Sorting out your sun protection for your holiday (or the two days of summer we get here- not bitter at all) can become pricey. Yes, there are budget brands on the market, but I've yet to find one of these with more than a three star UVA protection (UVA= the nasty aging rays). The brands with five star UVA protection all tend to cost around £15 a bottle. For a family of four on a two week holiday... urgh I dread to think of the cost.
That being said, I always insist on having decent sun-lotion. And so I was pleasantly surprised when I came across the Aldi Lacura range. The whole range boasts a five star UVA rating, comes in a variety of formulations across an SPF range of 15-50 and (drumroll please) all come in at under £3!
As we were going on holiday to Florida, and being the pale Scots we are, we wanted to go for SPF50. There are no 'adult' versions of the SPF50 products, so we just bought the ones marketed for kids.
If that gorgeous suncream scent is a must on your list then you will be a bit disappointed by these as both the spray and lotion smell distinctly alcohol-y. I was worried that this would dry out my skin as well as make me smell like a brewery, but it seems to evaporate upon application and no scent remains. The spray is marketed for sensitive skin, and I certainly had no ill effects, but neither my boyfriend or I have sensitive skin.
Being factor 50, I was pleasantly surprised that the lotion isn't overly thick, is easily absorbed and doesn't leave a tell-tale ghost-like sheen. The spray is in the same boat, and has the advantage that it can be used upside-down, making application easy-peasy. As with every other suncream, apply before going into the sun, and re-apply regularly. Protection is on par with any other factor 50 I've tried, and we managed to successfully avoid being those burnt British tourists on holiday! Knowing Scotland, I probably won't need such a high factor during the summer, but I'll definitely be stocking up on some SPF30 from the range!
At £2.79 each (for 200ml spray and 150ml lotion), these are my new must-have for sun protection. The range performs just as well as brands I've tried which are double/triple/quadruple the price, leaving spare pennies for other important holiday purchases...
