Best sun screen

[DawnM]

We are having bad luck with over the counter sun screens these days.  They aren't working.

 

We used some today at our local amusement park and we all came back burned.

 

Suggestions?  We have a lot of outdoor stuff to do this summer.

 

Thanks,

Dawn

[ktgrok]

As a redhead, I can tell you what I use, lol!  Banana Boat Sport, the orange tube of stuff. I have also used the kids version with success on my kids, but I don't know how sun sensitive they are...they have never really burned, i don't push it with them. But I have pushed it with me, many tmes, and that orange label one has never let me down. I use the SPF 50. Another redhead recommended it to me, and she was right. I've never burned while wearing it, and that says something. I only stand by the tube... it seems thicker than the kind in a bottle. The thickness helps I think. http://www.amazon.com/Banana-Boat-Performance-Sunblock-1fl--Ounce/dp/B002ZNJYRA/ref=sr_1_14?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1401851102&sr=1-14&keywords=banana+boat+sport+sunscreen

[DawnM]

Teens will not dress this way, just not happening, esp. at the pool or at the theme parks in 100 degree weather.  

 

Boys are headed to weeks of summer camp with Boyscouts and have to be in uniform.....not long sleeves.

 

Uv skinz shirts, long sleeve, big hats and a california baby stick on the nose and cheeks, sometimes the back of the legs too if needed.

Honestly I've never had sunscreen work as well as just covering up.

 

[gingersmom]

We use Australian Gold. I first bought it in Jamaica where even a sun shirt was not enough for my son. I buy it on amazon.com.

[Melissa in Australia]

long sleeves and a hat. I do not use sunscreen- allergic to it + I do not like pouring chemicals all over skin. for the face Zinc sticks work well.

Here most everyone uses rash tops over their swimmers, even teens. Australia has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world, and the cover up message has been well drilled into us. Even in hot weather- especially in hot weather.

[Carol in Cal.]

REI has great hiking clothes that are extremely light, I mean as light as handkerchiefs, no warmth at all, but SPF 50 or something, quick drying, very non-wrinkling.  Remarkable stuff.  I have a shirt like that that I carry in case I end up in the full sun, but I mostly hike early or late in the day in dappled shade.  And I still use either Banana Boat or Neutragena.  They both work great.

 

[Momofeat]

Blue Lizard. It's expensive, but it does the job. 

 

We only buy it for dd(14) who has extremely fair skin, and she only uses it on the areas where she has a tendency to burn even when she's wearing regular sunscreen. 

[DawnM]

 when they are on a scout trip, they cannot wear whatever they want.  They will have on short sleeve shirts and most likely shorts.  It is 100 degrees and they are backpacking with 50 pound packs for up to 10 miles per day.  It is simply not practical to wear long everything.  

 

I understand many of you are stating what you do and what works for you, but my question is really about actual sunscreen, not different clothing.  

 

Dawn

[Kerileanne99]

I have a very pale European husband and matching dd, and we spend a lot of time outdoors in the Texas summer. We really like Banana Boat, SPF 50 as well.

I do try to keep the kid in rash guards, but it is not always feasible! Even at age 4 she rebels and wants something pretty and sparkly to wear, lol.

 

One really cool thing I found is a laundry additive that you can wash ANY regular clothing item in and turn it into better sun protection. I actually bought it for a friend's child who needs to be extra cautious as he has previously battled cancer. It is recommended by several agencies, including the Skin Cancer Foundation.

It is reasonably inexpensive, easy to use, and just gives a bit of extra protection. Obviously it does nothing for bare skin, but he Banana Boat is wonderful.

https://sunguardsunprotection.com/

 

I will say we have found the BB tends to go off within a season, so new bottles every summer!

[itsheresomewhere]

Badger and California Baby.  I am not allergic to either of those and they work.   Spent the other day at a water park and none of us burned.  I am very sensitive to chemicals so these two are great.  I am trying another one this weekend recommended to me (Goddess Garden).  I will let you know if it is any good.

[umsami]

The key is usually applying enough and often enough.

 

The lotions work better than sprays in terms of coverage, because the wind can affect how the spray gets on.  So, usually it's more effective to save the spray for those hard to reach places.

