It’s the same old thing every year. The kids get coated in suncream and might as well be wearing burkas to protect their little bodies from the sun… yet poor old mummy gets burnt. It’s a sad mix of forgetfulness, bravado and laziness. I’m not one of those that coats her body in Johnson’s Baby Oil then acts surprised when it bubbles away before her eyes, I’m not even a sun worshipper!, but my pasty white skin seems to attract the sun’s rays like Angelina Jolie attracts men. Right now my cleavage is peeling and my back is burnt and itchy.
Yet the children have a pleasant colour on their cheeks and only the faintest of lines to indicate where tees and shorts ended. It’s testament to the absolutely brilliant sun protection we were sent to try by Ultrasun Professional Sun Protection.
Yep, a few days before we left, we were sent bottles of SPF 30 & 50 to smother on the kids. Given there was plenty to go around for Craig & I, I only have myself to blame for returning to the UK looking like Elmo from The Muppet Show. Ultrasun is a pleasure to apply and worked so brilliantly on the kids, I’m now cursing myself for not having fake tanned and having left the sun loungers alone.
So who are Ultrasun, and what makes them so brilliant for families?
Ultrasun is a Swiss brand and a bit of a revelation due to its photostable once-a-day application sun protection range. Yes, I said once-a-day. A generous layer of this in the morning will see you right through until sundown. It’s patented liposome tenchnology provides water resistant protection against both UVA (aging) and UVB (burning) rays. Better yet, it’s hypoallergenic and free from emulsifiers and perfume making it ideal for use on really sensitive skin and (you guessed it) babies.
The consistency is refreshing compared to high street brands. It’s thick and creamy, completely non-greasy and rubs in beautifully without leaving white marks on clothes. The kids are left with a beautiful sheen and smelling really pleasant. If you’ve ever tried a supermarket own brand, you know just how horrid sun protection can smell, and it can be a real feat to wash off your hands after applying. With Ultrasun, the kids were happy to have us cream them up, didn’t wriggle away under our grip and we didn’t need to wash our hands afterwards - Massive thumbs up from us.
It’s also fully water-resistant and you can easily appreciate this in the pool. I was surprised that you can actually see the skin repel water so you know it’s still performing. For habits sake I still reapplied diligently after a swim, but the bottle states this will still do its thing after towel drying. I can’t quite get my head around how this is possible but I can’t fault it. The heat and sun were fierce in Lanzarote and the kids were out playing for most of the day - yet their skin is completely burn-free and sun-kissed.
With one 150ml bottle of Family SPF 30 priced at £25 (the Extreme SPF 50 is £20 for 100mls, £40 for 400mls) some might balk at the price. But trust me, allowing your children to burn in the sun will result in sleepless nights, sickness and many tears. I’ve also popped this into Google and found some cheaper deals in Debenhams and allbeauty.com. Further still, one 150ml bottle will provide sun protection for one person up to two weeks making it’s price tag seem far more reasonable.
Housed in an airless pump dispenser to prevent contamination and deterioration, the bottle will also survive being tossed around in the pool and buried at the beach. This also means each product has a mammoth shelf-life of two years too (most will average just six months).
I was also sent a SPF 30 tinted moisturiser for the face and fell instantly in love with it. My face is the only area that genuinely coped in the Lanzarote sun and I have to credit Ultrasun for this. It’s heavy-duty yet beautifully lightweight formulation replaced my normal morning moisturiser and BB cream and glided effortlessly onto my skin. A quick sweep of bronzer over the top and I was ready for a day in the sun.
With light reflecting particles, anti-aging enzyme Ectoin and Vitamin E it’s nourishing and soothing. It also boasts revitalising properties in the form of enzyme Superoxide Dismutase to neutralise skin damaging free radicals from sun exposure, and Boron Nitride to plump and firm. 50mls will cost £26 and it’s truly worth every penny. I can cover the sunburn on my boobs, but not on my face!
