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-   -   Best sunscreen (https://britishexpats.com/forum/australia-54/best-sunscreen-647432/)

buchanan Jan 4th 2010 2:21 pm

Best sunscreen
 
We are coming to the end of our large bottle of sunscreen which has been good apart from sand sticks to it!! Even after it has been on for a couple of hours the kids come home absolutely covered in sand which has stuck to it, even by wiping it you can't get it off, it needs to be washed off in the bath or shower. There is no escape from the sand as we live opposite the beach and the local playground and the one at the daycare they go to are on sand. We have been using sunsense which is great as it only needs to be applied every 4 hours which is good when 3 kids need covering in it before leaving the house! It is also water resistant. Has anyone used anything that sand will not be attracted to??

northernbird Jan 4th 2010 2:25 pm

Re: Best sunscreen
 

Originally Posted by buchanan (Post 8219032)
We are coming to the end of our large bottle of sunscreen which has been good apart from sand sticks to it!! Even after it has been on for a couple of hours the kids come home absolutely covered in sand which has stuck to it, even by wiping it you can't get it off, it needs to be washed off in the bath or shower. There is no escape from the sand as we live opposite the beach and the local playground and the one at the daycare they go to are on sand. We have been using sunsense which is great as it only needs to be applied every 4 hours which is good when 3 kids need covering in it before leaving the house! It is also water resistant. Has anyone used anything that sand will not be attracted to??

We use Auscreen, available from Big W. We have been here nearly 5 years and the kids have never burnt once. Once applied it is not the least bit sticky.

Cheetah7 Jan 4th 2010 2:25 pm

Re: Best sunscreen
 

Originally Posted by buchanan (Post 8219032)
We are coming to the end of our large bottle of sunscreen which has been good apart from sand sticks to it!! Even after it has been on for a couple of hours the kids come home absolutely covered in sand which has stuck to it, even by wiping it you can't get it off, it needs to be washed off in the bath or shower. There is no escape from the sand as we live opposite the beach and the local playground and the one at the daycare they go to are on sand. We have been using sunsense which is great as it only needs to be applied every 4 hours which is good when 3 kids need covering in it before leaving the house! It is also water resistant. Has anyone used anything that sand will not be attracted to??

Hamilton Suncreens are excellent but anything that you use I should imagine will attract a certain amount of sand.

I apply Hamilton half an hour before I cycle home - its thick and white and my arms look really white! But I never catch the sun so I think its good and my skin specialist recommends it highly.

eldoran Jan 4th 2010 2:32 pm

Re: Best sunscreen
 
We use Banana Boat Kids Powder-Dri 30+ and the sand definitely doesn't stick :eek:! I was well impressed, it's great; although we could do with a bottle which holds four times the amount as a 175ml bottle lasts about a day in this house!

:thumbsup:

Kingseat Jan 4th 2010 4:16 pm

Re: Best sunscreen
 
I get Facot 50 sent over from the Uk for the baby!

moneypenny20 Jan 4th 2010 6:18 pm

Re: Best sunscreen
 

Originally Posted by Kingseat (Post 8219159)
I get Facot 50 sent over from the Uk for the baby!

UK Factor 50 is exactly the same as Australian Factor 30. Only difference being that the Australian Government don't allow manufacturers to state a higher number than 30.

jothefw Jan 4th 2010 6:56 pm

Re: Best sunscreen
 

Originally Posted by eldoran (Post 8219049)
We use Banana Boat Kids Powder-Dri 30+ and the sand definitely doesn't stick :eek:! I was well impressed, it's great; although we could do with a bottle which holds four times the amount as a 175ml bottle lasts about a day in this house!

:thumbsup:

Yep we use this and the orange topped sports version - don't know the difference as same factor so perhaps the kiddies one is safer for all skin types? Leaves a great dry feeling to skin, nearly like talc only I don't normally like that either!

jond Jan 4th 2010 7:07 pm

Re: Best sunscreen
 

Originally Posted by moneypenny20 (Post 8219300)
UK Factor 50 is exactly the same as Australian Factor 30. Only difference being that the Australian Government don't allow manufacturers to state a higher number than 30.




