# Sunscreen reviews



## Salty Dog (Sep 18, 2005)

Hi All,

I am a red head, so sunscreen is pretty much not optional for me.

Most sunscreens really give me the sh!ts. They advertise that they are not greasy when they really are, making it hard to hang on to your paddle properly. They run down into your eyes when you get sweaty & burn them like crazy.

I know guys who don't wear any because they are worried that it will put the fish off the bite as well. That's just asking for trouble. Had a mate who is pretty good with his sunscreen have a melanoma removed from his ear recently...imagine how much worse the risk is if you wear none at all.

In order to further the cause of people wearing sunscreen, thought that I would start putting up some reviews of sunscreens that I have used & how suitable or not I found them for kayak fishing.

Please feel free to contribute as I am always looking for the perfect one myself & it is for everyone's benefit. Before anyone asks, I don't have any affiliation with anyone who makes sunscreen or that sells it - no cash for comment here. My only agenda is that I think unless you are covered up, you should be wearing it when you are out in the sun.


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## Salty Dog (Sep 18, 2005)

Not targeting any in particular to get started with, just some that I am either using or have a little bit left of from using previously. If there are any other things that any of you want included as standard, happy to add if they make sense. Feel free to add contrary reviews too if you love something that I don't.

I'm going to be a bit time poor this weekend but will try & put up photos of the bottles at some stage.

1st review: Cancer Council Active (Sunscreen Plus Mineral Silica)










Rating: SPF 30+
UVA & UVB Protection?: Yes
Comments on front of bottle: Light feel. Dry touch. For an active outdoor lifestyle. Easy to apply spray.
Is it greasy?: Yes
Does it work, ie if you apply do you get sunburnt?: It works, you don't get sunburnt.
Does is run into your eyes?: Yes it does & it stings.
Water resistance: listed as 4 hrs on the bottle. Seems to be water resistant, but really supposed to re-apply after 2 hrs, so can't attest to it working for 4 hrs or not.
Other comments: Pretty bog standard sunscreen - works but not pleasant to deal with.


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## Barrabundy (Sep 29, 2008)

I've found the gel types to be less greasy than the creamy ones but I don't use them because my head tells me if I can't feel it there it's not there.

There's always been a bit of controversy about what the long term affects of prolonged sunscreen use and for that reason I prefer to just cover up and only use sunscreen where it can't be avoided.

As for brands, I've probably used them all. I know one of my kids comes up in hives with some brands, it must be one/some of the ingredients, but I haven't had a problem myself.


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## imnotoriginal (Jan 13, 2008)

I like the pump action spray bottles. I find its usually a lot more liquid which makes it easier to spread and the spray bottle makes application easier. I also only use a minimal amount of sunscreen, as I wear long pants, long sleeve shirt, gloves, buff, sunnies and hat while on the water.
Joel


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## Salty Dog (Sep 18, 2005)

Hey Barrabundy,

Good on you for covering up. If I didn't get too hot & uncomfortable, I would be doing the same. If anyone has any tips on clothing that are a good alternative to sunscreen, please feel free to put that up too. Anything that protects you from the sun has to be a good thing, right? I am open to being converted because I find having to put sunscreen on a pain.

I found Banana Boat Gel which smelled of alcohol dried pretty much straight away & was not greasy in any way. Problem is that they stopped selling it soon after. Don't know if the alcohol irritated some people's skin or if there was some other reason. I didn't have any issue with it but not on the market any more, so not really worth doing a review on it.

Have read up on the risk of micro-particles entering the blood stream. So far it seems that those who have actually tried to study it believe that it does, but they are not particularly concerned about the risks or the quantities that do. The risks of unprotected exposure to the sun, they pretty much all agree on though. Not saying that there isn't some potential risk over a long period of time, just happier to bet on that risk rather than the one I pretty much know for sure can kill me.


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## Barrabundy (Sep 29, 2008)

Neutrogena Ultimate Sport
It's a creamy lotion but easy to spread, 4hrs water resistant, supposedly less-greasy (I think it might be) and comes in a easy to use squeezy tube. Fits nicely in the pocket of my Hobie seat.

Woolworths Select Very High Protection Lotion
1l container with hand pump on top, it's white and greasy (label says non-greasy) and stops you getting burnt. I have not preference between brands as long as they do what they're supposed to do.

