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Best daily sunscreens?
I'm wondering if anyone has recommendations for daily sunscreens, specifically for my arms/legs. I have some Blue Lizard mineral sunscreen that I use but it's a little too greasy for me to really enjoy it for an every day sunscreen (apparently they've rebranded and have a new formula since the last time I bought it, so maybe it's better now? š¤·āāļø).
I also have this NIVEA Super Water Gel that I absolutely love for my face/neck because it basically feels like lotion/isn't really greasy, but not sure I really want to spend as much to put that on my arms and legs every day.
Anyone have suggestions?
Hello everyone. Allow me to talk a bit about myself:
Iām incredibly fair-skinned, do not tan, have weird sensory issues, and am also allergic to many common skincare products. It takes little to nothing to get my skin to burn, and I will be noticeably pink after spending even a little time outside on an overcast day if I donāt take precautions.
Why am I starting this post out like itās an internet recipe instead of getting right to the point? Because I am probably significantly pickier than most when it comes to choosing a sunscreen, but Iād rather you know that itās born of necessity rather than me being high-maintenance.
Nearly every sunscreen has an āickā feel to me. I feel slimy or gross when applying it. Also, thereās a common sunscreen smell that is absolutely off-putting to me. It turns my stomach.
Many sunscreens give me a white cast, which isnāt great, because Iām already so pale that Iām basically see-through.
Some sunscreens feel okay, but trigger an allergic reaction in my skin, which is, naturally, no fun. I donāt know the precise ingredients/compounds that Iām allergic to, and there are so many different ones that itās impossible to know anyway, so I patch test anything I use on my skin multiple times before beginning to apply it regularly.
Some sunscreens, especially higher-end ones or imported ones, alleviate a lot of these issues, however they tend to be highly expensive for small quantities, which means using them to cover the broad surface area of arms and legs regularly would cost me mucho moolah.
Oh, did I mention Iām a tall giant?
Iām a tall giant.
So Iāve got more surface area to cover than most.
My Sunscreen of Choice
For those skipping the unnecessarily long and personal introduction, hereās
the recipemy recommendation: Neutrogenaās Beach Defense Water + Sun Protection Sunscreen Stick Broad Spectrum SPF 50+This clumsily named stick hits everything I want in a sunscreen.
I have tried dozens of different sunscreens, including importing multiple Korean sunscreens. Plenty of them hit some of the above list, but nothing else hits this exact combination for me.
Testimonials
I recently went to two different bachelor parties which were each a mix of queer and straight men. While there, I did my duty as a gay man to subject my straight brethren to the Gay Agenda which is, of course, getting people to use skincare products.
At both parties, when we went out, I offered up the sunscreen to anyone who wanted to use it and let people know that I normally hate wearing sunscreen but genuinely like this particular one.
Here are some actual quotes from their responses:
It was unanimously a hit with the notoriously sunscreen-averse population of straight guys in attendance.
Issues
Itās not perfect, of course.
It, like many sunscreens, will sweat down a bit, which means it often eventually finds its way into my eyes when I apply it to my face. Yes, this burns. No, I donāt like it. And no, I havenāt figured out a way to make that not happen.
Because thereās no white cast and itās coming from a stick, itās harder to know whether youāve got good coverage or not. It takes some adjustment time to get used to knowing how much is enough versus not enough.
It is a chemical sunscreen, not a physical sunscreen, and as such uses chemicals that are not reef-safe and might have adverse effects on your body.
Iāve decided Iām okay with these aspects, but my personal calculus is likely different than othersā.
Mitigations
Despite genuinely liking this sunscreen, I donāt actually use it every day. Instead, I try to mitigate sun exposure through blocking more than I do sunscreen. I consider sunscreen a ālast resortā for myself ā to be used when I canāt otherwise cover myself up or be under cover.
What this means is that I often simply wear pants or long sleeves so I donāt have to apply sunscreen to those areas. For hot weather, I have clothes rated UPF-50 which provide the same level of blocking as SPF-50 sunscreen. The nice thing about these clothes is that they tend to be very light and thin, so you donāt overheat. If you do buy these, I recommend light colors.
There are also accessories you can add to a normal outfit, like a sun hat or sun sleeves (often used by people to protect their tattoos). Yes, they look a little silly, but theyāre easy to have on hand and take on and off as needed. I recommend getting a few of these and integrating them into your normal wear, especially for anyone that hates wearing sunscreen or struggles to make it a normal habit.
At a dermatology appointment years ago, the doctor pointed out that I had a ādriving arm.ā My left arm had far more freckles and apparent sun exposure than my right arm, because that side gets direct sun while driving, while my right arm is in the shade of the vehicle. It wasnāt because I roll my window down often (I donāt) ā my car was simply old and the UV blocking capability of my windows had deteriorated.
