Value for money: sun creams

Dr Hauschka Skin Care Sun screen, €17.35 for 100ml, €173.50 per litre. Highs:Bought in a health food store, this sun cream has a natural-sounding ingredient list, complete with avocado oil, ice plant (whatever that is), and quince seed.

It promises a "caring, calming" effect, but whatever about that, it smells good enough to eat and if it weren't such a Homer Simpson thing to do we would have tasted it. It absorbs into the skin completely and quickly and is not at all greasy.

Lows:It is very expensive and will not be suitable for children or those, such as PriceWatch, who favour stupidly lashing it on in a thick layer. The smell will overpower your perfume or aftershave, if that makes a difference.

Verdict:Excellent but not for everyone.

Star rating:****

Lancaster Fast Tan Optimizer, €29 for 125ml, €232 per litre.

Highs:This is a velvety cream with an oily consistency; we liked this as it created the impression it was doing its job. It has, the manufacturer promises, a tan-maximising effect, which should lead to a deeper tan without the need to spend all that long in the sun. It is by no means a family-friendly product, but it is clearly not intended to be - it is being pitched at the top end of the tanning market.

Lows:It has a three-star UVA rating, the lowest of all the brands tried, and while the bottle commands you to "apply generously to the face and body", you might not feel like being so generous at this price. It has a tan maximising effect, but we were a bit sceptical about all the talk on the bottle of boosting the skin's own "natural tanning process" thanks to a "tan activator complex".

Verdict:Nice but very dear.

Star rating:***

Boots Soltan €14.20 for 200ml, €71 per litre

Highs:This is a fine everyday cream (if only we had need for it every day), which is light and absorbs easily. It has a five-star UVA rating, higher than most of the competition, and it is cheap - and made
even cheaper if bought during one of Boots's perennial buy-one-get-one-free promotions. Boots is commendably upfront about the amount of cream you need to apply to get maximum protection
- one 200ml bottle, if applied correctly, will cover the average body just six times.

Lows:Stocks are obviously limited to Boots, so if you grow attached to it you will want to stock up before you head off on your holidays. The spray could have done with a bit more direction or maybe it
was just that PriceWatch's hands were too shaky.

Verdict:Good and good value.

Star rating:****

Nivea Moisturising Sun Spray, €17.50 for 200ml, €87.50 per litre

Highs:This cream offers five-star UVA protection in a nice, easy-to-grip bottle. It has a pleasingly summery smell and the spray is very efficient. It is reliable and you will be able to find it almost anywhere on the planet.

Lows:Its widespread availability means you might be able to see how much more it costs here than almost everywhere else. The bottle promises immediate protection on three separate occasions but only once, in small text on the back of the bottle, does it says you need to "apply liberally before sun exposure and repeat after 20 minutes". We are unsure why this second round of cream application is
necessary, but it's not something we'd normally be bothered with. It is also slightly on the greasy side.

Verdict:Reliable and widespread.

Star rating:****

Ambre Solaire Clear Protect Gel €19.49 for 150ml €129.93 per litre

Highs:This gel is very easy to apply and is absorbed into the skin very quickly. It is also a very reliable and instantly recognisable brand. Once it dries in, it has a very subtle smell - although, upon first
application, the smell of alcohol was so strong we weren't sure if we should be spreading it or drinking it.

Lows:The bottle advises against using this on faces, which earns it an instant - and significant - black mark, as we're not too keen on carrying two bottles of sun cream with us whenever we go for a
wander in the sun. The price doesn't do it any favours, either.

Verdict:Dear and fussy

Star rating:**