Mustachian Sunscreen

[Adventine]

Since several people have brought up the subject of masks, I also recommend the Uniqlo Airism face masks with UPF 50.

Super breathable, wicks away sweat, and with good sun protection. No maskne as long as you wash them after every use.

After this pandemic is over and we can all go back to not wearing masks in public, I wonder how many people will have mask tan lines on their faces...

[markbike528CBX]

The standard way to deal with any radiation, to include thermonuclear radiation (the Sun) is  Time, Distance, Shielding.
 
Time --- minimize time in bright direct sunlight, maybe prioritize outside trips at night/cloudy days.
Distance -- Not much we can do about this. Please don't move the Earth to maximize distance.
Shielding-  I'm a big fan of broad-brimmed hats as I also like eye protection.  Also, the Earth is a pretty good shield from most thermonuclear radiation, except neutrinos. See the entry for Time.

I was a chemist, I don't feel safe putting reactive chemicals directly on my skin.  Plus, I've gotten allergic reactions to many sunscreens.

[frugs]

Minimize your time in the sun so you don't need sunscreen every day. Stay indoors during peak hours.

Other than that I read somewhere on the internet the best sunscreen is the one you're going to use and I think that is very true.

When I do need to be outside (which is more than I would like lately due to Covid) I have a few based on activity: LaRoche Posay SPF 50 Primer for outdoor social activities (this one is awesome and easily competes with similar products that cost over 2x as much, and does not get in your eyes at all),  Alba Botanica 45 for outdoor sports, Aveeno Ultra Calming 30 for running errands outside of peak sun hours, and Andalou Naturals 18 if I am indoors  sitting close to the window.

Always, always, always hat outdoors and long sleeves if weather allows.

[alsoknownasDean]

Usually the cheap stuff from the supermarket. $3 for a 100g tube, and a 500mL pump pack is usually well under ten bucks.

I've got the Aldi equivalent to this:

https://shop.coles.com.au/a/national/product/coles-sunscreen-ultra-spf-50

https://shop.coles.com.au/a/national/product/coles-sunscreen-ultra-spf-50-3256780p

I'll wear it when I'm going outside for a longer period of time between October-April, and reapply every 2-3 hours. The sun in the height of summer is pretty intense, but I work indoors so most days I don't wear it (except maybe when going for lunch).

What do the expensive sunscreens do that the cheap ones don't? 90mL would last me maybe two-three applications if I'm putting it on my arms, legs, face and neck. The cheap Aldi stuff I used on Saturday did just fine, spent a whole afternoon outside and didn't get burnt. Long sleeve shirt and wide brim hat for most of the day helps.

[Adventine]

Some (not all) of the pricier sunscreens don't feel sticky on skin, smell better (meaning the smell doesn't scream BEACH), and don't leave a white cast on skin (important for darker skin colors).

All these factors encourage repeated use and reinforce the habit of wearing sunscreen every day.

[limeandpepper]

I use an Australian brand, Natural Instinct, I like the look of the ingredient list compared to most other sunscreens. It's probably considered the heavy-duty type, but I basically use sunscreen only a few times a year, typically when I'll be spending prolonged time under harsh sun, like going to the beach, so it suits me. I use it on both face and body.

https://www.naturalinstinctsuncare.com.au/products/invisible-natural-sunscreen-spf-30

[englishteacheralex]

Hey! So the Biore sunscreen came and I've been wearing it every day. The nature of my need for this sunscreen means that I can't really tell if it's actually blocking the sun--I wear it as my daily face sunscreen, and it would be unusual for me to get a sunburn on my face even if I didn't wear sunscreen. I applied it for the beach on Saturday, but also put a layer of regular cheap sunscreen on top to be sure, plus my usual giant hat (I don't take chances with the sun anymore).

What I love about the Biore sunscreen is that it's super lightweight and feels/behaves like moisturizer, not sunscreen. It layers under makeup with no trouble. It was $16 for 2 oz or so, which isn't dirt cheap but is much cheaper than Super Goop. I think this may become my go-to daily face sunscreen. Too bad it's not easier to get in America. The one that I bought from Amazon is entirely Japanese.

