Olay takes 'Solarium' pop-up on UK tour to expose hidden UV damage

Olay is touring the UK this summer with the Olay Solarium, an immersive activation built to reveal the invisible impact of UV on skin and demonstrate how its new SPF50+ moisturising fluids protect in real time.

The campaign is anchored in the gap between awareness and habit. UV damage is one of the biggest contributors to premature ageing, yet only a quarter of UK adults apply SPF daily. The brand's own research suggests many people still treat SPF as something reserved for holidays and beach days while overlooking the everyday exposure that builds up during errands, commutes and outdoor socialising. The activation is aimed squarely at the 46 per cent of Brits the brand says run errands without any SPF on.

The pop-up uses live demonstrations and skin science to make that hidden exposure visible. Visitors can have a personalised skin analysis with tailored results, look into an onsite UV camera to see damage the eye cannot, and watch live SPF impact demos that show the difference the SPF50+ fluids make instantly. There is also expert advice on choosing the right protection and applying it correctly, plus gamified giveaways including a spin-to-win. Olay is positioning the fluids around a three-in-one promise of brighter, firmer and better-protected skin.

The campaign works as brands work to change the messaging of SPF, which has shifted from occasional, holiday-led protection towards daily incidental exposure, which is the same education many therapists are already giving clients in the treatment room. A high-street brand putting UV-camera demonstrations in shopping centres helps normalise that conversation and may prime clients to take professional SPF advice more seriously.

The Olay Solarium visits three locations across July. It opens at the Trafford Centre in Manchester from 3 to 5 July, moves to Westfield London from 10 to 12 July, and finishes at Bluewater in Kent from 17 to 19 July. Opening hours run from 10:30am to 8pm on Fridays and Saturdays, with shorter Sunday hours at each site.

Olay's SPF50+ moisturising fluids are available through Olay and major UK retailers.