Sunscreen for Face

[oldschoolskier]

Good sunscreen is always important. What people forget in winter you actually get higher doses of uv because of snow reflection. Secondly on cold days sunscreen also helps prevent frostbite because of the grease in the sunscreen.

Dual protection, uv and cold.

 

[Dave Petersen]

I don't like greasy products on my face so I use Aveno daily moisturizer with spf 30 on a daily basis and carry some extra with me in my boot bag. Seems to work well for me

Our shop started to carry Super Goop this season. They have a mineral based version that our customers seem to love
http://www.supergoop.com

In hate greasy sun block. I will need to try the Aveno moisturizer with SPF 30, or higher if they make it.

 

[ErikL]

I'm a liftie, so I'm out there surrounded by sun and snow all day. I really like Bullfrog quick gel, SPF50. It isn't greasy at all, but it's really easy to apply and sticks pretty quickly. I have sensitive skin, but it doesn't bother my face/neck/ears at all, even after reapplying two or three times a day. Sweat and waterproof, and it stays on my hands even after playing with snow and ice all day. And for a bonus, it's clear so I don't have to worry about putting it on too thick and looking like Frosty the snowman.

 

[Doug Briggs]

I wear 30 SPF screen most days I'm out. Sometimes I forget. For the windy days, I use Dermatone for UV and wind protection which I carry with me in my Camelbak and use on the days I forget regular screen. I also have some (Dermatone) zinc which I used liberally in my profile photo for the retro look.

I take a vit D supplement for this AND will allow my arms to get some sun pretty regularly when it's warm enough. But my face, oy it tells the story of my teenage and adulthood sun-worshipping days so I'm doing whatever I can to preserve what's left of it.

Doesn't the Vitamin D in our bodies still need sunlight to become effective? Or have I got that wrong?

From consumer reports:

To get the most protection, you want a broad spectrum sunscreen—these protect against UVB and UVA rays. But it's important to note that no sunscreen blocks 100 percent of UVB rays, and ultrahigh SPFs are not much more protective than SPFs of 30 or 50. SPF 15 blocks 93 percent of UVB rays. SPF 30 blocks 97 percent. The increase in protection is even more gradual after that, 98 percent for SPF 50 and 99 percent for SPF 100. Sunscreen should be just one of the sun protection strategies you use to protect your skin—you also need to cover up with clothing and a hat, seek the shade, and try to stay out of the sun during peak hours 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.​

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2015/05/what-does-spf-stand-for/index.htm​

 

[Warp Daddy]

We both wear OCEAN POTION. 365 days a year , and use Aloe at bedtime ö

 

[Yo Momma]

OK, that stuff sounds great! Just looked at the ingredients. How sweat resistant is it?

I sweat a ton and it's never been an issue and I use it while in the water kiteboarding. I just reapply every few hours. The great thing is the vials are small and cheap so you can easily carry them in your pockets. I have like 20 of these things floating around in various types of gear!!! LOL

 

[Rainbow Jenny]

I also lost a friend most likely due to metastatic melanoma. Some very exciting new treatment advances in the past few years using combination therapy. Have a cousin who is a top physician researcher in the field.

Look for products with SPF 30 or higher. No one has mentioned reapplying sunblock. This is really important. Read the labels carefully, almost all recommend reapplying every 80 minutes!!! And sunblock wears off from sweating. I definitely reapply during lunch and always regret not reapplying mid-afternoon.

I apply moisturizer with sun protection first (like Aveeno and Lubriderm), then use 2 physical barriers: 1) lightweight neck gaiter (until I overheat) secured beneath my goggle lens, 2) portable sunblock stick with titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. Examples: BabyganicfPure Mineral Sunscreen Stick, Neutrogena Pure&Free Baby sunscreen. Badger seems to be a good brand and is environmentally friendly, may try them next. Some people will break out with acne from water resistant products (which these are) as they can clog pores. I dislike the white paste and hate removing that gunk off my face after skiing or cycling, but it's necessary evil. You may need to experiment to find a good product for yourself. While cycling I apply Banana Boat Kids Sunscreen Lotion with SPF 50 all over my arms, legs, and neck/ear. It's a fantastic value at <$1 per ounce.

Chemical sunblock is just about every ingredient except zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. They are perfectly fine products to use, but some people may to sensitive to one or more ingredients. The trick is to isolate which one(s)... Nephew was highly sensitive to one product, but we haven't figure out which specific ingredient.

Speaking like a pharmacist, pay more attention to ingredients, not brand.

Aloe is quite soothing after you've burned, has good wound healing property.

 

[Doug Briggs]

About six years ago at Copper someone was passing out little bottles of sunscreen and tubes of lip balm. It was a promo that Jeep was running at the time, so all the products were labeled "Jeep." I don't have a clue what brand they really are, but I've been using them on sunny spring days ever since, and they seem to work fine. I'm Norwegian, and I don't tan, I fricassee, and the sunscreen has served me well. I think the sunscreen bottle only has a little bit left in it, so I might be buying some more next year.

You may want to check the expiration date on that stuff.

 

[Xela]

I'm very happy with SolRx. It really does last 8 hours. I wear it on my face every ski day. I wear it all over when in Hawaii or playing sports.

 

[Dave Petersen]

Worse sunburn I ever had was back in college. Went out for a spring break trip to Copper Mountain and Keystone - I wanted a ski tan so stupid me, I used no sunblock at all. The sunburn was so bad I had blisters on my lips and developed a fever.

I am 100 percent Danish with a really fair complexion, blue eyes and reddish/blonde hair. Today I am paying for the stupidity of my youth. I have had malignant melonoma but they caught it early enough with surgery.

