Don't just rely on sunscreen either: use clothing, hats, sunglasses to cover up, and seek shade, particularly when the sun is strongest, between 11am and 3pm - regardless of whether you are wearing sun cream. However, there's no agreed definition of 'reef-safe', research is still ongoing as to the impact of these chemicals, and our tests found many mineral suncreams failed to protect as claimed – so take any claims with a pinch of salt. Kids' sun cream For more details on the importance of vitamin D and where to buy supplements, see our in-depth vitamin D guide . Other ways to stay safe in the sun From April to September, when the UV Index is generally higher. It takes 10 to 15 minutes of sun exposure each day for those with fair-to-olive skin to get enough vitamin D.

The industry guideline for water-resistant sun creams allows the SPF of a product to drop by 50% after a total of 40 minutes in water. Water-resistance testing also takes place in what is essentially a bath – using tap water. Reapply sunscreen after swimming, sweating heavily, towel drying, or rubbing your skin in a way that might cause the cream to rub off. Yes, you can - but you’ll also need to reapply frequently, just like you would if you were on the beach staying dry, and immediately after towel drying. Physical or mineral sun creams create a barrier on the skin that acts like a mirror, reflecting and scattering the UV light.There’s a long list of ingredients that are used as chemical absorbers, so it’s easiest to simply look for products that are labelled ‘sensitive’ rather than search for specific ingredients. SPF make-up: does it really offer protection from the sun? Cover up – wear sunglasses to protect your eyes and grab a hat if you need to keep your face out of the sun. You might also want to wear a T-shirt, which can help to cover up typically over-exposed areas such as shoulders. Nobody applies sunscreen perfectly uniformly to all exposed skin and it is inevitable that we will miss patches of skin. The regular reapplication advocated by most sunscreens protects us against this,’ he says. To apply sun cream properly you should:

The British Association of Dermatologists (BAD) says frequent reapplication of sun cream is important, regardless of how long any product claims to give protection for.

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Find out what you need to know about 'once a day' sun creams, water-resistant sun creams, sensitive sun screen and the best kids' sun cream too.