This week is Sun Awareness Week, an initiative launched by the British Association of Dermatology as a way of highlighting the risks associated with excessive sun exposure and how to remain safe in the sun to avoid any long term damage. Given its importance, it got me thinking about how i’ve used suncream over the years and how it went from being a ‘sticky’ ritual that started in my early years, to now and the recognition that using the right products is essential and how it serves as an act of self love….

I was three years old when my Mum discovered my first patch of vitiligo on the back of my hand. Being so young, I didn’t understand what vitiligo was or what it meant, and I certainly wasn’t aware how much it would negatively impact my confidence later in life. Suncream and protecting my young skin was a priority pretty soon after my diagnosis and little did I know I was going to have to treat it like a ‘protective’ best friend from that moment onwards, whenever I was in the sun.

As a young girl, I remember hating the feeling of suncream on my skin. I always remember my Mum packing bottles of Delial SPF 50 suncream in our luggage as we were getting ready for our summer holiday. It was like the most important suitcase essential and I never recall a time when suncream wasn’t part of my daily routine.

My mum was rigorous when it came to suncream, and would apply the first layer of SPF 50 whilst we were still in the hotel room, about 30 minutes before we were due to head to the beach. ‘We need to let it sink thoroughly into your skin’ she’d say as she pasted her hands up and down my little arms, until I could feel the heated friction exchange between us. We’d then head down to the beach and she’d apply another layer of the sticky stuff. It always felt excessive. I hated the texture on my skin because it felt sticky and thick, which meant the sand would uncomfortably stick to my skin if I moved off too quickly. I’d watch the other kids splashing around in the water whilst I had to sit and wait for the cream to settle and the white residue, to fade.

As I got older, I started to learn more about vitiligo and how my skin, without melanin, had no natural defence against the sun. I realised this wasn’t about vanity or comfort, it was about protection. But still, I resisted. There was a part of me that resented how much attention I had to pay to something other people seemed to take for granted.

During my teenage years, when my confidence was fragile and there was so much pressure on appearance and how you looked, suncream became both a burden and a blessing. I wanted a ‘golden glow’ like all my friends. I wanted to lie on the grass in short sleeves and a t-shirt without thinking about covering my skin. But I also didn’t want to burn. I didn’t want to explain the patches on my skin to strangers, especially when they got darker. I didn’t want more stares.

But something shifted as I grew into myself. As I started to embrace my skin I realised suncream didn’t have to be a chore. It was a quiet act of self-love because I was making a long-term investment in protecting my skin against future damage. The more I learned about skincare, SPF, and sun safety, the more I realised I wasn’t protecting my skin because it was flawed, I was protecting it because it was precious, something everyone should be doing, with or without vitiligo.

Now, as someone in my early 40’s, suncream is part of my daily ritual. I invest in formulas that feel good, smell good, and make me feel confident. I look for high SPFs, broad spectrum protection, and brands that understand sensitive skin. Whenever I’m on holiday I carry suncream in my bag and feel completely content whipping it out my bag and applying an extra layer when I need to. It’s quick, effective and reminds me of the importance of looking after yourself.

Sun protection products have come evolved immensely since I was a little girl. Back then most sunscreens focused on UVB protection, whereas now sunscreens have a broad spectrum, offering protection against both UVA and UVB rays. This is because there has been an increased awareness of the long-term damage UVA can cause. In addition, formulas have improved, safer and more transparent ingredients are now used, and more and more products are approved by Dermatologists.

My relationship with suncream has evolved alongside my relationship with myself. From the early days of resistance to the present moment of respect, I’ve learned that protecting my skin is not a chore, it’s an act of care. For the skin I once wanted to hide to the skin I now celebrate…

If you would like to follow more of my journey, you can find me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/gifted_skin/