 

Apply every hour, especially if you're sweating or at a beach/swimming, etc.

 

I seem to remember you want to use a full shot glass per person, but obviously, kids need less, and larger folks need more.

 

I usually buy Target (up and up) or Wal-Mart (Equate) store brands and they work great.  

 

If you're at a park or someplace fun, set an alarm on your phone to remind you to reapply.  I think there are apps out there that can tell you based on the weather, your skin types, etc. how often to apply too, but I don't have any experience with them.

 

(Oh…and I'm a fair skinned, blue eyed Floridian who was adopted by a family with Native American and Italian blood (so no concept of sunscreen).  I've had 30+ dysplastic nevi removed.  Now that I use rash guards and reapply often, I don't have issues.  Literally a few days ago, Consumer Reports came out with rankings again.  http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/2014/06/01/which-sunscreen-works-best/W0VD5rvXpFVdlPEfMxaKOK/story.html)

[*lifeoftheparty*]

We won't use the stuff with all the nano particles and icky chemicals- and we have tried several.

 

If you go with badger, test it first- we burned more with it on than with no sunscreen at all!

 

We just switched to Blue Lizard and it's awesome! Rubs in well, kept us from burning, and has no parabens, pthlates, etc.

 

I got it on Amazon.

 

ETA- we use the baby version, so no fragrance either.

[meena]

Fair-skinned Floridian experience here. I use and like Alba Botanica for my body. I use Olay Regenerist for my face, but it is for my old lady skin and not waterproof so not a great choice for your active teens. I would suggest getting a separate sunscreen for face that blocks both UVA and UVB. Neutrogena makes a clear skin SPF 55 version that would probably work well for teen faces but it doesn't have a great rating in the EWG toxicity database. Coola brand 30 SPF for faces is supposed to be good and has a great EWG rating but it is $$.

 

I have found that reapplication is key for me not getting burnt. I'll even go so far as to set the timer on my phone to make sure I don't forget. We were at a waterpark last week for about 5 hours, and I reapplied three times. If you think your teens won't want to/ be able to stop and reapply a lotion, look into a spray. It's quick, easy, and can get to hard to reach areas without as much hassle. I've used Neutrogena spray in the past and it seemed to work fine. Kiss My Face makes a sport spray that is next on my list to try.

 

If your teens can't wear protective clothing, I bet you can at least find a style of hat and sunglasses that they will wear. That will go a long way in protecting their delicate face, scalp, and eyes.

[mysticmomma]

California baby.

[redsquirrel]

Redheads and blondes in this house. I like Noad 50spf. I get it inexpensively from Amazon. And the huge bottles are great. It is unscented and water resistant.

But you must reapply all sunscreen every 60-90 mins. More if you get sweaty or towel off.

I've never had sunscreen fail me or my kids if it is being applied with the proper frequency. My mom didn't listen and that is how my very blonde got his first blistering sunburn last summer.

[Hikin' Mama]

My family has fair skin and we used Bullfrog sunscreen when we went to Hawaii a couple years ago. We were in the sun every day for several hours. We came back as pale as we left. :) We reapplied maybe every two hours.

[Mandylubug]

I think the key is creams, put on every hour. Atleast for us. My kids use the orange tube banana boat. Really works. I'm allergic to it and use Hawaiian Tropic. I also like it but it's harder to find an upper level spf with them. For face I adore Kiss My Face.

[Pawz4me]

Banana Boat products have always worked great for us.  And DH and especially youngest DS are very fair.

 

I think Consumer Reports is coming out very soon with its (annual?) list of best sunscreens.  I heard a blurb on the news about it, and IIRC one of the Equate (WalMart) products was rated among the best.  I can't remember any of the rest, it just caught my attention that a WalMart product was top rated.

[ktgrok]

I think the reason I say Banana Boat Sport works so well is it lasts longer. I never reapply every hour, ever. And am usually in and out of the water, etc. The Banana Boat Sport (in the tube....it's thicker than the stuff in the bottle), stays on well. For me, that's the true test of a sunscreen. If you have teens you don't trust to reapply constantly, go with the Banana Boat. 

 

 

[73349]

We use the Neutrogena pure & free baby stick. It's titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. Very small and easy to carry without worrying about a bottle leaking.