He recommended applying sunscreen daily before driving which sounded like MISERY to me (this was before I found my preferred stick). I hated the idea. So instead I bought sun sleeves, keep them in my car, and slide them onto my arms for my commute. This also means theyāre already in my car and available should the need arise (I also keep sunscreen in my car for the same purpose).
I think that a lot of sunscreen use can be mitigated through clothing, and this ends up being a cheaper, healthier, and more ecologically friendly path forward (note: most UPF clothes are made of synthetic fibers, so maybe the last one isnāt exactly true depending on what you buy). I would encourage people here to find physical blocking methods that work for them in addition to a good sunscreen.
(Pardon me if this sounds dumb, but) have you tried / considered a parasol or UV umbrella? I'll be in an equatorial area for several months and it's something I'm looking at as an alternative to daily sunscreening. Otherwise, thank you for the product recommendation.
Not dumb at all! Umbrellas/parasols are a great idea!
I don't use them in a personal sense (carrying one with me), but I definitely sit under deck umbrellas whenever possible (my rule is, if I can get something between me and the sun, then I'm going to do it).
One problem with being tall is that umbrellas have to be HUGE to cover me up. Between that, and the fact that I feel like I would have to "manage" a standalone umbrella a lot in carrying and positioning it, I find simply wearing sun clothes easier.
That said, I have considered buying a large umbrella that I can lay on the ground to create a little spot of shade whenever I'm at a park or beach or whatnot.
I definitely recommend trying one out though! I'm a fan of finding what works for you, and if that sounds better than applying sunscreen daily, then go for it.
I love the skin aqua sunscreen from Japan. It is lightweight and works for face and body. Itās kind of expensive to import, but super cheap in Japan and sold in every convenience store. I stocked up on a bunch of it when I was over there to get a better price.
I have landed on covering up in the sun to be a better solution than sunscreen anyways. You donāt have to reapply a long sleeve shirt and I can keep my precious sunscreen rationed for times where I really want my arms to be out.
I'm planning to (hopefully) go back to Japan in December and I'll definitely have to stock up on some things like this when/if I do.
I have definitely been doing this more, but when it's 105F/40C and humid, even "breathable" shirts are only so comfortable.
Maybe a large umbrella with UV coating would be better? At least it's away from your body. I live in a sunny tropical country and also prefer to cover up rather than slather sunscreen on my body.
I only put sunscreen on my face (unless I'm going swimming or really can't avoid exposing my body to the sun). My fave is Biore Perfect Face Milk, it's very lightweight and neither greasy nor sticky on my combination oily skin. Omi Sun Bears Active Protect Milk is very similar and significantly cheaper; I just prefer the Biore one for my face as it also has a brightening/"blurring" effect good enough to use instead of foundation. You may consider the Omi one ok for body use since it's cheaper, but I think it only comes in small bottles-- it costs around 5 USD per 30g bottle in my country. These are both Japanese brands.
I've tried others and found them a bit too greasy for my face so they got relegated to being used on my body occasionally and they're ok for that: Biore aqua sunscreen, Muji sunscreen milk, Muji brightening milk, Cosrx aloe sunscreen, Skin1004 hyalu-cica water fit sun serum, Haruharu black rice airyfit sunscreen.
La Roche Posay Anthelios UVMune Oil Control Fluid is the sunscreen I use on my face if I go to the beach or go swimming or do outdoor sports. It's very waterproof and doesn't irritate my eyes if my sweat drips onto my eyes. It's a bit greasy but I can tolerate it.
East Asia has the seriously best stuff. There's a huge no-tan culture there: sunscreen and hats are must-wears during the summer. Sunscreens there are optimized for strength + ease of wear and compatibility with makeup.
+1 for asian sunscreens. I like the Biore UV Watery Gel thatās a hybrid of physical and chemical sunscreen iirc. I donāt use it that often and have been on the same bottle for years, but it seems to last pretty long when I do. I liked the skin aqua one too
I have no idea why, but this and Biore (I think it's Biore) manages to leave a copper/orange stain behind when I sweat.
I have never had that happen with anything aside from sunscreens I have tried from Japan.
For me, if it has any (active) ingredients besides zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide, it might as well not exist. Zinc and titanium are just so good at blocking the sun. My most favorite sunscreen was banx block. Last time I tried to find it, it was either ungodly expensive or the company was out of business. But that stuff was magical. It went on thick like paste, and made you look white as a ghost (but tanned skin = cancer for those of us with light skin, so that is a good thing). It would last for an entire lifeguard shift (open water), getting in and out of the water all day. My go to now is thinksport. It is nowhere near as good as banx, but is still very good.
