The summer sun is on the rise, which may feel great but looks pretty bad after making war with your unprepared winter skin. Sunscreen is a necessity for summer, but while looking at the hundreds of different kinds, you need to know the best provider of both comfort and protection.
Sunscreen protects against sunburn, but the sun’s most serious threat is skin cancer, which is the most common of all cancers. Doctors believe that most skin cancers can be avoided by preventing sun damage, according the Cleveland Clinic’s website.
Each sunscreen has factors that make it different from the rest, for example, SPF. SPF stands for sun protection factor, and the SPF number tells you how well the product will protect you from UVB, the burning rays of the sun; sunscreens may also protect against UVA rays, the sun’s ultraviolet ‘A’ rays.
The bigger the SPF number, the greater the amount of protection, according to Cleveland Clinic’s website. Doctors recommend using a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15, but if you have had skin cancer or pre-cancer, a higher SPF is recommended.
A higher SPFs does help: An SPF 15 sunscreen blocks 93 percent of UVB radiation, while an SPF 30 sunscreen blocks nearly 97 percent. Higher SPF values offer some safety margin, since consumers generally do not apply enough sunscreen, according to the skin cancer foundation’s website.
The comfort and feel of a sunscreen is vital as well, below are the results of these Bear Facts tested sunscreens.
- Coppertone Water Babies – Pure and Simple
This sunscreen is great for children or people with sensitive skin. It is the number one pediatrician recommended brand, oil free, fragrance free, dye free, and tear free.
While applying this brand, it goes on pretty thick, leaving a white tone behind. After waiting five minutes after initial application, it is the only brand that stays white on the skin, but offers a fantastic amount of protection. This particular brand is fragrance free, as stated on the container, and has a typical sunscreen smell.
Coppertone Water Babies – Pure and Simple has an SPF of 50 and has both UVA and UVB protection. It is hypoallergenic and waterproof, making it great for families, but I would not recommend this brand if you are looking for any color, other than white.
- Banana Boat – Sport: Active Dry Protection
Banana Boat claims to offer long-lasting protection, non-greasy application, and to be sweat/water resistant.
This particular brand seems to be one of the greasier types, and after five minutes it still maintains a glossy look on the skin. It has an SPF of 30 and protects against both UVA and UVB rays.
Banana boat products maintain a tropical and relaxing smell that lasts about two hours after application.
With this brand, multiple applications per day is necessary, as it fails to be completely water resistant and comes off much easier with water, but works well for short periods of time in the sun.
- Walgreens – SPORT sunscreen
This Walgreens brand is a continuous spray sunscreen that claims to be water resistant for 80 minutes, have UVA and UVB protection, and has an SPF of 50.
This sunscreen is less expensive than the other name brands and holds its own against the sun. It leaves your skin glossy at first, but after ten minutes absorbs and protects.
I would recommend this brand to athletes, as the application is fast and easy and it stays on well through sweat and water. The SPF 50 works well, and provides guaranteed protection against the sun, with application every 80 minutes, as stated on the bottle.