I missed a spot on my arm with it at an outdoor event last month and really saw a difference - I would've burned without it.

[Momof3littles]

We use Alba and California Baby.  With physical blocks, you definitely still need to make sure you are applying generously enough and reapplying often.  We prefer a physical blocker.

[Rachel]

This year I've been using the Banana Boat Kids. It is thick and a little hard to spread. We've been swimming several times already this summer and so far the only sun burn among 4 fair skinned people is the place I can't reach on my back.

 

ETA all of my kids wear rash guards when swimming. I realize that's harder with teens though.

[AmandaVT]

Badger is great, it's my current favorite. I use this site to help decide which ones I want too: 

 

http://www.ewg.org/2014sunscreen/best-sunscreens/best-beach-sport-sunscreens/

[Caroline]

We use the coppertone sport spray in the blue can. Yes, it needs to be reapplied. But, I have found with my teens, if the delivery system is easy, then they are more likely to reapply. It also dries really quickly, so they only have to wait a minute before jumping back in the water. It is light weight. It doesn't get all over their hands, so eating a sandwich or playing goal keeper is not affected by the screen. It's easier to get a friend to spray your back since he won't have to touch you. You can close the top so it won't spray, so it isn't going to leak all over your bag.

 

We have also used Target brand spray, too. It works well for all the same reasons as above.

 

I have found with my teens, the biggest battle is just getting them to remember to put it on. Spray works for that.

 

And I am a strawberry blonde with very fair skin. I think of sun exposure like other people think of cigarettes.

[ktgrok]

We use the coppertone sport spray in the blue can. Yes, it needs to be reapplied. But, I have found with my teens, if the delivery system is easy, then they are more likely to reapply. It also dries really quickly, so they only have to wait a minute before jumping back in the water. It is light weight. It doesn't get all over their hands, so eating a sandwich or playing goal keeper is not affected by the screen. It's easier to get a friend to spray your back since he won't have to touch you. You can close the top so it won't spray, so it isn't going to leak all over your bag.

 

We have also used Target brand spray, too. It works well for all the same reasons as above.

 

I have found with my teens, the biggest battle is just getting them to remember to put it on. Spray works for that.

 

And I am a strawberry blonde with very fair skin. I think of sun exposure like other people think of cigarettes.

 

She makes a good point. My advice on the Banana Boat Sport in the tube was for someone concerned about their own protection. If you  think your teen will be less inclined to care, then get the spray too. The spray is the only way my teen will apply sunscreen to his body. Then we have the Banana Boat Sport Faces one for his face. 

[Ellie]

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock, 70 SPF. Once you rub it in, you cannot feel it on your skin at all, and it's almost fragrance-free, but it's still doing its job. :-)

[DawnM]

Thank you all.

 

I am going to have to give big lectures this year.  It is the first time they are going to things a week long without their dad.  He will be there for one of their trips but not the other two.  I am so afraid they will forget.

 

I have red hair and freckles.  Boys have brown hair but one has my skin, with freckles.  Light/pale.......

 

 

[ktgrok]

Thank you all.

 

I am going to have to give big lectures this year.  It is the first time they are going to things a week long without their dad.  He will be there for one of their trips but not the other two.  I am so afraid they will forget.

 

I have red hair and freckles.  Boys have brown hair but one has my skin, with freckles.  Light/pale.......

 

\Will they be together? They could spray each other, and not have to touch each other, lol. Then just put on the lotion on their face. I really would go with spray in that case, if they are bad about reapplying. 

[AK_Mom4]

We have little sun resistance and have had great success using copper tone sport spray with neutragena 70 ultra for the face. The ultra lasts me all day without reapplying and the spray on copper tone sport is easy enough that even teens will do it.

[DawnM]

No, this year the only camp they will be together is the one my DH is also going (Summit Scout Camp.)  Otherwise one is going to two camps and the other is going on a mission's trip with the church to Atlanta.

 

I am hoping the Youth Leaders on the Atlanta trip will remind them to put on sunscreen.  I guess I should ask.  