Actually I am on the "cancer survivor" mailing list - I never have thought of myself in those terms, but I guess it could have been bad if not for the early detection.

When skiing I really cover up and with any exposed skin (basically only my nose) I use a high SPF sun block. In the summer I only do yard work in the evening when the sun is low. Plus I have to go in for screenings twice a year. Believe me, they check everywhere. Even areas that never see the light of day! There is no modesty during a skin cancer check.

Unless it is really warm I usually pull up my Neff neck gaiter all the way up (even more than this photo) so only my nose shows. And with the helmet and goggles I am pretty well covered - no ear lobes or neck showing.

I notice Shaun White keeps pretty well covered - I wonder with that red hair if he burns easily ?

 

[oldschoolskier]

I like bullfrog as well, started using it many years ago windsurfing. While it doesn't feel greasy it still protects against frost bite. It is a little more difficult to get in Canada.

 

[crgildart]

Missed a spot!

 

[Monique]

Apply to your lips, eyelids (if you don't wear goggles), ears and earlobes, etc. - areas many people miss and that are frequent "first contact" areas for skin cancers.

Yikes! Reminds me of my first stadium concert as a teen. I slathered my eyelids with sunscreen. Then I sweat buckets. OMG THE PAIN. Never again. I've never had to sunscreen my eyelids - I wear sunglasses generally and goggles while skiing. In the summer, given my issues with sun screen, I wear a baseball cap while hiking. It keeps my face protected.

I don't like greasy products on my face so I use Aveno daily moisturizer with spf 30 on a daily basis and carry some extra with me in my boot bag. Seems to work well for me

In hate greasy sun block. I will need to try the Aveno moisturizer with SPF 30, or higher if they make it.

FWIW, I have Aveeno sunscreen, and it hurts my face =/ But my face is weirdly sensitive to just about everything. Hoping that zinc stuff does the trick, even if I'll look like mime.

 

[Rudi Riet]

Look for products with SPF 30 or higher. No one has mentioned reapplying sunblock. This is really important. Read the labels carefully, almost all recommend reapplying every 80 minutes!!! And sunblock wears off from sweating. I definitely reapply during lunch and always regret not reapplying mid-afternoon.

Point of fact: I mentioned it.

Reapplication of sunblock is a must-do. Even those that purport to last 6 to 8 hours should be reapplied much sooner than that.

For those who worry about not getting the UV to help process vitamin D, apply immediately before you go outdoors and you will get the UV for the first 30 minutes or so, as most sunblocks (other than the zinc ones) take 30-40 minutes to take full effect.

Aloe is quite soothing after you've burned, has good wound healing property.

As is plain yogurt - basically anything that'll help cool your skin. That said, it looks a lot worse than aloe gel...

@Doug Briggs mentioned the fact that covering up is still a great way to block the sun, as have others. And now that it's becoming bicycling season, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the sun sleeves that I use on my arms and legs for some of my summer bike rides. They have a high UPF and, amazingly enough, keep me cool even on really hot days (tech fabrics and all that, and they love getting a dousing of cold water for some natural evaporative cooling).

 

[Rudi Riet]

Yikes! Reminds me of my first stadium concert as a teen. I slathered my eyelids with sunscreen. Then I sweat buckets. OMG THE PAIN. Never again. I've never had to sunscreen my eyelids - I wear sunglasses generally and goggles while skiing. In the summer, given my issues with sun screen, I wear a baseball cap while hiking. It keeps my face protected.

I sweat more than most people (genetics, they blow), and I used to have this issue as well. But the modern, more sweat-resistant sunscreens are a godsend - as long as they're applied about 15 minutes before the sweat-inducing effort starts.

But places like eyelids and eyebrows are where a majority of melanomas are found on those who otherwise are really good with their application of sunblock, so it's worth a mention.

 

[Tricia]

Yikes! Reminds me of my first stadium concert as a teen. I slathered my eyelids with sunscreen. Then I sweat buckets. OMG THE PAIN. Never again. I've never had to sunscreen my eyelids - I wear sunglasses generally and goggles while skiing. In the summer, given my issues with sun screen, I wear a baseball cap while hiking. It keeps my face protected.





FWIW, I have Aveeno sunscreen, and it hurts my face =/ But my face is weirdly sensitive to just about everything. Hoping that zinc stuff does the trick, even if I'll look like mime.

I don't use Aveeno Sunscreen. I use the Aveeno daily moisturizer with SPF 30. Different product.

 

[Xela]

From what I understand, the location that melanoma first appears is not necessarily the place that got a lot of sunburn. Also, melanoma seems more caused by major sunburns as a child.

The other, less lethal, skin cancers seem to appear where skin gets sun and in people who accumulate sun exposure over a lifetime.

 

[James]

You might want to check out the app thinkdirty. It lists chemicals in cosmetics and rates products. I'd just purchased Aveeno sunscreen when Mrs @cgeib mentioned it. Aveeno scored an 8, Banana Boat lip protector a 10. 10 is the worst.

 

[Monique]

I don't use Aveeno Sunscreen. I use the Aveeno daily moisturizer with SPF 30. Different product.

*nod* It may be better for my skin .. but I'm still going to try the zinc stuff this weekend See if I can deal with the makeup-y feel (I assume) and look.

 

[Monique]

You might want to check out the app thinkdirty. It lists chemicals in cosmetics and rates products. I'd just purchased Aveeno sunscreen when Mrs @cgeib mentioned it. Aveeno scored an 8, Banana Boat lip protector a 10. 10 is the worst.

Boo! Closed beta for android (for now).