SHOPPERS can save almost £7 a bottle by swapping to a supermarket own-brand sun lotion.
Ahead of the weekend’s heatwave, we’ve had a look around to find where you can buy the cheapest 200ml bottle of sun lotion on the high street.
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We compared prices for household brands and own-brand products at the four major supermarkets Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and Tesco, as well as Boots and Superdrug.
It’s no surprise to find that the supermarkets came out on top, with Asda’s lotion being the cheapest at £2.29.
The lotion was the cheapest by up to £6.61 compared to the most expensive lotion in the comparison; Piz Buin one day long lotion that costs £9 at Asda.
Morrisons was the second cheapest at £3 a bottle but is still 70p dearer than Asda’s own brand price tag.
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The household brand with the lowest price was Malibu – that was cheapest to buy at Superdrug for £3.49.
Garnier Ambre Solaire actually worked out as the same price as Boots’ own brand Soltan cream at £4, available from Ocado. Most other retailers sell it for between £4.50 and £6.
But is it safe to use cheaper sunscreen?
When it comes to buying sun protection you need to look out for UVA protection ratings of between three and five stars, Matthew Gass of the British Association of Dermatologists told The Sun.
Anything less than four stars and you may get burnt. You can find the rating on the front of the bottle in a shimmer circle marked UVA.
He says you’ll need to look out for the sun protection factor or SPF too – the higher the number the stronger the protection.
How to apply suncream properly
CANCER Research UK recommends to always use a cream with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or more.
Always make sure you put plenty of cream on and don’t skimp on it.
Apply it thickly and evenly.
The amount recommended is around two teaspoonsful of suncream to cover your head, arms and neck.
Reapply the protection regularly throughout the day, even products that are “water resistant” and/or “once a day”.
You certainly need to reapply after you have towelled yourself dry after a swim or shower.
Most people opt for factor 30, which is recommended for those who tend to burn after 30 minutes without sunscreen as it will protect them for 30 times longer, so up to 15 hours.
“From a practical viewpoint most sunscreens are now either four or five stars, or have a UVA logo,” he said.
That means that even if you switch to a cheaper brand of sun lotion with the appropriate ratings, you’ll still get the same protection.
Of course, there’s more to sun cream than just the protection including whether they’re suited to sensitive skin, how greasy they are and whether or not they’re waterproof.
Matthew added: “What to spend on your sunscreen is up to you and it’s worth noting that more expensive does not necessarily mean better.
“You want to find a sunscreen that you find easy to regularly reapply, so make sure your comfortable with the feel of the product.
“If it is too greasy for you, and you never use it then it won’t do much good.”
We all know it’s important to slather on the sun cream in warm weather but do you know if you’re using the correct amount of protection. Here’s what you need to know.
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