Consultant Dermatologist Dr. Niki Ralph shares her top tips for sun smart behaviour this year.

1. Apply sunscreen every single day: The sun emits harmful UV rays year-round. Even on cloudy days, up to 80 percent of the sun’s harmful UV rays can penetrate the skin. As a result, sunscreen should be worn every day, even in cloudy Irish weather.

2. Seek shade: Get into the habit of checking the UV index, which measures the UV radiation levels, daily and gives an indication of the potential risk for skin damage. Just because the temperature isn’t reaching the early 20’s, it doesn’t mean that you aren’t at risk of a high UV exposure.

3. Cover up: Wear light clothing with a collar or a light scarf to protect the back of your neck, your back and shoulders when out and about. In hot sun, a wide brimmed hat will offer protection for face, neck and ears.

4. Sun-safe babies: Because infants’ skin is so sensitive, it’s better in the first six months to limit their exposure to the sun as much as possible. Once your baby reaches 6 months of age, choose a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen that offers a minimum sun protection factor (SPF) of 50.

5. Keep it handy: Just like your keys, phone, wallet and sunglasses, a travel size SPF should also be on your checklist when leaving the house for the day. La Roche-Posay Anthelios Ultra-Light Invisible Fluid SPF 50+ is the perfect travel partner at 50ml.

6. Be comfortable in your own skin: Everybody is different, and we all have different sun tolerance levels. Know what skin type you have and use sun care products that are right for you. Oily skin can be particularly affected by some sunscreens, clogging pores, producing excess sebum and result in breakouts. New Anthelios Anti-Imperfections SPF 50+ is specifically designed for oily skin.