365 Days of SPF Focus: SPF Survey 2.0
On a mission to highlight the importance of daily sun protection in protecting against skin cancer and sun-related premature ageing, Face the Future's 365 Days of SPF campaign educates on the common misconceptions of using SPF. Our latest survey report showcases the UK’s attitudes towards sun safety and protection - from everyday skincare habits, to what influences SPF purchases, to views on sun protection as we age, sharing some both interesting yet concerning insights into the world of sunscreen.
Commissioning an independent YouGov survey of 2,081 people in January 2025, Face the Future hopes to further enhance their understanding of how people in the UK use sunscreen, hoping to encourage year-round SPF use to minimise the prevalence of skin cancer.
Why Is The 365 Days of SPF Campaign Important?
Julia, Director of Face the Future shares: “Previously, we found that from the 40% of the UK who wear SPF, they only buy it to wear when they go on holiday, that almost half of the UK (48%) were not familiar with the symptoms of skin cancer, and that shockingly only 22% of the UK apply SPF at least once daily."
Because of these terrifying results, Face the Future, is once again championing its 365 Days of SPF campaign with an enhanced desire to bring awareness to the masses about the importance of wearing sun protection 365 days of the year.
Julia says, "SPF is the most important step in any skincare routine, which is why we feel that continuing our campaign will help bring further education surrounding UVA/UVB protection to the UK and will hopefully promote a positive change in attitudes towards sun health. We strive to help the public understand how preventable sun damage can be.
As part of our annual campaign, we will be bringing back our ‘Burn the VAT’ initiative from March 2025. This will see Face the Future removing 20% from all products marked as SPF. This will include brands like Heliocare, UltraSun, Medik8, SkinCeuticals, Eucerin, La Roche Posay, and more.
Consumer feedback and sales showed that our 2024 SPF campaign influenced purchasing habits, as SPF sales increased significantly, with over 40,500 units sold in 2024 alone."
Our 2025 365 Days of SPF 2025 Survey Results
Intrigued to see the results of our 2025 SPF survey? We’re sharing a few of the most interesting findings from our survey, and the ones we’ll be focussing on addressing throughout our 2025 365 Days of SPF campaign, encouraging you to wear sunscreen every day, no matter where you are in the world to keep your skin safe and minimise the occurrence of skin cancer.
1. More of the UK prioritise moisturiser (32%) over use of sunscreen (23%) as the most important step in their skincare routine.
Although moisturiser is an important step in your daily skincare routine, minimising dryness and the visible signs of ageing, it does not protect your skin against the harmful effects of UV rays, so it’s important to always use a daily SPF too, alongside your moisturiser to keep your skin healthy, radiant, and safe.
If in doubt, opt for a daily sunscreen infused with hydrating ingredients to not only nourish your skin but also shield it against UVA and UVB rays.
Heliocare 360 Water Gel SPF 50+
Doubling as an effective moisturiser, this Heliocare 360 Water Gel SPF 50+ is a lightweight, water-based gel that absorbs quickly into your skin, providing intense hydration and a barely-there, matte finish.
Formulated with broad-spectrum UV protection and powerful antioxidants, Heliocare 360 Water Gel defends against sun damage, pollution, and free radicals, making it perfect for layering with other skincare and makeup products, ensuring your complexion stays protected, nourished, and radiant.
2. Almost half of the UK (45%) do not apply SPF daily/most days
A shocking statistic that we’re aiming to reduce through our 365 Days of SPF campaign, is that half of the UK population don’t use daily SPF, increasing their exposure to UVA and UVB rays and consequently increasing their chances of skin cancer.
If you find it hard to remember to apply and reapply sunscreen daily, a simple solution is to opt for a moisturiser with added SPF, reducing the number of steps in your daily skincare routine.
La Roche-Posay Mela B3 Moisturiser SPF30 Cream
Safeguarding your skin from UV damage and hyperpigmentation, this La Roche-Posay Mela B3 Moisturiser SPF30 Cream combines powerful sun protection and active ingredients to target dark spots, improve skin texture, and promote a brighter complexion.
Shielding your skin from both UVA and UVB rays, this daily moisturiser reduces the risk of sun-induced ageing and discolouration while providing long-lasting hydration, revealing a more radiant, even-toned complexion.
3. The number one way to encourage daily use of SPF is through SPF included in make-up/skincare products.
Another simple way to introduce sunscreen into your daily skincare routine is by choosing makeup infused with sun protection, minimising the number of steps it takes to keep your skin safe year-round and simplifying your skincare routine.
