Reapplying suncream is a chore that most holidaygoers dread.
So it’s no surprise that many sunseekers opt for sunscreens marketed as ‘once-a-day’.
While these sunscreens tend to be more expensive than standard bottles, they claim to offer long-lasting protection.
But do once-a-day sunscreens really last all day?
According to experts from Which?, the answer is no.
The consumer champion analysed four popular once-a-day sunscreens, and found a list of crucial caveats hidden in the small print on the back of the bottles.
‘Sweating, swimming, towel drying or rubbing your skin on an abrasive surface can all impact protection levels and how the sunscreen lasts,’ Which? explained.
‘All of this means that you’ll almost certainly need to apply more than just once a day, especially if you’re out and about.’
Do once-a-day sunscreens really last all day? According to experts from Which?, the answer is no (stock image)
The first once-a-day sunscreen analysed by the researchers was the Boots Soltan Once Advanced 8 Hour Protect, which comes in both a lotion and a spray form
1. Boots Soltan Once Advanced 8 Hour Protect (£13 for 200ml)
The first once-a-day sunscreen analysed by the researchers was the Boots Soltan Once Advanced 8 Hour Protect, which comes in both a lotion and a spray form.
On the front of the bottle, Boots claims that ‘one application allows for up to eight hours sun exposure’.
However, there are several important caveats buried on the back of the bottle.
‘Back of pack instructions say you need to apply the sun cream generously 15 minutes before sun exposure and reapply after towel drying or “coming into contact with an abrasive surface”,’ Which? explained.
What’s more, at £13 for 200ml, this sunscreen is more than double the price of Boots Soltan Protect & Moisturise range.
2. Boots Soltan Kids Once Protect & Play / Protect & Swim (£13 for 200ml)
Boots’ Soltan Kids Once range comes in two versions – Protect & Play, and Protect & Swim – although both appear to offer the same level of protection.
Boots’ Soltan Kids Once range comes in two versions – Protect & Play, and Protect & Swim – although both appear to offer the same level of protection
Calypso claims that its sunscreen offers ‘all day long’ protection after just one application. However, Which? looked on its website, and found conflicting advice
Like the previous sunscreen, Boots claims that ‘one application allows for up to eight hours’ sun exposure.
However, the advice in the small print is once again to apply 15 minutes before going out in the sun, apply generously, and reapply after towelling dry.
‘We asked Boots what counts as an abrasive surface, and it said rubbing wet skin with a towel would count, but that sunbathing on an abrasive surface (such as a towel, the sand or a sunbed) would not,’ Which? explained.
3. Calypso Once a Day (£10.99 for 200ml)
Calypso claims that its sunscreen offers ‘all day long’ protection after just one application.
However, Which? looked on its website, and found conflicting advice.
‘On its website, it says you need to reapply after 40 minutes in the water, if you dry yourself with a towel or after “anything that involves rubbing your skin”,’ Which? said.
4. Calypso All School Day Long (£9.99 for 150ml)
Finally, Which? analysed the Calypso All School Day Long sunscreen, which is said to provide ‘long-lasting protection of up to eight hours’
Finally, Which? analysed the Calypso All School Day Long sunscreen, which is said to provide ‘long-lasting protection of up to eight hours.’
In the small print, Calypso explains that its product should be applied evenly and generously to clean, dry skin 15 minutes sun exposure.
It also reminds customers that once-a-day sunscreens can still be washed off if you spend a long time in the water or if you dry yourself with a towel, and that you may need to reapply.
What do the doctors say?
Speaking to Which? Professor Brian Diffey from the British Association of Dermatologists, advised regularly reapplying sunscreen – even if it promises all-day protection.
‘We recommend against relying on any sunscreen product for long periods without reapplication, whether advertised as an extended wear product, or not,’ he said.
‘Nobody applies sunscreen perfectly uniformly to all exposed skin, and it’s inevitable that we will miss patches of skin.
‘They also frequently under-apply and don’t use the “one teaspoon per body part” rule to ensure you use enough product.
‘So, if you are only applying your sunscreen once a day, you are at risk of spending hours in the sun with little or no protection to those areas of skin that may have been missed or not had enough sun cream applied to them.’
