Sunscreen users take note: new product

[monica31671]

I tried the sunscreen with bug repellant in it. It seemed to work okay, but my son had an allergic reaction to it. So, no more of that for us.
If I remember right, it has deet in it so it should keep the bugs away. I know it kept him from burning. And it is waterproof. We had to soap him up good to get the stuff off of him! The kind we used was called Bug and Sun, I think.

 

[pezpam]

HHMMM...mentioning the word Ozone. Did you say you're new sunscreen is aerosol? One word chloroflourocarbons (CFC's) I think it might be in the best interest of your kids to save their environment instead of saving some fights over sunscreen application, but hey to each their own.

Sorry not trying to sound snobby or anything but being a scientist I just couldnt let that one slide

and....

1978!!?! Seems like it's been an environmental issue much later than that....

By chance was that 1978 "ban" one of those wishy-washy laws, saying something like, All companies are COMPLETELY BANNED from further using CFC's in ANY of their products!! (oh, by the year 2000). You know, one of those laws that looks like they are taking a strong stand and taking action, but giving companies ridiculous amounts of time to act and correct harmful situations.

The original phaseout of CFCs was scheduled to be complete by 2000. Then:

On February 11, 1992, the United States, responding to recent scientific findings, announced that the phaseout of the production of CFCs, halons, carbon tetrachloride, and methyl chloroform would be accelerated and that these substances would be phased out by December, 31, 1995

As someone who studied science myself, it's a little distressing to hear that your profs are telling you that this stuff is still in production here in the US when it's been a decade or so since that was true. Hopefully, they meant that perhaps they were still being produced elsewhere (if that's true, and it may be) or were discussing the ongoing effects of CFCs in the atmosphere and you simply misunderstood the time frame.

Please.... I totally understand your concern on this issue and applaud your zeal, but take a few minutes to doublecheck even things you're pretty sure of before jumping down someone's throat. We're all here to help each other.

That said, I've used the pump sunscreen and found it easy to use with DD - and very effective. I haven't seen the aerosol stuff, but will keep an eye out to check it out if it does show up around here.

 

[OceanAnnie]

Are these products greasy? I have had the hardest time with greasy sun tan lotion! I've been looking for a good non-greasy STL.

So many of them are beyond greasy. It's uncomfortable and messy and I feel like I need as shower as soon as I get inside! UGH.

 

[pezpam]

Are these products greasy? I have had the hardest time with greasy sun tan lotion! I've been looking for a good non-greasy STL.

So many of them are beyond greasy. It's uncomfortable and messy and I feel like I need as shower as soon as I get inside! UGH.

We used the Banana Boat spray last year and it wasn't bad. Not anywhere near as greasy as the lotions I usually use - an SPF of 30 is an absolute minimum for DD and I, but higher SPF lotions are usually bad and I find the sport versions especially annoying..... not greasy exactly, but they make me feel like I need to wash a mask off of my face. The spray was a big improvement.

HTH!

 

[pixie08]

rcraw how does the stuff smell? I hate when they smell like hairspray or something...the usual suntan smell doesn't bother me though I actually like it..they usually small tropical!

 

[pixiedust23]

as for my profs they never even mentioned there was a phase out in the US of products. So as sad as it is, they were still leading us to believe the stuff was still in production here in the US. And I'm pretty sure I had a grasp on what was being taught since I got an A+ in the class.

As for non-greasy sun tan stuff. My family uses a think its Copertone Sport. It's a pump spray. And it its greasy #1 and has all the lovely sweat proof factors as well.

 

[steve_rob]

It's kind of ironic that the whole thing about CFC's (with them being one of the major reasons why the ozone layer depleted as quick as it did in certain places) should have been brought up on this thread because the product mentioned earlier in the thread - Ozone SPF 70 - was specifically developed for people living in areas that sometimes fall under the ozone hole.

Apparently (I read a news story once - but can't find a link to it now) there are some parts of southern Argentina where if the meterologists say that day your town is going to be under the 'hole', if you fail to cover yourself completely in SPF 70 and wear a hat, you will get SEVERE sunburn within as little as ten minutes! And of course, a massively greater risk of things like dermatitis and skin cancer as well.

 

[pongoperdigirl]

I can vouch for another product--Ozone. I am terribly fair-skinned, and I can burn after about 15 minutes in the hot Florida sun. I've tried all brands, all SPF's, and the only thing that works for me is Ozone. It's something like SPF 70, but it honestly does the trick! (It's in a gray bottle--I can't think if it's Hawaiian Tropic or Banana Boat...) My husband and I honeymooned in Aruba (think close to the equator!), and after applying Ozone for a week, I came back to the states with the same fair skin I'd left with! Worked like a charm in DW last year, too. It's been difficult to find lately, but I've been able to find it at Wal-Mart and K-Mart. When I do see it, I buy bottles to put in storage just in case I can't find it again for a while.

