Effective sun protection and radiant skin can now happily coexist thanks to the new generation of sunscreens. No longer gloopy, greasy and chalky, today’s formulas are just as sensorially pleasing as your favourite skincare and leave behind a barely-there finish – all while protecting your skin from the sun’s harmful rays.
When it comes to the most cutting-edge innovation in suncare, La Roche-Posay is leading the charge. A French pharmacy brand owned by L'Oréal, La Roche-Posay is the #1 dermatologist recommended brand in the UK*. Known for its medical-first approach and formulas suitable for sensitive skin. La Roche-Posay’s Anthelios suncare is particularly noteworthy as it remains the brand’s best-selling franchise and a cult favourite with consumers.
It’s not hard to see why. Both affordable and high-tech, Anthelios is driven by game-changing formulas. These include Anthelios Age Correct, a hybrid product that corrects and protects with an SPF50+. It’s so effective at improving the look of dark spots and boosting skin elasticity, it won a Marie Claire Skin Award. And it’s newest launch on the suncare block: Anthelios UVMUNE 400 SPF50+.
An innovative new filter
Most sunscreens on the market, including the entire Anthelios range, are broad spectrum, which means they protect against UVA and UVB rays. The latter are strongest in summer and cause sunburn. UVA rays, on the other hand, are present all year round and lead to premature ageing. New research by La Roche-Posay has shown that long UVA rays – which make up 30 per cent of the UV spectrum – are able to penetrate deeper than both UVB and shorter UVA rays, causing more significant damage in the form of wrinkles, pigmentation, slack skin and, in extreme cases, skin cancer.
'Anthelios UVMune 400 Invisible Fluid spf50+ from La Roche-Posay now delivers even better protection with the addition of a more superior UVA filter in a lightweight formulation. I recommend my patients wear Anthelios everyday, rain or shine.' - Dr Hiva Fassihi, Consultant Dermatologist
To be amply protected against both UVA and UVB rays, skin experts including Dr Hiva Fassihi, consultant dermatologist for La Roche-Posay, advise wearing a sunscreen of SPF30 or above year-round, even on cloudy days. But La Roche-Posay has also gone one step further and developed a new filter – named Mexoryl 400 – for the new UVMune 400 SPF50+ facial sunscreen. UVMune 400 SPF50+ has the most efficient UV filter against the most penetrative UV rays**.
UVMUNE 400 SPF50+: our verdict
While UVMUNE 400 SPF50+ is a new and improved reformulation of the original Anthelios Invisible Fluid SPF50+ , it still has the same famously lightweight texture and invisible finish, suitable for all skin tones. This being La Roche-Posay, UVMUNE 400 SPF50+ is of course suitable for sensitive skin. But the fact that it dries down to a matte finish also makes it ideal for oilier skin types and for applying makeup over the top.
Simply smooth two teaspoons worth of UVMUNE 400 SPF50+ over the face and neck, or line your index and middle fingers with a strip of sunscreen, which is a simple way to measure out the correct amount you should be applying. Then relax on your sun lounger, safe in the knowledge that the formula is sweat, sand and water resistant, too.
*A+A study of 78 consultant dermatologists Jan-March 2021.
**Ultra-long UVA rays [380-400nm]. UVA causes premature ageing.
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