True

My Sister has a business that imports sunscreen and cosmetics from the States and has massive problems with the categories.

I have a bottle of factor 15 that is really factor 30 but they have some kind of problem with it over here:confused:

ABCDiamond Jan 4th 2010 10:20 pm

Re: Best sunscreen
 
SPF ratings on UK/EU sunscreens cannot be compared directly with SPF ratings of Australian/NZ sunscreens.


The SPF rating for Australian/NZ sunscreens is determined ‘post immersion’ using an Australian standard method which subjects the sunscreen to the SPF test after it is applied to the skin AND after immersion in turbulent water under controlled standard conditions.

The UK/EU SPF test protocol is ‘pre immersion’, which means that the sunscreen is SPF tested, without the skin surface that has had the sunscreen applied to it, being immersed in turbulent water BEFORE the SPF test.
Not sure what that means, but it appears to be a different system ;)

The more important thing to consider is this:

The SPF is a laboratory derived ratio which measures the increased amount of radiation which causes redness in skin when the sunscreen tested is applied, compared to when it is not used at all.
An SPF15 sunscreen correctly applied, will take 15 times as long to burn.
An SPF30 sunscreen correctly applied, will take 30 times as long to burn.
Therefore someone using an SPF 50, may feel they can stay in the sun longer than with an SPF30. But it just isn't safe to risk it, at least in Australia.

Jan4kids Jan 4th 2010 10:41 pm

Re: Best sunscreen
 
No idea about the sand issue, but on all other counts I can recommend Coles own brand Sunscreen (orange and white pack) ....and I really dislike the feel of Sunscreen.

Jan

Bobbin Jan 4th 2010 11:07 pm

Re: Best sunscreen
 

Originally Posted by northernbird (Post 8219040)
We use Auscreen, available from Big W. We have been here nearly 5 years and the kids have never burnt once. Once applied it is not the least bit sticky.

Its on offer in Safeway/Woolworths this week, 500ml size.

chrispy Jan 5th 2010 4:07 pm

Re: Best sunscreen
 
Good to get one recomended by someone like the cancer council, we changed from a good one to another brand sold in Coles that was also factor 30 and went under the banner of being natural and free of chemicals and suffered the worst burns we had had in years, thakfully we were not out for too long and it was slightly overcast.

moneypenny20 Jan 5th 2010 4:15 pm

Re: Best sunscreen
 

Originally Posted by chrispy (Post 8222119)
Good to get one recomended by someone like the cancer council, we changed from a good one to another brand sold in Coles that was also factor 30 and went under the banner of being natural and free of chemicals and suffered the worst burns we had had in years, thakfully we were not out for too long and it was slightly overcast.

Not sure how a chemical free one would work. Unfortunately it seems the only way to really protect yourself is to bung the chemicals on the skin which isn't ideal but not heard of any natural products protecting enough.

chrispy Jan 5th 2010 4:50 pm

Re: Best sunscreen
 

Originally Posted by moneypenny20 (Post 8222132)
Not sure how a chemical free one would work. Unfortunately it seems the only way to really protect yourself is to bung the chemicals on the skin which isn't ideal but not heard of any natural products protecting enough.

It is quite appaling that it was sold in Coles as factor 30, my wife who is always very careful about avoiding sunburn had the worst sunburn of her life, and we were not even out for very long. I put less on and had fewwer burns woith the places i didn't put it being only slightly red. I complained to Coles. Anyway, you live and learn..

ABCDiamond Jan 5th 2010 4:51 pm

Re: Best sunscreen
 

Originally Posted by moneypenny20 (Post 8222132)
Not sure how a chemical free one would work. Unfortunately it seems the only way to really protect yourself is to bung the chemicals on the skin which isn't ideal but not heard of any natural products protecting enough.

Zinc is not classed as a chemical sunscreen, and the invisible Zinc sunblocks are apparently very good.


Zinc oxide is most commonly found in sun-screens, as it excels at blocking and absorbing the dangerous UVA and UVB rays from the sun. It is a naturally-occurring mineral and is a safer and more effective alternative to chemical sunscreens.


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