[Adventine]

@englishteacheralex glad you liked the Bioré!

[Mgmny]

I can tell most of this thread is filled with sunscreen fans (or those concerned with reefs, environment), but no one is talking about the importance of vitamin D in our lives and how everyone wearing sunscreen all the time is actually a huge issue for us not getting enough UV radiation.

I read an article on this a year or so ago and am attempting to find it to post here (so far, no luck), but essentially, putting sunscreen on eliminates the body's ability to create vitamin D, so we are all becoming deficient. Additionally, the risk of the sun causing a skin cancer that actually kills you is incredibly, incredibly small.

Some people want their skin to look nice, and that's fine, but know you are balancing wrinkles/moles with general health and wellbeing provided by vitamin D.

I fully expect many of you to get angry at me for posting this (it will remind me of when i told people that Radon mitigation systems are hoaxes and only save old, heavy smokers, and no one else). I look forward to your energetic rebuttals! I will go find the article on sunscreen. If i don't come back and post it, assume i'm still looking, but i assure you the science is real.

[Mgmny]

Here it is: https://www.outsideonline.com/2380751/sunscreen-sun-exposure-skin-cancer-science

After re-reading, it isn't the vitamin d itself, but vitamin d is a marker for sun exposure which LEADS to a bunch of health benefits, and shockingly few people die of skin cancer, so I very much agree - no sunscreen.

[K_in_the_kitchen]

I can tell most of this thread is filled with sunscreen fans (or those concerned with reefs, environment), but no one is talking about the importance of vitamin D in our lives and how everyone wearing sunscreen all the time is actually a huge issue for us not getting enough UV radiation.

I read an article on this a year or so ago and am attempting to find it to post here (so far, no luck), but essentially, putting sunscreen on eliminates the body's ability to create vitamin D, so we are all becoming deficient. Additionally, the risk of the sun causing a skin cancer that actually kills you is incredibly, incredibly small.

Some people want their skin to look nice, and that's fine, but know you are balancing wrinkles/moles with general health and wellbeing provided by vitamin D.

I fully expect many of you to get angry at me for posting this (it will remind me of when i told people that Radon mitigation systems are hoaxes and only save old, heavy smokers, and no one else). I look forward to your energetic rebuttals! I will go find the article on sunscreen. If i don't come back and post it, assume i'm still looking, but i assure you the science is real.

Actually, I did write about this when I responded to this thread in mid-November.

More than a decade ago, I was the mom not putting sunscreen on my kids.  Even before I read research linking lack of vitamin D to higher incidence of more deadly cancers, along with common chemical sunscreen ingredients themselves creating health risks, I was concerned about exposure to sunscreen itself.  I wanted my kids to learn to respect the sun, not fear it.

I'd rather have wrinkles than deadly liver cancer.  I actively seek out the sun at times when the sun's angle is high enough to stimulate vitamin D (actually hormone) production, but the UV index isn't so high as to burn me within 15 minutes.  In winter I walk at midday without sunscreen, because I don't burn with the lower angle of the sun.  In summer, I will try to get 5-10 minutes of full body sun exposure a couple of times a week.  My body tells me when to get out of the sun, whereas with sunscreen the built in warning system is disabled.

Low vitamin D is linked to large number of health issues, including more severe Covid symptoms.

As markbike528CBX posted above, the common sense approach to sun exposure is time, distance, and shielding.  I'm not sure the last time I used sunscreen on myself, as it been a couple of years.  I only wear it if I'm at high risk of getting a bad sunburn and shielding myself with clothing and a wide-brimmed hat will be insufficient to prevent it.  I have fair skin and blue eyes, and I burn quickly and easily, but I still avoid sunscreen as much as possible.

[Catica]

I can tell most of this thread is filled with sunscreen fans (or those concerned with reefs, environment), but no one is talking about the importance of vitamin D in our lives and how everyone wearing sunscreen all the time is actually a huge issue for us not getting enough UV radiation.

