I am truly terrible at reapplying my SPF—this protective mist takes the hard work out of topping up

I never skip applying facial sunscreen to my face. I wear it every single day without fail. However, like so many, when it comes to reapplying it later on in the day, I’m a lot less reliable. I am fully aware that experts advise topping up sun protection every couple of hours, but if I’m honest, it’s not very often that I remember to do it.

I know I’m not the only one. A quick survey of my friends and colleagues revealed that I'm not alone in this. Most of them told me that they are strict with application during their early morning routine, but then tend to go all day without any top-ups. For me, there are two reasons that it doesn't end up happening: being busy and not thinking about it, and worrying that reapplication will disrupt my make-up. What I need is an SPF to apply over make-up.

Recently, I have found some handy products that make reapplying easier. Naked Sundays CobanaGlow Mineral Serum Drops is wonderfully light and sits over my make-up without any drama, and Garnier Ambre Solaire Over Makeup Super UV Mist SPF50+ is a total classic and is often stashed in my handbag. I like both, but I still found the whole reapplication process a bit hit and miss.

I decided to give Ultra Violette Preen Screen SPF50 Reapplication Mist—a product designed specifically for on-the-go top-ups—a try. The spray contains SPF50 and broad spectrum, which means it protects from both UVA and UVB rays. As well as offering high protection, this mist also contains an impressive line-up of skincare ingredients to care for your complexion while you wear it. Vitamin E, bisabolol, niacinamide and aloe vera work together to tackle a range of issues, including excess oils, visible pores and redness to leave your face looking and feeling better after each spritz.

I set myself a challenge to use it for a full two weeks and see if it could be enough to make me more reliable with my later-in-the-day SPF. Here are my honest thoughts…

Preen Screen comes in a 75ml bottle (I was instantly a fan of the playful navy and hot pink packaging), which comes with a pump spray applicator rather than an aerosol mist, which is a big tick. The instructions recommend applying in an ‘X’ and a ‘T’ shape over your face, and it’s designed to be spritzed onto a fresh complexion, after skincare or over make-up without any worries.

I find that just three or four sprays are enough to cover my face and neck. For the first few seconds, it feels a little wet on skin like a traditional refreshing face mist, but it quickly absorbs, without any stickiness. It's completely sheer, so it doesn’t mess up my blusher or eyeliner, and it works well to disappear while leaving my complexion looking a little fresher and dewy.

I applied each morning before leaving the house, and then stashed it in my handbag while I was out and about. During the first few days, I set a reminder on my phone, which helped. Misting it over my face was a total doddle while I was getting on with my day. The pump spray applies just the right amount of product and directly to my face rather than a big cloud of mist, so I could use it pretty discreetly in a coffee shop or even on the bus without feeling self-conscious. I like how well it settled and left my make-up completely undisturbed, but at the same time, gave my skin a midday refresh. It feels like a lot like a hydrating face mist combined with a make-up setting spray, with the added bonus of SPF.

The only very minor issue I had with this facial SPF is the scent. When you first spritz it there's a classic chemical-ly suncream aroma that I found a little bit off-putting, but thankfully, once it dries down the smell disappears completely and doesn't linger.

I have been trying to use this spray as regularly as possible, and although I will admit there were a few times that I missed a few reapplications, it was always down to simply forgetting or getting distracted rather than disliking the product. I enjoyed using this mist, and it's by far one of the most straightforward ways that I have found to top-up.

I can’t promise that my afternoon sun protection routine will be perfect this summer, but it's definitely going to be easier now I have this cheery bottle in my bag.