One thing I look at is how hard they are to wash off in the shower after being out all day. If you need to scrub the crap out of your skin to get them off I take it as a sign of them being longer lasting. I don't know if it actually means that though.


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## Salty Dog (Sep 18, 2005)

2nd review: Nivea Sun Kids










Rating: SPF 30+
UVA & UVB Protection?: Don't know, doesn't explicitly say on the bottle, maybe broad spectrum protection covers it?
Comments on front of bottle: Broad spectrum protection
Is it greasy?: Yes
Does it work, ie if you apply do you get sunburnt?: It works, you don't get sunburnt.
Does is run into your eyes?: Yes it does & it stings.
Water resistance: listed as 4 hrs on the bottle. Seems to be water resistant, but really supposed to re-apply after 2 hrs, so can't attest to it working for 4 hrs or not.
Other comments: Pretty bog standard sunscreen - works but not pleasant to deal with. Bought this one because I thought being aimed at kids might be a bit lighter & might not be so greasy. Seems the same as most & stings your eyes just as much when it runs into them.


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## Salty Dog (Sep 18, 2005)

3rd review: Dri Screen










Rating: SPF 50
UVA & UVB Protection?: Yes
Comments on front of bottle: *DOES NOT REPEL FISH*
Is it greasy?: Feels a little greasy when you first put it on, then sinks in pretty quickly. Doesn't seem to be a problem
Does it work, ie if you apply do you get sunburnt?: It works, you don't get sunburnt.
Does is run into your eyes?: It doesn't run into your eyes because it pretty much sinks in. If you do manage to rub it into your eyes though it stings.
Water resistance: listed as 4 hrs on the bottle. Seems to be water resistant, but really supposed to re-apply after 2 hrs, so can't attest to it working for 4 hrs or not.
Other comments: The best that I have tried lately. Cannot attest to the DOES NOT REPEL FISH one way or another. Have only seen it in 75 mL bottles to date, so may be more expensive than some others. Would like to see it in larger size bottles too.


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

Adam that was frequent question of mine to a couple of plastic surgeons who have done some filleting on me, and all said pretty much the same thing just go by the SPF number rather than brand, and apply regularly.

I have now had a couple of tubes of one from Aldi and found it rubs in OK apply it at home fairly heavily white and greasy, and by the time I launch maybe half an hour later it is all gone.

OMBRA Everyday SPF30+ lasts 4 hours, and drys clear on the skin.

Having had the nose also cut, am very fussy here and reapply every hour when on the water, and always use the sun style lipsticks on lips and nose, not fussy about brands just grab anything as long as is sun protection, presently have Chapstick SPF30.

My understanding is SPF 50 is no better than SPF 30 for protection just not as often to reapply.


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## Salty Dog (Sep 18, 2005)

Hey Richo,

Sorry to hear that you have been under the knife mate. There is a marginal gain in protection for SPF 50 over SPF 30. It's only in the region of 1 point something percent though.

Here's one article on it telling girls not to get too excited:
http://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/beauty+indulgence/features+reviews/what+spf+50+means+for+you,15065


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## keza (Mar 6, 2007)

Just a side not on the zinc based lotions, don't touch your car paint with it on your hands, my car has hand prints and smudges on it that don't seem to polish off, the zinc eats into the paint and you don't know until it is too late.
I now wear cycling arm things to keep them covered and tights like "skinz' on my legs.


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

Salty Dog said:


> Sorry to hear that you have been under the knife mate.


Not a worry Adam, like many in my age group did not worry about sun screen for the first 50 years of life by which time you have set yourself up for later dramas, and now have a totally different outlook

Earlier years days it was all about a healthy tan, and only when the slip,slop,slap campaigns began did a real awareness of the damage we were doing to ourselves start to happen.

If you go into the plastics clinic at just about any hospital us old farts dominate patient numbers due to our past neglect, and then it is to late, the need to get a couple of excisions each year becomes normal.

Of the group of older blokes I fish with, only one other protects his person from the sun to my level.


