What Does SPF Mean?
SPF is short for sun protection factor, and the higher the number that follows it, like SPF 50 for example, the more time you may be able to spend in the sun without getting sunburnt from its ultraviolet B (UVB) rays. We’ll cover this in more detail in the next section.
It’s worth noting that there are two types of UV rays that your skin needs protection against, UVA and UVB rays.
Protection against ultraviolet A (UVA) rays is indicated with the letters UVA in a circle, which is the European Union marking determining a level of UVA protection. In the UK you might also see stars on the bottle, with five stars offering the best protection.
If a product can protect you from both UVA and UVB rays, it’s called ‘broad-spectrum’ UV protection.
You should always use an SPF product wherever you are in the world.