You and I must have the same skin I am so fair that I am pretty much transparent..I have also found that BullFrog works very well too, but I find that to be difficult to find

 

[rcraw45425]

The Coppertone stuff is called "continuous spray no pumping required." Says in a little circle at the bottom "NO CFC'S" pixiedust. As a former chemist (yes I did have a title other than "Mom" (have to say it in a whiny nine year old tone!) )I agree about the CFC thing. That never crossed my mind, I was just thrilled that I didn't have to have my older DD sit on my younger DD and vice versa to apply the darn stuff It smells like sunscreen, not overpoweringly perfume-y or anything. Nothing obnoxious or DH wouldn't use it. His chief gripe, just like the girls', is the greasiness. This is not greasy feeling. It actually feels lighter than the Banana Boat Sport SPF 30 that we have been using. DH even sprays it on his scalp (shhhh, he's sensitive about his little shiny spot ). I used it on a cloud High UV day and didn't seem to get any sun. Being a redhead I am fair, but luckily not super white with all the freckles. DH is also redheaded, tends to burn easier than I. Both girls will tan lightly, thanks to my father's dark hair/ tannable gene. I still insist on the sunscreen though. I am also a melanoma survivor (luckily caught extremely early and removed thoroughly) so I tend to take skin care seriously. I am right now putting two cans of this stuff in my travel bag for Friday.

 

[rcraw45425]

Hey Pixiedust, as one chemist to another,
Active ingredients: Homosalate, Octinoxate,Octisalate,Oxybenzone
Inactive ingredients: SD Alcohol 40 (79.6 V/W), Acylates/Octylacrylamide Copolymer, Fragrance.

Yuck, wish I hadn't read that last part! Used to be a polymer chemist, chiefly acrylamide copolymers. I remember how slimy they could be if in contact with H2O, oh man, I bet this stuff is major waterproof!

 

[NotUrsula]

Yep, it's very waterproof, and it has also been in stores for at least 7 years. Up until this year it was a pump spray, now it's a pressurized can. (I think the pump spray is probably still available; they sell giant economy sized pkgs. at wholesale clubs like Sam's and Costco.) Anyway, look for the bright royal blue package; the color never changes, though the shape of the bottle/can seems to change every year. You don't need to rub it, and it goes on white so that you can see the coverage, though it dries clear. It is not at all sticky, and it doesn't flake, either.

My previous favorite of this type was Sea 'N Ski spray, but they changed that and made it a lotion spray, the sort you have to rub, so I don't use it anymore. The Coppertone Sport smells a little stronger, but it doesn't smell sweet enough to attract bugs. I also really like the spray version of Ozone (silver and orange bottle), but I can't find it in the midwest; I stock up when in Florida. Bullfrog spray is great, too, but much more expensive than either the Coppertone or the Ozone.

WARNING about all of the fine-spray type sunblocks: don't generously spray them on spandex swimsuits! The product WILL destroy the stretch in the suit. I ruined a suit in under a week with this stuff on a beach trip. You need to tug your suit out of the way when spraying near the fabric. I always spray it on before I put my suit on when going swimming.

I don't use any kind of spray or lotion on faces; wax-stick only. Neutrogena stick for me, Ozone stick for the kiddies. (I *can* find the Ozone stick here, just not the spray.)

 

[rcraw45425]

This is a white can with purple on it, reminds me of the packaging that they had on the 30SPF spray lotion, which, by the way is less obnoxious than most spray lotions. I remember the blue sport stuff you're talking about, it was similar to the Banana Boat Sport that DH swore by. I found this pressurized stuff to be lighter than the pump spray.

 

[pixiedust23]

rcraw- HAHA I don't know all those ingredients. I'm a molecular biologist. So one of those losers who likes to play with cancer cells. See I liked the blue spray, I thought it was light. But I usually use oils or creams so I guess anything feels light to me!

 

[rcraw45425]

oh I understand. This stuff is actually pretty light, Especially concidering how I used to use zinc oxide cream in a pot!

 

[tkd lisa]

I used the Coppertone sport pump ever since it came out. It works wonderfully, and it's not greasy. It's a little bit tacky when it first dries, but within a few minutes you won't even know it's on.

Glad to hear it's in a spray vs. pump, since I pumped a lot of times to cover my whole family!!!

One thing I noticed is when it gets to the bottom, whatever the propellant is can dilute the sunscreen a little bit. I had a spotty sunburn where I used the last of a bottle last summer. Teeny tiny dots of red! Pretty cute!

 

[ImagineEar]

While on the topic of sunscreen - anyone heard of "scalp spray"? A friend told me about it but I cannot seem to find in anywhere (in Northern Jersey that is).

 

[rcraw45425]

We have a friend who is severely follicularly challenged I have seen him use a pump spray on his scalp ( specific spray just for that). My DH has a small thin spot and he has sprayed the pump spray that we are talking about (usually called sport by Coppertone and Banana Boat, alcohol based, not a spray lotion) on his scalp and it has worked quite well.

 

[NotUrsula]

Here is the most common "scalp spray" on the market: http://shop.store.yahoo.com/physlabs/109568.html
I've never seen a drugstore or supermarket sunscreen aisle in Florida that didn't carry it.

I've used it, but I honestly don't like it; it makes my hair look and feel like I haven't washed it in a week. What I do instead is use my wax face stick to run down my part after I style my hair. I usually wear my hair braided or pinned up while in theme parks, so it's pretty easy to know just where I'm vulnerable to sun exposure.

 

[tzuhouse]

Don't know if ya'll have seen them before, or not, but I just found a company out of Austin, Texas called Tula. They make hats that are UPF 50+ I was pretty excited and love the one I bought for me. Going to get DH one also and I would love the boys to wear them, but they prefer baseball hats. I only paid 23.00 for mine, so not outrageously expensive.

Mary

 

[OceanAnnie]

Thanks to everyone for the non-greasy sun tan lotion recommendations!
I'll be sure to check them out!