Because the clouds aren’t protecting you babe.
Let’s be honest. When you picture SPF, you picture Ibiza with its 30-degree heat, white sand, and someone handing you a drink with an umbrella in it. You don’t picture Glasgow in May, where it’s 10 degrees and you’re wearing a coat you thought you’d retired two months ago.
And yet, here we are.Â
Here’s the thing about UV rays: they don’t care about your weather app. UVA rays – the ones responsible for premature ageing, hyperpigmentation, and long-term skin damage are present all year round. On cloudy days,cold days, and those grey, drizzly days Scotland specialises in. They pass through clouds, through windows, through your reasonable assumption that the sun isn’t really “out.”Â
And this isn’t just skincare influencer talk. Research published in the Journal of Investigative Molecular Sciences confirms that UVA1 wavelengths maintain relatively constant levels all year round and penetrate all layers of the skin, triggering the processes that lead to hyperpigmentation and photoageing.
Scotland actually has higher UV levels than most people realise, particularly between April and September. You don’t need to be sweating to get sun damage, you just need to be outside.Â
Why do we skip it?
Partly due to habit. SPF feels like a summer product, and it’s been marketed to us that way for decades. Partly because old SPF formulas were grim – thick, white, greasy, and guaranteed to make you look like you’d rubbed a candle on your face. And partly because when it’s cold and miserable, protecting your skin from the sun feels genuinely absurd.
But modern SPF has come a long way. There are lightweight serums that absorb instantly, tinted formulas that double as a base, SPF-infused moisturisers that add zero extra steps to your routine. There is no reason it can’t become part of what you do every morning, after your moisturiser and before your makeup.
What to actually use
Dermatologists recommend at least SPF 30 for daily use, SPF 50 if you’re spending extended time outdoors. Look for broad-spectrum protection, which means it covers both UVA and UVB rays.Â
Some favourites of mine that work well under makeup and don’t leave a white cast:
La Roche-Posay Anthelios UV Mist – a fine mist formula that layers nicely over makeup making it great for reapplication throughout the day
Altruist SPF 50 – incredibly affordable and widely available
Bondi Sands SPF 50 Face Sunscreen Fluid – a lighter, fluid texture that sinks in quickly and sits well under foundation
Bondi Sands SPF 50 Fragrance Free Sunscreen Spray – a no fuss, on-the-go option with a spray format that makes reapplication throughout the day genuinely effortless
The bottom line
You don’t need sunshine to need sunscreen. You just need skin, and you’ve got that covered.Â
Scotland might not give us much in the way of reliable summers, but it does give us UV exposure year-round, whether we like it or not. Two minutes in the morning is all it takes.
Slap it on, your future self will thank you.