’ • ‘large squeezy tube, perfect for controlling amount and easy to use’ • ‘very good at moisturising, not sticky and absorbed very easily, left soft smooth skin: strongly recommend this as a body product – the SPF is a bonus!’
 Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess Sunscreen SPF30, £20 for 150 ml at www.boots.com; find it on-line here.
Score: 7.87/10
It’s a myth that you can’t tan with a higher sun protection factor: ‘slow’ tans may be a shade more gradual, but last longer. With a sun-drenched amber/coconut fragrance, this nourishes with macadamia and kukui seed oils.
Comments: ‘Very moisturising, left lovely glow on skin – could use as sunprep and illuminator’ • ‘fabulous cream that disappeared completely, leaving skin soft’ • ‘no horrible rash that I get with other products’ • ‘10/10! Extremely moisturising; lovely cream that disappeared completely, leaving skin soft’ • ‘fabulous: thick, creamy and went on like a dream, leaving lovely slight sheen on skin’ • ‘gorgeous glow – could use as sun prep-cum-illuminator’ • ‘superb moisturising, divine fragrance - made skin feel soft and smooth, good tube’.
 Jason Sunbrellas Family Sunblock SPF45, £11.99 for 113 g from www.naturisimo.com; find it on-line here.
Score: 7.62/10
Slip this into your multi-generation beach bag: a water-resistant, non-greasy higher-protection cream (though again, it lets you tan slowly and lastingly). Natural goodies include vitamin E, shea butter and antioxidant green tea.
Comments: ‘Sank in well, leaving no whiteness, very moisturising’ • ‘skin felt supple and had immediate radiance’ • ‘would put this excellent product on my precious baby’s skin’ • ‘skin looked smooth, plumped, healthy - fantastic bonus that it’s natural’ • ‘high factor screens usually leave me looking like a ghost but this rubbed in very well’ • ‘happy sunny coconutty smell’.
 Green People Sun Lotion SPF15, £16.75 for 200 ml at www.victoriahealth.com; find it on-line here (remember you get a 5% discount on almost everything at www.victoriahealth.com, plus free p & p - no need to add a code)
Score: 7.61/10
Green People have proved that it is possible to create natural suncare that's user-friendly and doesn't require endless rubbing to smooth into the skin. We re-trialled this (it had done well in our book The Green Beauty Bible) and it scored extremely well, once again, with its age-defying blend of vitamins A, C and E (from green tea, olive, avocado and rosemary extract), plus a UV filter offering both UVA and UVB protection that's derived from edelweiss and cinnamic acid (found in cinnamon oil).
Comments: ‘Smelt lovely and natural, did leave a film but that actually gave me the sense of a protective layer on my skin’ • ‘very moisturising – I used it on my face too, and it was very comfortable; skin looking amazing. Glowing with a slightly healthy shine; there was a slight white tint but it sank in after about half an hour: good to know you’re not slapping nasty chemicals too’ • ‘excellent sun protection, doesn’t feel or smell like sun lotion, not sticky or tacky in any way, very impressed and happy for the whole family to use it’.
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