What Is SPF? The Benefits of UVA/UVB Protection in Skincare

If gorgeously glowing, dewy looking skin is on your wish list, then a skincare routine enriched with SPF is an absolute must!

What Is SPF?

SPF is a number that shows how much UVB radiation it would take to begin burning and reddening skin when a sunscreen is used properly.

It’s important to note the SPF number does not indicate the time you spend under the sun. And SPF isn’t a perfect number; there are considerable other factors that affect how quickly you can burn: your skin type, whether you’re inside or outside, the intensity of the sun while you’re out (affected mostly by time of day and location), as well as how much and how often you apply your SPF product.

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What Does SPF Stand For?

SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor.

Do I Need SPF Every Day?

Yes! Even if it’s cloudy, raining, or you’re indoors, your skin is vulnerable to UV radiation, especially since UVA rays can penetrate through clouds and windows.

The Benefits of SPF

Simply put, experts all agree that SPF is extremely important to help minimize or prevent sunburns, and most recommend using SPF 15 or above to help protect against the sun’s harmful rays. On top of that, SPF is great in helping fight signs of aging and keeping your skin looking youthful.

Particularly when you’re outdoors, your skin is immediately exposed to a multitude of external environmental aggressors, notably air pollution and UVA & UVB rays. Sunlight is one of the most damaging, with overexposure likely to contribute to fine lines and wrinkles, reduction in the appearance of skin’s elasticity, uneven tone, enlarged pores and loss of a youthful, radiant appearance.

When skin is exposed in this way, unstable molecules are generated within the skin, known as free radicals, start to affect the skin’s natural protective barrier, in turn breaking down the substances in skin that are responsible for keeping the skin hydrated, supple and beautiful looking.

Daily application of skincare with SPF will help ensure your skin gets wrapped in nourishing, hydrating protection so it remains healthy-looking and beautiful!

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UVA/UVB Protection: The Difference

When choosing a skincare product with SPF, look out for one that offers broad-spectrum protection—this means it protects against both UVA and UVB rays.

Within the UV spectrum, there are two types of rays that can negatively affect your skin: UVA and UVB.

• UVB rays are the ones that cause sunburns and reddening

• UVA rays are the ones primarily responsible for the visible signs of aging, such as wrinkles, dark spots, and sagging (although UVA rays can also play a role in burning and tanning as well).



THE ONE SPF FOR EVERYONE, EVERYWHERE! Invisible UV Flawless Poreless Primer SPF 50

Charlotte's Invisible UV Flawless Poreless Primer with SPF 50 PA++++ PROTECTS, SUPERCHARGES & PRIMES your skin EVERY DAY!

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This is the ultimate soft-focus BEAUTY GLOW PRIMER that gives you daily UVA/UVB defence with SPF 50; SHIELDS the skin from the impacts of modern life and urban pollution, and delivers CLINICALLY PROVEN results with an INSTANT FLAWLESS, PORELESS LOOKING, INVISIBLE FINISH.

"I wanted it to work for every skin tone and type: NO FLASHBACK or ashiness on deep skins; no HEAVY STICKINESS on oily skins; all while delivering advanced results optimising makeup application for a flawless, poreless, youthful look and feel". - Charlotte Tilbury

CHARLOTTE’S SPF 50 PRIMER not only protects your skin from UVA/B rays and damaging urban pollution with the power of SPF 50 and CITYSTEM™, it also deeply HYDRATES with Hyaluronic Acid, SMOOTHS with COLLALIFT™18 and BLURS and FILTERS the look of skin with Airbrush Polymers for a FLAWLESS PORELESS LOOKING canvas for makeup!

This is the ESSENTIAL final step in your morning skincare routine and first step in your makeup routine!

Charlotte's Magic Moisturisers With SPF

Within your morning skincare routine, the more SPF, the better! So before applying the Invisible UV Flawless Poreless Primer with SPF 50, LAYER the PROTECTION by applying one of Charlotte's MAGIC MOISTURISERS WITH SPF!

  1. Two face creams, one with its lid on and the other without, in white-coloured bottles with pump dispensers.

    CHARLOTTE'S MAGIC CREAM LIGHT WITH SPF 20

    Charlotte’s Magic Cream Light with SPF 20 is a magic, research-powered LIGHT-TEXTURED moisturiser that provides hydration and protection! It not only contains a combination of UVA and UVB sun filters to help protect the skin against the harmful effects of the sun, but it also amps up the protection of the skin with CITYSTEM™, a powerful Urban Pollution Defence matrix that neutralizes aggressors and helps prevent pollution particles from adhering to and penetrating the skin with visible results and RADICARE™ GOLD, the ultimate shield against blue light that emits from laptops, smartphones, tablets, and a large portion of blue light exposure comes from the sun itself. This means your skin is helped in its defense against both visible and invisible pollution, digital blue light, UVA and UVB rays!

    In addition to fighting environmental aggressors, Magic Cream Light harnesses the brilliance of REPLEXIUM™, a breakthrough peptide blend that reduces the appearance of wrinkles and unveils firmer-looking skin, CRAMBE SEED OIL, which helps keep skin feeling moist, smooth and supple, and COCONUT ALKANES to provide a lightweight, supple stretch across the skin.

    Shop Charlotte's Magic Cream Light moisturiser with SPF 20

  2. Thick, pearly-white cream in an open glass jar with its rose-gold-coloured lid next to it on crystal-clear water with rose petals floating around.

    CHARLOTTE'S MAGIC CREAM WITH SPF 15

    Charlotte's BEST-SELLING, AWARD-WINNING moisturiser, Charlotte's Magic Cream, is loved by supermodels and celebrities across the globe! Enriched with a magic matrix of skincare ingredients including Hyaluronic Acid, BioNymph Peptide and Vitamins C & E, the research-powered formula also provides SPF 15 for skin that's FLOODED in moisture, hydration and protection!

    Shop Charlotte's Magic Cream moisturiser with SPF 15

REPLEXIUM™️ is a trademark of BASF Beauty Care Solution

CITYSTEM™️ is a trademark of SEDERMA.

RADICARE™-GOLD is a trademark of RAHN AG

COLLALIFT™️ is a trademark of BASF Beauty Care Solutions France

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Author Details

Charlotte Tilbury

Founder, President, Chairman and Chief Creative Officer of Charlotte Tilbury Beauty

With over 30 years experience, Charlotte Tilbury MBE is the world's number 1 makeup artist and British beauty entrepreneur. Charlotte established Charlotte Tilbury Beauty in 2013, which is now a record-breaking beauty brand that has won over 400 awards.