Though we all love it when the sun comes out, worries about skin cancer and wrinkles can quickly wipe the smile off most women’s faces.

That’s why cosmetics containing sun protection (SPF) have become the must-have for many beauty brands.

This is partly because there’s increasing awareness of just how large a role sun damage plays in the skin-ageing process, leading women to want protection not just on the beach, but all the time. But it’s also because the rise of multi-tasking make-up, such as BB creams and CC creams, that combine the coverage of make-up with the benefits of skincare, has led to us demanding far more from our make-up.

Claire Coleman experiments with make-up containing SPF - and finds that only wearing suncream will give you the protection that you need

Claire with a bare face. The blue parts show the parts of the skin that aren't protected from the sun

Such is the popularity of SPF cosmetics that sales of well-known sun protection products have in recent years dropped as more women rely on their make-up to do the job instead. But do the products really work? Is it safe enough?

Here, I put SPF-containing cosmetics to the test, using images taken with a high-tech Schuco UV camera that show exactly how much UVA light is reaching the skin.

UVA light doesn’t burn, but causes invisible damage that results in premature skin ageing and increased risk of cancer.

Lighter skin, or light patches, in these pictures indicate poor levels of protection. The darker the skin in the picture, the better protected the skin.

We then asked Dr Sam Bunting, a cosmetic dermatologist based in London’s Harley Street, to evaluate the results.

PRIMER: SPF 20

It would be difficult to apply Smashbox's SPF 20 primer in a large enough amount to adequately protect your face from the sun

Primers, used after skincare and before make-up to create a smooth, long-lasting base, increasingly offer other benefits including sun protection.

I applied a thin layer of Smashbox’s Photo Finish Foundation Primer SPF 20 (£28) all over my face. A little goes a long way, which, as the picture shows, means that even though I’m getting a bit of protection, I haven’t applied nearly enough to get the SPF 20 it claims.

‘The protection offered by a product is calculated based on applying two milligrams for each square centimetre of skin,’ says Dr Bunting.

‘To get the level of protection stated on the tube, you would need to apply half a teaspoonful.’

If this is the only sun protection you’re getting, it’s simply not enough.

0/5

MOISTURISER: SPF 10

It's clear that this moisturiser with SPF isn't protecting enough of Claire's face. SPF 10 is below the minimum most dermatologists would recommend

Usually I skip moisturiser and use a high factor sun cream instead.

While some sun creams could double as moisturiser and primer, you may prefer to use a primer on top of your sun cream to get a smooth base for your make-up.

The UV picture clearly shows that while Simple Protecting Moisture Cream SPF 10 (£4.99, tesco.com) does seem to give better coverage than the primer - possibly because I use more of the product - it still doesn’t give me anything like the protection I get from the SPF 50 sun cream I usually use in place of moisturiser.

Dr Bunting says: ‘It simply won’t be enough protection for the skin. SPF 10 is below the minimum most dermatologists would recommend.’

2/5

BLUSHERS AND BALMS: SPF 15-30

While these cosmetics do protect the areas that they're applied to well, the rest of Claire's face remained unprotected

The areas around the eyes and lips need sun protection, but could make-up be enough?

I applied Lancome’s Effacernes Concealer SPF 30 (£22) under my eyes, Bare Minerals Cream Eye Shadow SPF 15 (£17), L’Occitane’s Tinted Lip Balm SPF 25 (£12) and Perricone MD No Blush Blush SPF 30 (£29) on my cheeks.

I was impressed to see they offer decent protection where used. The rest of my face was unprotected.

Dr Bunting approves: ‘While I wouldn’t recommend relying on cosmetics alone - you should use separate sun protection under make-up - the eyelids are one of the most vulnerable sites for premature ageing, so anything that helps boost protection is a good thing.’

4/5

FOUNDATION: SPF 20

The camera shows that Claire has missed spots on her face when applying her foundation. However it's unlikely that she's applied enough to protect her properly

I used a sponge to apply my usual foundation, Guerlain Tenue de Perfection SPF 20 (£38.50, debenhams.com) and blended it in as I normally would.

The product contains suncreen ingredients - titanium dioxide and iron oxide to bounce the UV away. My skin looks flawless, but as I discover, I can’t rely on it for sun protection.

The camera shows there are crucial spots I’ve missed - around my eyebrows and the inner corners of my eyes.

‘In the areas where you’ve used it, this offers relatively good protection,’ says Dr Bunting. ‘However, it’s unlikely you have used the quantity required to deliver the full SPF 20 - that’s around a full teaspoon for your face.’

3/5

MINERAL POWDER: SPF 25

Mineral foundations are popular as they can be used by people with sensitive skins. However Dr Bunting is doubtful that it would last well or give adequate protection against the sun

This type of make-up - produced using minerals such as iron oxides, titanium dioxide and mica, which act as physical sun screens - has become popular, partly for the skincare benefits it offers, but also because it is suitable for sensitive skins.

Mainstream brands such as Clarins and Bobbi Brown have mineral-based powders for use as a foundation.

I tried Nars All Day Luminous Powder Foundation SPF 25 (£33, narscosmetics.co.uk) and used a large make-up brush, concentrating on the areas that tend to get more shiny, such as my nose and forehead, with a light dusting elsewhere on the face.

‘This isn’t great,’ says Dr Bunting. ‘Generally, we use powder mainly in the T-zone to help give the area a matte finish. It makes me doubtful it would last well.’

1/5

P.S: HERE'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU APPLY SUNCREAM

Wearing SPF 50+ suncream is clearly the best way to protect your face against the sun's harmful rays

You can see from how dark my face is using La Roche Posay SPF 50+ Comfort Cream (£15.50, boots.com) that it’s by far the most effective at preventing the harmful UV rays from reaching my face. It’s clearly giving me far more effective protection than any of the other products I’ve tried.