A welcome taste of the sun this week has left us all hoping that a warm and bright summer is around the corner. In that expectation we could all be dashing to the shops to stock up on that summer essential - sunscreen.

But which to pick? The range of sun care products available is as dazzling as those ultra violet rays.

Creamy lotions, oil-free sprays, cooling gels and anti-wrinkle ointment are all struggling to compete in a crowded market place.

A massive 40 per cent of us are sun worshippers, according to one recent survey - but we are also aware of the dangers with 58 per cent saying they were concerned about getting sunburned.

It means that skin care and beauty specialists are cashing in and the industry which was worth £119 million in 1993 is now worth £146 million.

At the upper end of the market there is Estee Lauder, Clinique and Clarins, which have all rapidly developed their products for the beach.

Clarins now commands 35 per cent of the premium care market and feels justified in charging its customers for quality not quantity - a 125ml tube of sun care gel is £14.

Spokeswoman Daniela Jenkins says: "The big thing about Clarins is that we have a special range of skin care which we have developed.

"Rather than just putting on a sunscreen, our protection goes deep down to the cells - this provides much more protection. You are getting the best product."

By contrast, Boots and Tesco both promote cheaper ranges which they claim are just as effective as up-market brands.

Boots has been making sun cream since 1927 when it started its Regesan range. In 1939 the massively-successful Soltan hit the shelves and this year it has launched No7 sun care specifically for women.

The company says it has a policy of fair pricing and does not place a premium on people's health. A 200ml bottle of SPF15 costs £8.29. No7 is slightly more expensive with a 200ml bottle of sun protector costing £9.75.

This month Tesco announced it was cutting a third off its suncare prices. This means a 200ml bottle of Tesco brand sun lotion will cost £3.32, a saving of £1.67, and a 400ml bottle will cost £4.66, a saving of £2.33.

Sainsbury's sun care collection includes a protective oil spray (£4.99 for 150ml) and moisturising sun lotions (£4.99 for 200ml and £6.99 for 400ml).

Dr Ian White, consultant dermatologist at St Thomas' Hospital, in south London, says: "I have seen the prices and thought they were staggeringly expensive.

"It does not matter which brand you use. If it says sun protection factor 30 then that's precisely what it should be."

Aside from price the other main difference between these products is the way you apply the sun cream. The new fad is spray-on lotion. Aimed at men and children because it's so much easier to use, producers across the board are coming up with the same product.

Estee Lauder's spray is £14, while Nivea's SPF20 spray which was launched this year, is £11.99.

Stephanie Frost, of Nivea, says: "We are appealing to a style-conscious market - we did not have the technology before to put such a high SPF in a spray form."

A relative newcomer to the market is Proderm Transdermal Sun Protection Mousse. The mousse, its makers say, leaves the skin grease-free and is water-resistant. One application protects the skin for six hours, and does not need to be reapplied after swimming. It costs between £9.99 and £12.99 for a 150ml bottle.

Which way to go? How to tell if one lotion is better than another?

For once, consumers need not worry about inferior quality if they buy cheaper brands. Experts say fears of skin cancer have ensured every brand has an army of scientific researchers behind it.

Sun cream is essentially sun cream.

PICTURE: NICELY TANNED: Elizabeth Hurley, the face of Estee Lauder

18/05/00