Which sunscreen is your favorite?

[deirdrefitch]

I love the Neutrogena Sunscreen SPF 45. We have never burned using this. Our trip three years ago I found a bargain! I bought two bottles of the Coppertone Sport SPF 45 for the price of one.
This was supposed to be waterproof and smudgeproof. What a find! The second day of our trip, I packed the sunblock on my youngest son, put a light colored t-shirt on him, and off to the pool we went. We stayed in the pool for approx 2 hrs. HE IS EXTREMELY FAIR SKINNED! He had sunburned through the t-shirt and other areas where the sunscreen had been applied. My bargain cost us $225 for a Dr visit at a walk-in clinic to treat the blisters received from sunburn. They applied an ointment to the sunburn that took the pain and blisters away within 48 hrs. To say the less, we did alot of touring of our hotel room, and local malls. He was able to use the pool, and putt putt at night. The Neutrogen SPF 45 we have used for years, no problems. With this we sunblock every 4 hrs. I learned a hard lesson.

 

[NotUrsula]

Which means that if you want to do the typical "SPF factor X 10 = allowable exposure in minutes" test you had better not be sweating or swimming during any of that exposure time.
Essentially, I might trust using that formula to judge facial burning during winter sports, but I would not trust it at all in Florida at just about any time of year. Also, that formula assumes that you are using the correct amount of the product, and studies have shown that most people only use 1/6 as much as is recommended. According to the tests that are used to arrive at those SPF numbers, one adult running around WDW in shorts and a tank top in summertime should be using up at least one full 6 oz. bottle of sunscreen PER DAY!

The FDA has now banned claiming of any SPF factor over 30, as their tests showed that past 30, there was no measurable difference. My dermatologist advises that if it is hot outside, or if you are coming into any kind of contact with water, it is best to read that SPF in straight terms; no multiplication. If you want to be totally safe, reapply every 30 minutes, and NEVER go longer than an hour without reapplying if you are getting wet, chlorine or no chlorine.

 

[MELSMICE]

No matter what kind of sunscreen I use I always feel "greasy" after I apply it. So..............I take a morning shower, apply the sunscreen & as soon as I'm done I know I will have to shower again when we're done swimming. Oh well.

Anyway, I usually use NoAD for my family. We have found it works well, is not too expensive & goes a long way. We reapply sunscreen quite often during the day, but after reading some of these posts I realize that we should reapply even more.

 

[DisneyGal358]

my thoughts... get on the boat!!! the banana boat!!

 

[colleen costello]

For the eye burning problem, I skip the suncreen around the eyes and use instead a Clinique makeup stick called "City Stick." It comes in different shade s -- it really is intended as makeup -- and has a spf 15. It has worked well with my kids because it is so easy to apply. It's a swivel-up stick and you can apply it thick, making "racoon eyes" because it has a great feel to it, not sticky. When it starts to fade you can apply more. It is small and costly (maybe $15 or so?) but lasts a LONG time. Its great for small spots like tip of noise, earlobes, etc. If you apply it and don't rub it in -- like you would do if you were using it as makeup -- it seems to repel water fairly well. We have had good luck with it in the Disney pools.

You get it at the Clinique counter at the mall.

 

[Poohbear123]

Just a note--check the DATES on your Sunscreen, if it is OLD, throw it away and buy NEW! I am buying NEW tomorrow, mine are ALL out of date!

 

[jaysue]

We use Ombrelle - have found it goes on easy and works very well - also Coppertone Sport as well from time to time

Thanks
Jason

 

[Pookey]

I also have the problem of a burning sensation when I use sunscreen on my face. No one else in my family has this problem and so it is hard for them to understand. I don't believe that I have ever seen any Panama Jack products. where is a good place to look for them. We plan an August trip and are coming from NH so I will need good protection.

 

[JetMom]

Since my family does a lot of hiking and camping, we use Avon Skin-So-Soft Sunscreen/Bug repellent. It is very effective and waterproof. With all of the things you read about tics and mosquitos, I like the extra security of having the bug repellent.

 

[Magickndm]

Bullfrog's Kids...the only kind that doesn't make my DD's face sting and stays on even after a lot of sweating.

 

[DisneyBrat]

BULLFROG!!!!!! We used this in the Carribean and NEVER had a burn. I burn easy and so does my hubby. Melalucca is a great product too. Get the Melagel for burns it takes out any burn pain fast.

Lew

 

[Yzma and Kronk]

We always use Ombrelle (by L'Oreal) They have a kids version, SPF30 and Extreme.

 

[Janell Ebert]

eyes hurt. Put on a half hour before you go out.

 

[MELSMICE]

I had posted a while ago saying that I always use NoAd. Well, I just realized (after many trips to WDW & the beach) that I am allergic to it - actually, not just NoAd, but many of the sunscreens.

I could never figure out why I would always get a rash after being in the sun for a few days. I attributed it to heat rash. Well, finally on our trip a month ago I read the ingredients on the bottle & it has benzocaine in it. I am allergic to benzyol peroxide & it sounds like the benzocaine could be a form of it. Luckily I had one sunscreen with us that didn't have the benzocaine in it & that was Hawaiian Tropic. I stopped using the NoAd & also the Coopertone we had which contained the benzocaine & about 4 or 5 days later the rash & the itching was pretty much gone. One of my DD's was also getting the same thing, along with my brother. They stopped using the "tainted" sunscreen & were fine also. The rest of my family used the NoAd & Coopertone with no problem.

I guess I'll have to get sunscreen without the benzocaine from now on. I can't believe it took me that long to figure it out though!!

 

[momof2inPA]

My kids have lots of wacky allergies and skin problems and I think the Ombrelle for Kids actually helps their skin. I don't know what is different in the adult version, but it irritates them.

 

[Windermere]

Australian Gold

 

[HunnyPots]

Good old Coppertone!
I now buy the oil-free kind and there is no greasy feeling on your face at all, which is a god-send for my dh and dd who both have oily skin. And it also protects from UVA rays, as well as UVB.
Besides, it's just not summer if I don't smell like Coppertone!

 

[lmhall2000]

I can't rave enough about the Mustela brand. One of my children has very sensitive skin and I was forced to buy this- you use so little that I can make a tube last a whole summer. My grandmother (age 78) says it's the best stuff she's ever used- very lightweight and non-greasy. It was made for babies but we use it on everybody. Every now and then one of the health/beauty .com sites run specials on it. I bought three tubes for $32- normally I pay $15-20 a bottle at the local shops- but I wouldn't use anything else.
Tara

 

[jlp651]

Has my vote! It smells good and has always worked for me!!!

 

[tink2]

I generally use coppertone! I do have a question though. My DS- 2- keeps rubbing his hands in his eyes and getting sunscreen in his eyes! This makes for a miserable time! I've tried not putting it on his hands- just rubs it from his face. I've tried the stick kind on his hands and face- worked a little better. I put goggles on him- and we were only riding the boat, not swimming. This worked but I don't think he will wear goggles all summer- and I personally don't want him to. Does anyone have any suggestions?