 

The other two weeks for oldest are both scout related camps and they believe firmly in the boys taking responsibility themselves.  My oldest has Asperger's though and doesn't always remember these things.  I might be able to get him to wear his wide brimmed Philmont hat though.......he does like that hat.  

 

Dawn

 

 

\Will they be together? They could spray each other, and not have to touch each other, lol. Then just put on the lotion on their face. I really would go with spray in that case, if they are bad about reapplying. 

 

[Amber in SJ]

We use a combination or products.  Banana Boat in the tube or Coppertone Kids as a base.  Something I read years ago is that most people do not use enough, so while applying this base layer I make sure they really slather it on.  For an adult a tablespoon on the face and neck and two oz for the body are recommended.  Also this base layer needs time on the skin before sun exposure so it happens 15-20 minutes before going out.  Yes, this means I have slimy kids in the car sometimes.  Once we are at the beach re-application happens every two hours.  For reapplication we use the spray.  I am not a huge fan of this delivery system, but it is more about getting the kids to actually use it. Once you have teenagers and they are running up and down the beach with their friends or scouts on a hike they are simply not going to stop everything, get out the lotion and take the time to rub it all in; the spray is quick and easy.  I remind them to do their best not to breathe it in.  For faces we use a stick (Water babies or Neutrogena for babies) because it won't run into eyes.  

 

Dh is a freckled, redhead and all of our children are so fair they are nearly transparent.  Dh had several bad sunburns as a child.  A Dr. once told him, looking at the years of sun damage; "That's going to take years off your life."  

 

Amber in SJ

[Leav97]

Neutrogena beach defense SPF 70

 

The biggest thing is making sure you are applying it correctly.  Most people don't use enough and don't reapply with enough frequency.  

1. hold the bottle about 5 inches from the skin.  You should see the skin getting wet.
2. Wait a minute (or just move on to other areas)
3. Spray a second time
4. if you are swimming reapply every 80 minutes, otherwise every 2 hours
5. If you are swimming or even just around water make sure you are using a water resistant sunscreen
6. make sure you cover you nose, ears, and any places on your head missing hair (where your hair parts or bald spots).  A lot of people also miss the tops of their feet.
7. Don't forget clothing changes.  If you spray before you take off a t-shirt or sandals, you will have addition areas to cover

[LizzyBee]

A couple of years ago I bought Neutragena and it did not work at all. I sat for 45 minutes at my dd's soccer games and came home very sunburned every week.  Last summer we bought Banana Boat and it worked fine.

[bettyandbob]

Something with a lot of zinc

We have never burned with Badger. You have to work it in more than typical sunscreens.

[FaithManor]

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock, 70 SPF. Once you rub it in, you cannot feel it on your skin at all, and it's almost fragrance-free, but it's still doing its job. :-)

Ellie, I just ordered this. I think that for DH with the sensitive skin and ds whose pores clog easily, this will work. At least I hope!

[redsquirrel]

Gosh, you would think the sunburn would be self corrective, lol. Like I said, my then 13 year old had his first sunburn last year on Grandma's watch and it was terrible. He blistered all over his back. Well, he is now fully dedicated to frequent application of sunscreen and always knows where his hat is. I am sorry he had that burn, but he did learn a good lesson on taking responsibility for his own sunscreen.

 

The same thing happened with my younger boy. Again, grandma didn't quite believe me that sunscreen is important and she neglected to apply it to all those little places. The same day my older boy got a sunburn on his ear, my younger boy got burned on his little ears. Trust me, that is never going to happen in this house again, lol. My younger boy won't let anyone forget to put sunscreen on their ears.

[jhschool]

Teens will not dress this way, just not happening, esp. at the pool or at the theme parks in 100 degree weather.  

 

Boys are headed to weeks of summer camp with Boyscouts and have to be in uniform.....not long sleeves.

When DS was in scouts I bought him two long-sleeve shirts.  They had just come out

at the time.  They were some soft, quick-drying material.  I got them at the Scout Store

and they had the label and the flag and everything.

But they might have discontinued those because they were expensive and not many

people were buying them.

[Carrie12345]

We used Babyganics for the first time at the zoo yesterday.  Not just for "the baby", but all of us.  11am-4:30pm, in and out of the sun, one re-application.  No burns.  My spaghetti strap wearing dd didn't even get a single tan line (I just checked!)