I read an article on this a year or so ago and am attempting to find it to post here (so far, no luck), but essentially, putting sunscreen on eliminates the body's ability to create vitamin D, so we are all becoming deficient. Additionally, the risk of the sun causing a skin cancer that actually kills you is incredibly, incredibly small.

Some people want their skin to look nice, and that's fine, but know you are balancing wrinkles/moles with general health and wellbeing provided by vitamin D.

I fully expect many of you to get angry at me for posting this (it will remind me of when i told people that Radon mitigation systems are hoaxes and only save old, heavy smokers, and no one else). I look forward to your energetic rebuttals! I will go find the article on sunscreen. If i don't come back and post it, assume i'm still looking, but i assure you the science is real.

I totally agree with you, but what's wrong with taking Vit D supplement?

[Mgmny]

I can tell most of this thread is filled with sunscreen fans (or those concerned with reefs, environment), but no one is talking about the importance of vitamin D in our lives and how everyone wearing sunscreen all the time is actually a huge issue for us not getting enough UV radiation.

I read an article on this a year or so ago and am attempting to find it to post here (so far, no luck), but essentially, putting sunscreen on eliminates the body's ability to create vitamin D, so we are all becoming deficient. Additionally, the risk of the sun causing a skin cancer that actually kills you is incredibly, incredibly small.

Some people want their skin to look nice, and that's fine, but know you are balancing wrinkles/moles with general health and wellbeing provided by vitamin D.

I fully expect many of you to get angry at me for posting this (it will remind me of when i told people that Radon mitigation systems are hoaxes and only save old, heavy smokers, and no one else). I look forward to your energetic rebuttals! I will go find the article on sunscreen. If i don't come back and post it, assume i'm still looking, but i assure you the science is real.

I totally agree with you, but what's wrong with taking Vit D supplement?

If you read my second comment/the article, I guess vitamin d supplements don't provide the same benefit as exposure to sun, it appears as though vitamin d is a marker for sun exposure, but not the actual catalyst for health.

[Catica]

I can tell most of this thread is filled with sunscreen fans (or those concerned with reefs, environment), but no one is talking about the importance of vitamin D in our lives and how everyone wearing sunscreen all the time is actually a huge issue for us not getting enough UV radiation.

I read an article on this a year or so ago and am attempting to find it to post here (so far, no luck), but essentially, putting sunscreen on eliminates the body's ability to create vitamin D, so we are all becoming deficient. Additionally, the risk of the sun causing a skin cancer that actually kills you is incredibly, incredibly small.

Some people want their skin to look nice, and that's fine, but know you are balancing wrinkles/moles with general health and wellbeing provided by vitamin D.

I fully expect many of you to get angry at me for posting this (it will remind me of when i told people that Radon mitigation systems are hoaxes and only save old, heavy smokers, and no one else). I look forward to your energetic rebuttals! I will go find the article on sunscreen. If i don't come back and post it, assume i'm still looking, but i assure you the science is real.

I totally agree with you, but what's wrong with taking Vit D supplement?

If you read my second comment/the article, I guess vitamin d supplements don't provide the same benefit as exposure to sun, it appears as though vitamin d is a marker for sun exposure, but not the actual catalyst for health.

Yeah, I read the article, but that's from Outside magazine. I don't see them providing any sources, so I can't take this seriously.

[20957]

I put sunscreen on my face and neck daily year-round because I don't want wrinkles or surgery on my face. I put it on my body only when I'm going to be outside all day in the summer. I assume that behavior will help with vitamin D acquisition? The problem is that most mild vitamin deficits have vague or no symptoms amd I'm hardly going to go to the doctor just to get tested for vitamin levels.

[Mgmny]

I can tell most of this thread is filled with sunscreen fans (or those concerned with reefs, environment), but no one is talking about the importance of vitamin D in our lives and how everyone wearing sunscreen all the time is actually a huge issue for us not getting enough UV radiation.

