I second that. Apparently the way they work out factor ratings and how long they protect you is like this: (here comes the science bit )

The SPF number multiplies how long you can stay in the sun without burning; i.e., if you normally burn after 10 minutes in the sun (like me ), then using SPF 30 will give you 10 mins x30 before burning, or in other words 300 minutes (4 and a half hours) , assuming other factors are constant such as it not getting washed off by swimming (in which case, re-apply and start the 'clock' again).

Therefore, if you only apply SPF 4, say, you'll only be protected for 10mins x4, or 40 minutes, before needing to re-apply or start bubbling .

Or something like that.

Did any of that make sense?! (Clear as mud...... )

I was under the impression that when skin went brown, that was the result of 'burning'. So how will you get brown with a factor 30 if it protects you from 'burning', how do the rays penetrate the cream to give you a tan?
Am I being totally thick here? Won't be offended by your replies.
Can I just add though, that I always protect the kids with a factor 40 as I'm paranoid about them burning. Don't care about me or hubby burning!
He goes brown almost immediately, which just hacks me off even more.

I am going to Luxor in first week of November. What factor do you think I should use?

I am only going to be putting it on my legs ( from knees down ) and arms and face ( rest of the wobbly bits will be undercover )

I have dark hair and tan quick-ish, well on the bits I dare to show without alearting Greenpeace or the like!!

I will be using my sun factor with Zhush, which is making me look not bad so far

Be careful, you can burn through clothing

If you know the sun index you times this by the factor you are using and this is the time you can spend in the sun without burning.The weatherman on my local TV gives the sun index when it is needed.In high summer even here in England the sun index can be 2-4 so if you are useing say factor 20 you can stay in the sun for between 40-80 minutes before re-applying the sun protection..If useing only 8 factor the time is reduced to 16-24 minutes.The further south you go the stength of the sun is much stronger so a high factor is a must if you dont want to burn and cause sun damage.

Burning your skin eg, sunburn and going red, peel then go brown, i'm afraid the damage to your skin has already been done thus you could potentially create cancer moles etc. This is what could happen on low factors with the British because normally unless you have olive skin, we are mostly white before we go.

I am no different to many of you....I wore low factors and ambro solaire oil and baked in Cyprus in 96 and i was really sore. Again in California i caught sun stroke and was ill for a couple of days, again low factors.

What changed my mind is when i went back to Cyprus a few years ago, a lady was sunbathing on the beach, she was on our flight and was very dark brown. I asked her how come she was that colour. She said everywhere she goes, she wear factor 30. At first the first few days you do not notice anything, then all of a sudden you go a natural not forced beautiful brown that lasts.
Unless its a total sun block, you will always go brown.

Trust me you will go brown without burning and causing skin damage.

AH this is where our difference of opion is d.t i'm olive skinned to start with ,but i can see where your coming from

We saw a lot of italians on the beach on factor 2.

On first looking at them, i thought they must be on the beach sunbathing all day every day because of their colour, and olive skin.

But i was wrong, Italians have dark skin to start with, so we think they are not going red on factor 2, but how can we tell because they are dark? The fact is they do go red but on top of their normal dark brown(natural colour) thus still wearing crems/oils etc.

Afro caribbeans always wear sun protection - why when they are born dark? because they still burn.

If you are concerned any of you that you are not brown enough, buy a water proof watch and check it daily when you take it off - you will see how brown you go
Or check your 'white' bits

what white bits ,only packing a posing thong

Check the thin lines then

we went to taba last august the kids wore factor 50 and me and hubi wore factor 30 for the first time ever
the temp was between 45 and 50 every day and it is the first hol none of us have burned i think it is down to having respect for the heat, we usually go to greece in sept and im usually worried about not having a tan so tend not to wear enough cream or not apply regular enough, but because it was so hot in egypt you are genuinly frighted to go outside without the cream and your always re applying, the kids also wore upv swim tops which were a great buy.

I was planning on getting new Piz Buin f30 once a day (is supposed to be waterproof ) then "topping up" with normal F25 often during day - is this just a waste of money ? worry cos kids dont dry properly when reapplying and I thinks as soon as back in pool it will wash most of it off - have also got kids F50 roll on for faces, ears etc.

Does anyone know what duty free prices like for sun lotion/milk (airport and/or plane) and what they actually offer in Egypt (well known brands) and prices there compared to here ?

To be honest I wear a lower factor in Egypt, just because I cant actually lie in the sun and sunbathe.. the sun is so hot and so fearce! I wear probably factor 20, float for around five/ten minutes on my lilo, once an hour, in the pool/sea, and come back with a lovely suntan.

The moral of the story is NOT to burn... apart from it ageing your skin, you have to go through the abstaining of being in the sun, the peeling etc before you can go back into the sun again. So if you can actually bear sunbathing in that summer heat, I would wear 30 or above. Just be careful!

If you wear a once a day sun cream, ie; P20, Ultrasun, Piz Buin once a day, you are best to stick to that throughout the day.
I made the mistake of using P20 last year in Turkey and then applying 'normal' sun cream later on in the day. I burnt to a crisp. Where as all week I had been fine on only one application of P20.
As soon as you put a different one on the top, it takes off the once a day protection you applied first.
If you feel it's too hot for just one application of once a day, then apply it throughout the day.

Hope this helps.
Emma

hi well well we are back and very nicely tanned after our week in sharm many thanks for all the advice on which factor to use as promised we would let you know well we used factor 25 all week ambre sol milk as recommended on this site and we got a great tan and didnt burn once will def be using it again when we go back to egypt in july again many thanks jill and jenny . ps any advice on the hurgada resort thinking of trying there next time

Hi Jill and welcome back.

Sharm has a sun milk that we started using a few years back that you can get from any super market, it was fairly reasonable in price and was in a orange bottle. It had high factors as well.it was very similar to A/S

But i used Ambro Solaire when i went to italy and it was lovely, the milk tans you quicker it seemed that greasy cream.

It is a tad dearer but you can get offers on if looking in shops sometimes.

Michelle x

Hi - re the Piz Buin once a day cream, my daughter and I used that in Egypt and were fine. Bought some more yesterday. as we're going back to Hurghada in June. Boots have a buy one get one free on Piz Buin products at moment. Also Bouys (discount shop) sell the single dose sachets (really useful to take around) at around 2.99 for 8 sachets - the fraction of the cost elsewhere.

Thanks for tip on Boots offer ! will get down there quick and stock up !

hi caro i see you are going back to hurgada how does it compare to sharm we are thinking of going in july also can you recommend any good on the beach hotels for me and hubby he likes to snorkel but i just like to paddle ive been looking at the sunrise resort it has its own lagoon ever heard of it ? many thanks jill