[DawnM]

My son had one long sleeved shirt when he was a Web.  He was given it so we didn't have to buy it.  He hated it and asked that I never buy him another long sleeve shirt.

 

100% of our boys wear short sleeves for their Class A.

 

However, much of camp is Class B, which doesn't come in long sleeve anyway.

 

Dawn

 

 

When DS was in scouts I bought him two long-sleeve shirts.  They had just come out

at the time.  They were some soft, quick-drying material.  I got them at the Scout Store

and they had the label and the flag and everything.

But they might have discontinued those because they were expensive and not many

people were buying them.

 

[Lady Florida.]

We use Ocean Potion Sport. It's made locally so it's quite popular around here. I've also used Banana Boat with good results. Regardless of how well a product works, the key is to apply it properly and reapply regularly. The sport types work well because they hold up better when you sweat, but even those need to be reapplied. 

[jhschool]

The long-sleeve Scout shirts we bought were made of

a weird material, almost like swimsuit material--they were

some fancy tech fabric.

They actually were airy and super light.  They wicked the

sweat and dried quickly.  They were kind of like those

fisherman shirts you can get, except they didn't have the

webbing.

I think they were adult sizes, which DS could wear.  No one

else had them. 

I can totally understand wanting short sleeves.  I would wear

short sleeves all the time if I could!

[Lisbeth]

We are all very fair. I use Laroche-Posay Anthelios XL. We never burn, or tan.

[Miss Peregrine]

I like Real Purity.

[regentrude]

We use Coppertone Sport SPF 70 or 80 (blue tube).

http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=213387&catid=274403&aid=338666&aparam=213387&kpid=213387

 

We hike extensively and all day in the high desert or the mountains where UV is high due to altitude. Never burned on the unclothed sections of body where we applied sunscreen properly.

[ktgrok]

I'm going to say that no self respecting boy is going to scout camp with "Baby" anything, including sunscreen :)

[Word Nerd]

Also remember to apply sunscreen at least 20-30 minutes before going into the sun. It isn't effective immediately, and when you're as fair-skinned as I am that's enough time to start burning.

[Jackie]

I love the sprays. Wind can make them difficult to apply, but they're so easy to put on and that makes it easier to get around to reapplying frequently. I use the Neutrogena Wet Skin stuff, and the higher SPF kids version for my daughter and easier-to-burn husband.

[Pippen]

My daughter has very fair skin that burns easily and she has had excellent results with Walgreens Sport Continuous Spray aeresol. She usually uses SPF 50 and as long as she reapplies every few hours she can stand out on the asphalt at marching band practice even on hot, sunny afternoons without burning.

 

I'm finding that when my kids apply themselves they do a better job with the spray than the lotion.

 

Here's an article about Consumer Report findings:

 

http://www.webmd.com/beauty/sun/20140520/consumer-reports-sunscreens

[Seasider]

when they are on a scout trip, they cannot wear whatever they want. They will have on short sleeve shirts and most likely shorts. It is 100 degrees and they are backpacking with 50 pound packs for up to 10 miles per day. It is simply not practical to wear long everything.

 

I understand many of you are stating what you do and what works for you, but my question is really about actual sunscreen, not different clothing.

 

Dawn

Interesting, when my scout hiked Philmont (10 miles a day midsummer) they were required to have full length garments for sun protection. He took extremely light weight, quick dry clothing, including zip-off-into-shorts pants. He also had a broad brimmed hat.

[KungFuPanda]

Redheads and blondes in this house. I like Noad 50spf. I get it inexpensively from Amazon. And the huge bottles are great. It is unscented and water resistant.

But you must reapply all sunscreen every 60-90 mins. More if you get sweaty or towel off.

I've never had sunscreen fail me or my kids if it is being applied with the proper frequency. My mom didn't listen and that is how my very blonde got his first blistering sunburn last summer.

You can get no ad sunscreen at Walmart or Amazon. It works really well and doesn't cost a fortune. I'm another pale, freckled redhead and have my share of burns, but I haven't ever suffered a bad burn while using and reapplying sunscreen properly. I throw it all out at the end of the season and buy new each year.