I read an article on this a year or so ago and am attempting to find it to post here (so far, no luck), but essentially, putting sunscreen on eliminates the body's ability to create vitamin D, so we are all becoming deficient. Additionally, the risk of the sun causing a skin cancer that actually kills you is incredibly, incredibly small.

Some people want their skin to look nice, and that's fine, but know you are balancing wrinkles/moles with general health and wellbeing provided by vitamin D.

I fully expect many of you to get angry at me for posting this (it will remind me of when i told people that Radon mitigation systems are hoaxes and only save old, heavy smokers, and no one else). I look forward to your energetic rebuttals! I will go find the article on sunscreen. If i don't come back and post it, assume i'm still looking, but i assure you the science is real.

I totally agree with you, but what's wrong with taking Vit D supplement?

If you read my second comment/the article, I guess vitamin d supplements don't provide the same benefit as exposure to sun, it appears as though vitamin d is a marker for sun exposure, but not the actual catalyst for health.

Yeah, I read the article, but that's from Outside magazine. I don't see them providing any sources, so I can't take this seriously.

I just read a few articles from NCBI and it appears as though the literature is inconclusive on this. Some say that Vitamin D is a marker for sun exposure (or even a host of other things, like lower BMI, balanced diet), and others suggest that calcitriol does indeed reduce risk for cancer.

As for most things in life, it's probably not an either-or, but somewhere in the middle "both"

[Metalcat]

Yeah...

Well, after both DH and I got skin cancer, we're pretty happy to use sunscreen and take vitamin D supplements, especially since we live in a climate where a good chunk of the year is spent with all of our skin covered from the air anyway.

[MudPuppy]

Even when I was working at a summer camp I had low vitamin D. I choose to lower my skin cancer risk.

[jrhampt]

My vitamin D levels are high even in the winter, probably because I run outside year-round and eat loads of dairy.  In the summer, I go out early in the morning and late in the afternoon most days, and don't bother with sunscreen if the UV index isn't high.  If I'm going to be out all day in the sun, though (biking, hiking, kayaking etc.), I use the following for my face (I have rosacea so use mineral sunscreens which are supposed to be better for the environment anyway):

La Roche-Posay Anthelios Tinted Mineral Ultra-Light Fluid Broad Spectrum SPF 50, Face Sunscreen with Titanium Dioxide, Oil-Free, 1.7 Fl. Oz

It's about $33 for a small bottle, but it lasts me quite a while, up to a year even.  It spreads easily in contrast to many other physical sunscreens, and the light tint means you don't get that white cast to your skin.  It lasts me all day once I apply it.

For body coverage, I usually use a long-sleeved rashguard when I go kayaking, but I also like the following spray-on sunscreen when I'm not going to be able to avoid the sun during peak hours on the water:

Neutrogena Beach Defense Sunscreen Spray SPF 70 Water-Resistant Sunscreen Body Spray with Broad Spectrum SPF 50, PABA-Free, Oxybenzone-Free & Fast-Drying, Superior Sun Protection

This is about $10 a bottle and we go through it faster since we use it for our bodies and re-apply frequently if we're out all day.

I don't skimp on sunscreen; the best sunscreen is one that you're actually going to use and that's not going to irritate your skin.

[jrhampt]

Not strictly sunscreen related, but other ways to increase your natural resistance to inflammation from UV rays include:

red light therapy
heliocare supplements
vitamin c serum

I combine all of the above with sunscreen where necessary.

[Adventine]

Coming back with a new review for a Korean sunscreen that surprised me, and not in a good way.

Face Republic Super Screen Sun Gel SPF 50+: despite the good reviews from other users, this was horrible for me.

The product looks like my favorite Bioré Aqua Rich Watery Gel, but it's not nearly as fast-absorbing. It's been an hour since I applied it and I've still got this nasty feeling of stickiness all over my skin. Well, at least there's no white cast. And it was a gift. I would have been even more pissed off if I had actually paid good money for this.

I expect to receive more sunscreen as Christmas gifts and will update again if I receive any particularly good (or bad) products.