If you want to know what suitcase to buy, look at what the airline crew use. If you want to know what sunblock to use, look at what the lifeguards use.
I recall a few years back Consumer Reports did a special on sunscreens. At the time I was surprised to see that Great Value-brand (Wal-Mart) sunscreen was rated the second highest. I donāt recall which one it lost out to, but I do remember that it had an eye watering price not at all representative of the difference between the two in function.
You can check it out here: https://www.consumerreports.org/health/sunscreens/c33614/
I am no expert (and I don't have a consumer reports account to see the actual rankings) but the Australian Gold spray listed second there also comes in a 50spf varietal that I am currently enjoying well enough. Pretty lightweight and keeps me (a medium dark skinned white guy) pretty protected.
I'm not sure how hard it is to get outside of specialty Korean beauty places, but this is the one I use:
https://roundlab.com/products/birch-moisturizing-sun-stick
It's nice because it's roll on so it's easier to apply!
Cool, thanks! That's definitely interesting.
I think if you prefer a lighter feel from your sunscreens, like from that Japanese Nivea example, you might be better off looking at other chemical or hybrid sunscreens rather than mineral ones. Since you already use the Nivea product you link, I assume that's not something you're averse to.
I tend to not be as bothered by greasy/thick sunscreen on my body as on my face personally, so I just buy something cheap at the drugstore, but I also live in Europe where sunscreen tends to be generally high-quality and the labeling is quite a lot better.
I really recommend checking out r/SkincareAddiction for specific product recommendations, since they're a well-moderated sub and the community is good at pushing back on common myths (like "reef safe" marketing and such). If you're in Europe, r/EuroSkincare is also good for brand recommendations and reviews. I know a lot of people here have quit reddit cold turkey, but these subs remain very high-quality and it's hard to match the amount of accumulated knowledge there in a small community like this one (especially given the gender ratios here on Tildes!)
I'm super into this thread! I find the feeling of most sunscreens to be really triggering.
The only additive comment I can make is that I have found the spray can sun screens to be much better in terms of skin feel. I'm really into finding out others' suggestions.
I'm a big fan of La Roche-Posay, as it applies cleanly and doesn't feel oily or greasy. It's my daily sunscreen for face and neck and it is pretty widely carried at least in the USA. I'd recommend checking out their spray options for arms and legs (For that I usually use whatever spray SPF we have lying around ā I typically cover my arms and legs if I am going to be exposed for along time anyway)
I'm in the "burn before tan" tribe and had a cousin die from melanoma, so I've always been diligent about sunblock. Now I'm on a couple of medications that increase sun sensitivity...
As /u/kfwyre said, physical sun barriers are best. If I'm planning extended activities in the sun, like gardening, it's a broad-brimmed hat, a long-sleeved swimmer's rashguard and gloves for me. I'll also wear long synthetic hiker's pants even on the hottest days - sunblock plus insect repellent feels disgusting. I'll put sunblock on my feet to wear sandals, but should really just sock up because burns around the straps (and sunburned toenails!) are miserable.
Add in contact allergies and acne-proneness, so I'm very particular about what I put on my face. I haven't taken the deep dive on Korean and Japanese skincare products, but my daily drivers are:
Clinique Superdefence City Block Broad Spectrum SPF 50. It's got both mineral and chemical sunscreens, and a light tint so that the white mineral residue isn't noticeable. Stupidly expensive, but I use it instead of makeup and a tiny bit goes a very long way. Never had skin irritation or breakouts with this product, though it's a little bit thicker and oiler than the previous Super Sheer SPF 40 formulation. I've never had burn-through with all-day wear, including around the nose bridge of my glasses, or when I was sweating in Florida humidity. Like just about everything, it's not good for use around the eyes. The tint is probably too light for people with darker skin.
Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch SPF 55. This is a chemical-only sunblock which does recommend reapplication at least every two hours. But it's non-irritating and doesn't appear greasy.
This is a really interesting video on sunscreens, chemical vs mineral, Australian vs Japanese, labeling and certifications, misinformation, water and sweat, personal testing, and more. Itās a bit long, and there are recommendations near the end, but itās worth the watch.
I clicked through to see if this was Lab Muffin Beauty Science and even though it wasn't, she was interviewed in the video and is one of the top comments āŗļø I highly recommend her stuff as well. She has a number of videos debunking myths about sunscreen, and she released a sunscreen recommendations video last year that is probably still relevant!
Thanks for sharing, pretty informative and helpful video!
