Sunscreen Recommendation Thread

[heidi]

In about two weeks people will be packing for and heading to Orlando for Infinitus - and others will be visiting the Wizarding World on their own schedule in the next year.

So I think it's important to quote a very influential song of the late 90s.

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it.

The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience.

What's your sunscreen recommendation? Do you have different preferences for face vs body?

And what's up with the UVA ratings from Europe and why is it better, and can anyone bring me some for my face for Infinitus? I'll totally pay you back.

For the last year or so, I've been wearing Aveeno's 45SPF on my face and chest and Neutrogena's 50 on my arms - I admit that I rarely wear anything on my legs (yeah, I know, bad.).

But I tan easily, rarely burn and am trying to stop freckling.

Comments

[888mph.livejournal.com]

I use 60 UVA/UVB in my face and 75 UVA/UVB in the rest of my body and that's good for me. And I'm a red head that doesn't tan and who lives in the country with longer sun exposure in Europe.

[teaberryblue.livejournal.com]

I burn easily and I wear the same thing you do, except Neutrogena 70 for kids instead of the 50.

Also, if I am going to be outdoors without a hat, I mix some of the Neutrogena with water in a spray bottle about 1 part sunscreen to 2 parts water and spray it on the part in my hair.

[sundancekid.livejournal.com]

It's really important to know the difference between physical sunscreen and chemical sunscreen -- physical sunscreen has zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide, and chemical has stuff that ends in -zone (avobenzone or oxybenzone, for example). Physical sunscreen doesn't get absorbed into the skin, so it lasts longer and is less likely to irritate your skin/make you break out. (Physical sunscreen is also sunBLOCK vs. chemical which is sunSCREEN.)

It is, in my experience, harder to find physical sunscreen, especially as a lotion/in your makeup/etc. Chemical, because it absorbs better, mixes better into makeup. (However, it won't work as well and applying another makeup over it can affect its potency.)

For my face, I really like Alba Botanica's Mineral Sunscreen (http://www.amazon.com/Alba-Botanica-Mineral-Sunscreen-4-Ounces/dp/B001E76D1S) (only I definitely did not pay $34 for it).

For my body, I have had success with Neutrogena's Fresh Cooling Body Mist Sunblock (http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=150734&catid=12101). I have the SPF 45, and besides the fact that it feels quite nice and cooling going on, it's easy to get full coverage (you do have to spray generously), and while it is a chemical sunscreen, the helioplex is supposed to make it better (and it's called tinasorb or something in Europe? I don't know).

Re: Sunscreen Recommendation Thread

[redina]

A convention involving outdoor activities... in Florida during the peak of summer? Evooool. It's currently 90-95^F degrees out.

Editing to add to make this relevant: You may remember how pale I am, and this is more for the makeup folk, but Revlon Colorstay with SPF holds up pretty well as a base/primer against sweating/humidity. Plus, I combine that with a powder foundation and finishing powder. My face got slight color, after almost an entire day at Universal during the summer. However, the base of my neck and arms did get somewhat burnt by comparison since they had zero protection.

[cadetsandkings.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure that applied regularly anything over 15 or 20 isn't any more effective. The mistake people make is not reapplying in the stated time frame. I have had melanoma and I use SPF 15 most of the time, and rarely burn unless I forget to reapply in the afternoon...

In the UK like Nivea because it doesn't reek and does the job, but there's a really nice one from Wal Mart that's about 2 bucks and uses titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, which are preferable as sunscreens.

I'm not such a fan of the chemical sunscreens, they tend to cause burning on my face.

[spookykat.livejournal.com]

There's this stuff called NO-AD sunscreen. I always use SPF 50 because I have ridiculously fair skin and burn like easy. It has no odor, no greasy feel and it works like a charm AND it's really cheap (available at Wal-Mart around here).

Also, being outdoors in 90-95 degree weather PLLLLEEEEASE keep hydrated. I would also recommend head coverage of some sort as well as UV-Protected sunglasses. 95 degree Florida is like 115 degrees everywhere else because of mugginess. Also, even if the sky IS overcast, WEAR SUNSCREEN! And re-apply it every couple of hours.

[likebunnies.livejournal.com]

When I sent my kid out to a Gulf island for a weekend in April, he used Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Body Mist Sunblock 100SPF and burned like I have never seen someone burn in a long time so unless one is incredibly diligent about putting it on when sweating or bathing, I wouldn't recommend that. But my pale family has always been lucky with Aveeno sunblocks, SPF 45 and higher. I packed the body mist with him that weekend because I thought it would be easier and quicker for him to apply but it really didn't work. I should have stuck with some 'Sports' spray-on formula (Banana Boat, maybe) but I decided to try this. And everyone needs to lather the sunscreen on often!

People really need to wear hats and not sunbathe no matter how tempting it is when on vacation in Florida. It's not good for anyone! I was never a sun bather but just living here for nearly 35 years has done a number on my skin.

[moony]

I am using this on my face, and it's fabulous. I don't feel greasy, I have not broken out, I don't smell like a waterpark. :) It goes great over or under makeup. I cannot recommend this stuff enough. And you need very little of it!

[ness-va.livejournal.com]

I find it funny that spf 30 is still the standard here in Australia. I mean, I'm sure the recommendations are higher, but as to what's actually available... I mean my usual is only spf 15 (because it's the only oil free one I can find). Lack of decent sized population = lack of consumer choices, as usual.

[annearchy.livejournal.com]

I burn easily, never get a real tan but do get about 8 gazillion freckles every summer. I usually use Ocean Potion Broad-Spectrum SPF 50 Anti-Aging. I figure I need the SPF 50, and the stuff smells like Dreamsickles so at least I go out smelling good :)

[cee-m.livejournal.com]

I like this one for the body
http://www.aveeno.com/suncare/sprays

In 70 spf because I'm a pale kid and I burn really easily.

and this one for the face
http://www.neutrogena.com/econsumer/ntg/productdetail.browse?segment=women&catId=3&subCatId=9&productId=522&target=/products/sun/age-shield-plus-repair-antiaging-sunblock-spf55.jsp

Cheers.