Kimberely, Head of Clinic at face the Future shares: "Many people in the UK favour wearing SPF daily if it’s in their skincare or make-up products, to create multifunctional use. There are many sophisticated multi-purpose skincare products out there, but what’s key is picking products that have sufficient sun protection of no less than SPF30, broad spectrum protection within."
Ultrasun Face Tinted SPF 50+ Honey
Elevating your daily sun protection routine, this Ultrasun Face Tinted SPF 50+ Honey is a multi-tasking formula that combines superior UV defence with a natural-looking, complexion-enhancing tint, revealing a flawless complexion that’s protected against the harmful effects of UV radiation.
Lightweight and non-greasy, this tinted sunscreen provides broad-spectrum protection against harmful UVA and UVB rays, reducing the risk of sun damage and premature ageing, the fast-absorbing formula making sun protection fast and effortless while keeping your complexion radiant and protected all day long.
4. Almost half of the UK (42%) say that their opinion of SPF has become much more important than when they were younger
Becoming increasingly important to people as they age, it’s important that sunscreen not only shields your skin against the damaging effects of UV rays but also delivers anti-ageing benefits, keeping your skin safe and youthful year-round.
Kimberley shares: "As we age, SPF doesn’t become less important. In fact, many people tend to prioritise SPF more as they age, especially as they become more aware of the long-term effects of sun exposure.
As skin gets thinner and less resilient with age, it becomes more vulnerable to UV damage. When we’re younger, we might not think too much about sun protection, but as we age, the consequences of not using SPF regularly—like wrinkles, age spots, and an increased risk of skin cancer—become more evident.”
That being said, it’s also important to stress the importance of sunscreen to the younger people in your family, starting SPF education from an early age to make it part of the norm when undertaking a daily skincare routine.
La Roche-Posay Anthelios Age Correct SPF 50
Defending your skin against sun damage and ageing, this La Roche-Posay Anthelios Age Correct SPF 50 is a high-performance sunscreen that provides broad-spectrum UV protection while delivering incredible anti-ageing benefits.
Infused with powerful ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and niacinamide, this innovative formula hydrates, smooths, and firms your skin while reducing the appearance of wrinkles and dark spots, the lightweight, non-greasy texture making it an essential addition to your daily skincare routine.
Ultrasun Kids SPF 50+
Ensuring everyone in your family stays protected, this Ultrasun Kids SPF 50+ is specifically designed for children's delicate skin, the advanced, broad-spectrum formula providing superior defence against UVA, UVB, and infrared radiation to minimise the risk of sunburn and long-term skin damage.
5. Only 2% of the UK find influencer recommendations encourage daily SPF wear
With such a lack of encouragement to wear SPF daily, FTF is on a mission to provide frequent education around daily sunscreen, creating SPF-specific blogs, emails, and social content that highlights the importance of sunscreen, sharing the features and benefits of some of our favourite products.
6. 70% of the UK feel that VAT should be removed from SPF products
With the general consensus being that sunscreen should be more affordable, we're once again cutting the VAT from our SPF range, ensuring that wearing sunscreen every day is accessible to everyone.
Julia shares: "We believe that everyone in the UK has the right to sun safety and skin health education. UV ray induced skin cancer and premature ageing can be prevented if action is taken. At Face the Future, we have SPF and suncare products at all price points, to ensure that we remain accessible to everyone.
However, to further support consumers in their choices, as part of the 365 Days of SPF campaign, we will be cutting VAT on all SPF products from March. We hope that this additional 20% saving will encourage UK consumers to begin or continue their SPF journey.”
Shop Sunscreen
High factor sunscreen protection in an intensely hydrating, water-based gel that offers a completely clear finish, making it a great choice for people of colour and delivering protection against UVA, UVB, visible light and infrared-A.
This high protection, ultra light and fast absorbing face fluid is tinted for a warm and natural radiance to the complexion alongside anti ageing active ingredients that restore moisture levels, fight the appearance of lines,...
Reduce the appearance of wrinkles and correct skin with the innovatively powerful La Roche-Posay Anthelios Age Correct SPF 50.
Fast-absorbing and water resistant high sun protection for children and sensitive skin.
Loved learning about our 365 days of SPF campaign and excited to learn more about sunscreen for your particular skin type or concerns? Head to our latest blog, where we share A Winter Sunscreen Guide, ensuring your skin stays safe throughout the year.
