SPF: The Surprising Skincare Step That Could Save Your Skin

The UK picture, in numbers:

• Record cases: Cancer Research UK projects around 20,800 melanoma diagnoses in 2024, up nearly a third in the past decade. About 9 in 10 melanomas are linked to excess UV from the sun or sunbeds, meaning most cases are preventable. 
• A long-term surge: UK melanoma incidence has risen 147% since the early 1990s. 
• Deaths are still significant: There are 2,500 melanoma deaths per year (2021–2023 average) progress is real, but prevention still matters.
• Non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSC) are widespread: They’re the most common cancers in the UK, and incidence rates have increased 169% since the early 1990s. (NMSC is historically undercounted, but the trend is clear.)
• Sunbeds aren’t safe: The WHO’s cancer agency (IARC) classifies UV emitting tanning devices as carcinogenic to humans with the same risk category as tobacco and asbestos. 

Bottom line: more UV exposure means more skin cancers. The good news is that Daily protection works

Why formulation is everything (and how I built Synergy 6 to be truly wearable)

Labels tell you the SPF number and if it protects from UVA and UVB however the formulation decides whether you’ll apply enough and keep coming back to it. I wanted a multi-tasking, hard-working product that protected against the major ageing pressures, I designed it to suit all skin types oily, dry, normal and sensitive. It needed to sit well under make up and not be sticky or irritating. That meant engineering the whole system so it was workable and wearable.

• I use encapsulated chemical filters alongside mineral filters. Encapsulation tucks UV actives inside microscopic carriers called liposomes, helping reduce direct skin contact and improve photostability. These are useful if you’re reactive. Mineral zinc oxide/titanium dioxide add instant, reliable broad-spectrum cover. The result is high protection with a comfortable, elegant finish (less sting, less chalk).
• Certain skin tones are prone to visible-light-driven pigmentation, so a subtle iron-oxide tint helps attenuate blue/visible light. City life adds pollution too that can make skin sensitive and susceptible to hyperpigmentation and inflammation, our breathable EXO-P pollution shield helps limit particle adhesion one reason I always say wash your SPF off at night. Heat and IR-A can fan redness, photoageing and pigmentation so I layer antioxidants and thermal-buffering actives for even more protection.
• The product feels so nice to wear that compliance is easy. I use peptides and moisturisers to keep the texture flexible and make-up friendly. This is protection you barely feel but your skin notices.

That’s why Synergy 6 has become a clinic favourite in the UK and across the Mexican aesthetics and dermatology community: patients actually finish the tube and repurchase it because they enjoy wearing it.

How to get the most from any SPF (simple, NHS-style habits)

• Use enough. About 6–8 teaspoons for the body; 2–3 finger-lengths for face/neck/chest if they’re exposed.
• Reapply. Every 2 hours in sunshine (and after sweating, swimming or towel-drying).
• Don’t rely on SPF alone. Real-life compliance is also the shady side of the street, sitting with your back to the sun at a BBQ, laying under an umbrella on holiday and also a hat and sunglasses for extra protection. In the UK, look for at least an SPF 30+ with strong UVA and UVB protection. 
• Important: This is general information, not medical advice. If you have a history of skin cancer, notice unusual moles or persistent skin changes, please speak to your GP or a dermatologist promptly.

^{Sources (selected)}

• ^{Cancer Research UK: Projected 2024 melanoma cases (20,800); ~90% preventable. Cancer Research UK - Cancer News}
• ^{Cancer Research UK: Melanoma incidence up ~147% since early 1990s. Cancer Research UK}
• ^{Cancer Research UK: ~2,500 melanoma deaths per year (2021–2023). Cancer Research UK}
• ^{Cancer Research UK: NMSC incidence up ~169% since early 1990s. Cancer Research UK}
• ^{NHS & BAD: Broad spectrum, UVA star system, UVA in circle mark, application amounts. nhs.uk+1}
• ^{Peer reviewed evidence on encapsulation (reduced penetration/irritation potential; improved stability). MDPI+1}
• ^{Evidence for iron oxides/tinted SPF against visible light. JAAD+1}
• ^{Reviews on pollution and IR/thermal effects on skin. SpringerLink+2jidonline.org+2}