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## anselmo (Aug 26, 2008)

I'm a +1 on covering up as opposed to suncream

I find wearing loose shirts, long trousers, a buff on the neck and face (including over the ears), a hat and sun gloves means that it's only my nose at risk (if I could stop my sunglasses fogging the buff would be over my nose as well)
I use a SPF 60 on my nose (children's formulation)

No sunburn even when I'm doing that in hot climates


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## eagle4031 (Jan 29, 2010)

When kayaking i am fully ccovered 
Gloves hat "buff" sun glasses, tracksuit pants , long sleeve rashy , wetsuit shoes, Polaroid sunglasses
Sunsscreen i avoid, probably because of fishing and also inconvenience to apply


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## anselmo (Aug 26, 2008)

anselmo said:


> I'm a +1 on covering up as opposed to suncream
> 
> I find wearing loose shirts, long trousers, a buff on the neck and face (including over the ears), a hat and sun gloves means that it's only my nose at risk (if I could stop my sunglasses fogging the buff would be over my nose as well)
> I use a SPF 60 on my nose (children's formulation)
> ...


I should also add that the best sunburn protection I've found is to

A) live in Ireland
B) believe the weatherman when he says it will be a BBQ weekend, and
C) use goretex raincoats and waders to stay dry, oops I mean keep the sun off

Reminds me of the Beatles song where they sing about getting a tan from standing in the English rain


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## badmotorfinger (Mar 15, 2010)

keza said:


> Just a side not on the zinc based lotions, don't touch your car paint with it on your hands, my car has hand prints and smudges on it that don't seem to polish off, the zinc eats into the paint and you don't know until it is too late.
> I now wear cycling arm things to keep them covered and tights like "skinz' on my legs.


+1 on this. Is a nightmare with young kids. Had not narrowed it down to zinc based but had figured it was sun screen causing it. Don't know why I had not seen it happen until recently. Will have to go check the contents of sunscreen in cupboard.


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## Beekeeper (Aug 20, 2011)

I travelled up to Cape York with my wife, sister and brother-in-law some years back, and I was the only one to apply sun lotion to the face... I was the only one to get sunburnt as well! That really stuck in my craw!

Some years back, before I took up kayaking, I devised a method of fishing without using sunscreen. Cover up from the toes to the neck, including arms and hands, and using one of the Arafat type hats. I found that using their cover pieces over the face made my sunnies fog up, so came up with the idea of using the army style gauze that army bods use for camoflage. I sewed it to the hat so it comes across the face and attaches with the use of velcrose tabs. The open gauze allows me to breath easily without fogging the sunnies.

An old fishing buddy reckoned that I looked more like a beekeeper than a fisherman... and the name stuck!

This works for me, but over the last couple of years, (and since taking up kayaking) have taken to using Chapstick SPF30 on my lips, nose and cheekbone areas. I apply this due to the odd time I find it too hot using the gauze, drop it off for a while, and I'm still covered.

I don't like the idea of using sunscreen... usually applied by hand, and messy... also, I think it could well put the fish off if it came in contact with lures, lines etc.

I'm well aware that I'm not a beauty queen in my rough looking garb, but I've had lots of sun-spots removed from the backs of my hands, some from my face, one from my back, another from my neck, and with a past like that, would regard myself as pretty stupid if I didn't cover up and try to stop the rot.

I don't really care that others might smirk at my homely looks with my cover-up garb, and am quietly confident that it's helping keep the sun-cancers at bay.

Cheers all, Jimbo


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## Jenko (Jan 31, 2010)

leftieant said:


> Great idea for a thread.
> 
> I swiped some of the kids 'invisible zinc' the other day and was very impressed, not greasy and very effective. I'll dig it out and post a review later.


After having a cancer cut off my nose, the surgeon (cancer specialist) told me to use zinc cream. I said I didn't want to look like bozo the clown and he said to use the "invisible zinc" as it's just as good.


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## vladimir (Jan 2, 2013)

i like to use sunscreen with the insect repelent 2 in one works well for me in summer i tend to fish early mornings and im home buy 10am and i fish late arvos after 5.30 pm . winter i fish all day no sunscreen ,

clothing: cotton clothing will keep you a lot cooler in the heat. it is more costly thow .


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## Ado (Mar 31, 2008)

I prefer clothing and suncreen my face only.

* Wetsuit boots, long pants and (most important) socks to cover the ankles. They get nailed!
* Longsleave shirt (I found a fishing shirt without decals). I button up the high collar.
* Fingerless cycling gloves to keep the sun off my hands.
* Bandana to keep the sun off the back of my neck.
* And of course my hat.

The only exposed skin is my face and ears which are easy to cover with sunscreen. I can then stay out all day without re-applying and never get burnt. I still carry it in my PFD in case I get lost as sea or lose my hat or the like. It's part of my essential safety gear (like water in my PFD).


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