Popping up on Instagram with its aesthetic packaging, Hello Sunday’s SPF products were a must to try! Being a fairly new brand to the market, the brand’s impressive array of products soon swooped me in. I’ve always found it difficult to come across an SPF that I LOVE and always go back to, so the high hopes were there for Hello Sunday…
Hello Sunday: The Brand
Hello Sunday aims to change the way we wear and perceive SPF for the better, as well as being ‘stylish’ and ‘efficacious’ – this is what appealed to me initially. Previous SPF products I have used tend to have the typical holiday feel which can imply they are only to be used abroad – which is not true. And who wouldn’t want something pretty looking on their shelf all year round? – Brownie points for this consideration!
When reading up on the Hello Sunday site, there were many ethical claims. Being vegan and cruelty free, sea life friendly and claiming to be sustainable, everything was looking positive from the initial outlook. I was hopeful these impressive claims matched up to how the products performed.
Importance of SPF
Why is SPF so important? Sun protection factor protects your skin from UV rays – once the skin is damaged, it’s irreversible. Skin damage can increase your chances of skin cancer, as well as skin ageing and wrinkles. The sooner you start wearing SPF – daily might I add – the better. We only get one set of skin, so if you aren’t wearing it regularly, start doing so!
Previous Experiences with SPF
As said, I have not had much luck in finding an SPF I adore. I’ve often found that some SPFs have a greasy consistency, don’t sit so nicely on the skin or simply do not do their job. Also, annoyingly have disrupted my makeup application and caused a bit of slip and slide – not cute. These were the main concerns I took into account when I tested out Hello Sunday’s products. I wanted to find an SPF product/s convenient for daily use and that I could rely on.
The DEETS
- Vegan & Cruelty Free
- Formulations free from Oxybenzone, Octinoxate and Benzophenone
- Sea friendly
- Single Products Price Range: £5 – £20
- Gift Sets Price Range: £36 – £49
Products Reviewed
Below are the products I tested out – I purchased the set, The one for all over. Originally, this set retails for £49, yet had been reduced to £40. I also received a 10% discount since I was a new customer, so was £36 minus P&P.
Here are my thoughts on each product…
The one for your hands
Buy Hello Sunday: The one for your hands – Hand Cream SPF 30 – £8.00
First, I need to say how much I love the scent of this and ‘the essential one’ – no typical sun cream smell here! It’s subtle, minty, and slightly masculine – which I love not being the biggest fan of sweet-smelling perfume.
This nifty tube of SPF hand cream could be slotted perfectly in my handbag and whipped out easily throughout the day. It left my hands moisturised and non-greasy – BIG thumbs up! And of course, left a gorgeous lingering scent. Being someone who has slightly drier hands, this product kept my skin hydrated whilst protecting them from the rays – woo!
The essential one
Buy Hello Sunday: The essential one – Body Lotion SPF 30 – £16.00
Again – the SCENT!
The high hopes were there for this product because this one was the real deal – the full SPF shebang. I really didn’t want to apply the product and feel all sticky and gross – flashback to applying plaster-like sun cream by the beach *internal scream*.
Conveniently, the day I tested the lotion out for the first time was on a VERY hot day in June. On a sunny Sunday, I sat outside in my garden feeling a bit worse for wear from the night before and applied a generous layer of the SPF. In my slightly fragile state, I fell asleep in an instant. As soon as I woke up, panic struck – lobster! Fortunately, was soon relieved when I spotted the pretty tube on the floor. And no, I wasn’t the slightest bit lobster or pink. I am certainly not an advocate of falling asleep in the sun – you could do some real damage to your skin. However, it showed that the SPF lotion does do its job!
When I first applied the lotion, I was expecting it to be a thick consistency that would take 3-5 business days to rub in – oh how I was wrong. The lotion was effortless to apply and sunk into my skin like a dream! It also gave my skin a slight glow which I was NOT complaining about.
The only downfall I experienced with this product is when it came to re-applying another layer – there was some slight greasiness. Yet, this was with two generous layers, so it might have been expected.
The one for your lips
Buy Hello Sunday: The one for your lips – Lip Balm SPF 50 – £5.00
Officially a staple in my makeup bag – this lip balm is amazing!
I often forget that your lips too need to be protected with SPF. Being someone who isn’t as familiar with a liquid-based lip balm, I was concerned the texture was going to be quite gloopy and sticky. However, this was not the case. My lips felt super moisturised, almost like there was a protective layer over them. The smell and taste of the balm too I thought was lovely, nothing too overpowering which you might get sick of.
There is something really luxurious feeling about this product – it feels more than your standard lip balm. Retailing at only £5, I would say it is a definite must-have for your kit.
The one that’s got it all
Buy Hello Sunday: The one that’s got it all – Sun Primer SPF 50 – £20.00
At first, an SPF-based face primer seemed revolutionary to me. Allowing protection from UVA/UVB rays, pollution and blue light as a base for your makeup application, pure genius!
The primer is a silicone-like texture, so was familiar with other primers I had used. I loved this as it made it seem and feel just like regular primer, nothing too thick or with a white cast. And best of all, had all of the added benefits!
I applied the primer to my face after using my regular moisturiser. The warmth from my hands and face allowed the product to melt in easily, prepping my base to then apply my makeup. Despite being silicone-based, the primer felt so nice and lightweight on my skin. My makeup stayed in place all day and there was no slip and slide action – yay!
Final Thoughts
Overall, I am so impressed with Hello Sunday. I feel each product performed well and more. Particularly, I like their range of products to suit different SPF needs, some completely new to me! The products I put to the test were just a few from their collection, so I would be certainly interested in trying more – review part two?
The only downfall I have come up with is the accessibility of purchasing the products. As it stands, you are only able to purchase HS from their own website or other online beauty retailers. And no, this is definitely not a huge negative, but it is something to consider if you are in need of an SPF in an instant or not a fan of paying extra for P&P. However, with Hello Sunday still being a fairly new brand, what’s to say they won’t be branching out in our high street stores soon!
Suitable for Students?
I would definitely recommend Hello Sunday’s SPF products to students! Despite being slightly higher in price than what you would find in your local Boots or Superdrug, I believe that HS’s products have a far more unique and specialised feel to them. They look super cute, smell great and are reliable for everyday use – I’m not sure what else you would need!
To save some of your pennies, purchasing a sun care set – opposed to a single product – is a way of reducing costs. They also have a ‘Cloud 9’ scheme on their website where you gain points with every purchase and receive freebies – save your coin!
Hello Sunday Site: https://www.hellosundayspf.com
Beauty Bay: https://www.beautybay.com/l/hellosunday/
Cult Beauty: https://www.cultbeauty.co.uk/hello-sunday