I like how she showed her process and also all of the caveats that come with, as I think a lot of reviewers tend to not do thatā¦makes me trust it a bit more. And the callout of her own mistakes, and also the callout of the Nutregena sunscreen having a different Aus vs USA formulation.
Obviously, her takeaways of āthe best sunscreen is the one youāll use (and re-apply) makes senseā, but itās nice seeing some potentially good options to try out to find one that Iāll like.
I strongly prefer to use good sunblocking clothing where possible. It's ultimately cheaper, more comfortable, and far more convenient. For the summer months, the trick is to find clothes made of thin, breathable fabric that will nonetheless block UV rays (which is fortunately pretty easy to do here in Australia). Linen is a lovely option.
I worked on a commercial farm for eight years, and while I wore sunscreen the first few months, eventually I got lazy and stopped. To be effective, it has to be reapplied every two hours ā and even more frequently if you sweat. It also must not be stored in hot conditions (for example, a car or handbag) because it degrades very rapidly in heat and loses its effectiveness, so you can't just carry it with you if you're going out for more than two hours; you have to keep it in a cooler. And even stored in ideal conditions, sunscreen eventually expires and has to be replaced.
Additionally, the farm where I worked had an annual SunSmart demonstration, where we put on sunscreen and then looked at ourselves under black light to see how good our coverage was. We inevitably had gaps. The official advice in Australia (which, with New Zealand, is the world skin cancer capitol) is to not use sunscreen as your primary defense against skin damage.
So after a few months of struggling with sunscreen on the farm, I quit using it altogether and focused on UV-blocking clothing (summer-weight long sleeve shirts, long pants, and a broad-brimmed hat ā plus I was always wearing nitrile gloves while I worked). For the remaining 7+ years I worked there, I never got any sunburns; I actually ended up quite pale and lost a lot of my freckles.
When I am outdoors at home, I put sunscreen only on exposed parts of my skin (namely my hands) every two hours between 9am and 5pm from spring to autumn. I use a moisturizing sunscreen most of the time, but I'll swap to a sports sunscreen if I'm likely to sweat or get moisture on my hands. My partner has very reactive skin, so he uses a sensitive sunscreen. (Here in Australia, you can trivially buy these different kinds of sunscreens in any supermarket or pharmacy.)
I use probably the cheapest at the drug store: https://www.dm.de/marken/sundance
Years ago I replaced aftershave for sunscreen, and It was a great choice, it's far less aggressive and keeps my skin better hydrated, my skin is very sensitive to razors and since then I don't get any pimples or dry areas.
Honestly the general quality of the cheap stuff at DM is such a relief. I have this brand myself as well.
It depends on whether you prefer mineral or chemical sunscreen. Personally, I prefer mineral sunscreens, though the downside is that zinc oxide and titanium dioxide leave a noticeable white cast.
But recently I discovered a game-changer - Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Mineral SPF50+. It leaves minimal white cast (which fades completely after some time anyway) and feels really lightweight, there is no greasiness at all. It even makes my skin feel softer. As someone who tried dozens of mineral sunscreens, I can say it's really worth it even though it's not cheap.
If you prefer chemical sunscreens and cheaper options, it's much easier to find a nice one but keep in mind that thwy can leave yellow stains on white clothes (learned it the hard way sadly). A few great options I know are Holika Holika Aloe SPF50+ and SKIN79 Waterproof Sun Gel SPF50+ which are both korean and look really nice on skin. I think Holika Holika is quite affordable at least where I live. La Roche-Posay makes nice sunscreens for body as well but I'm not sure about prices. For budget-friendly picks, I also love Lirene sunscreens but it's my local brand so not sure if you can find it available anywhere for you.
beauty of joseon
Have I ever told you that I think you must be my Tildes nemesis? :)
But that's one of the ones my wife uses. So BOTH of you are against me!!! ;-)
My wife works outdoors a lot at Colonial Williamsburg and is sensitive to the sunĀ¹. She asked around in the past and done some reading and such.
Her two favories:
Ā¹ as in, light skin, reddish skin, sunburns easily
Ā² AMAZON LINK ā no referal or anything, just a heads up
This is one I use and this one is also good.
Iāve been using them for two years and results have been great imo (havenāt gotten sunburnt nor have I tanned significantly).
We use this Banana Boat because I also hate feeling greasy. It was recommended by a dermatologist, and now we use it on the whole family-- even the kids don't mind it.
My favorite right now is Eucerin age defense sunscreen. It sinks well, keeps my face fairly dewy, and not greasy. I like it better than la roche posay sunscreen and its half the cost. You can get similar one for the body and use age defense for the face.