Any recommendations on sunblock. I usually heavily slather on the SPF48, but still seem to get pretty toasted. What do you all use? I was checking out the most recent issue of SI with Lance on it and noticed the man doesn’t have the typical ankle tan lines for someone we know spends hours on end in the great outdoors. Anyone know what he’s using?
could have been airbrushed to hide it…i mean it would look queer to have a tan like that in a mag.
bullfrog super 45>high content of titanium dioxide which is excellent, but it made my face break out. use this on your body if your face is sensitive. it’s excellent
kinesey’s 30 or higher >this is the best stuff for me and my face so far and i was having alot of burn! it’s so easy to use i basically use this all the time for face and body now. it’s a light spray mist–i love it. doesn’t make my face breakout and doesn’t run into the eyes (plus it works!)
Bullfrog Gel is my favorite. It is only SPF 36 but it works for me and I am quite fair.
Check it out:
Another vote for Bullfrog. I use the 36 gel.
Kinesys is nice too.
No debate on this at all; don’t know what LA is using, but the best is Bullfrog SPF 36 if you like the gel and Bullfrog SPF 45 if you like the lotion. Anything stronger would be classified as clown paint.
Another vote for the Bullfrog Gel here. I find that it really stays on and doesn’t paste or cake up even when you sweat. Good stuff.
It’s pretty hard to find locally here. I ended up finding a place online to order and just got like 5 bottles at once.
-
Lance and Tan lines: Unlike many triathletes, who seem to ride arouund almost naked most of the time regardless of the temperature/weather, professional cyclists tend to cover-up with leg warmers and arm warmers whenever the temp below 20C. Perhaps as professionals, they also know about the proper use of sunscreen( see below).
-
Sunsceen works best when it is applied to skin that has been just washed with soap and water. Hence the best time to put it on is after you have towled off after a morning shower. Reason: natural oils in your skin disrupt the absorbtion and hence effectivness of the the sunscreen To get maximum effect, slather on right after a shower in the morning to all exposed skin.
-
Personally, I have had great success with the Coppertone sport line when applied as above. Done whole IM races and not been burned using Coppertone sport 30 and I have moderatly fair skin.
Fleck
I second the Coppertone Sport 30 recommendation. I have used it for a couple of years. Put it on in the morning, swim, bike, run, no burn. It works great, doesn’t wash off, and doesn’t get all nasty/runny/whatever.
I can’t comment on the sunscreen part (but being in Miami I should have some idea - but I don’t). But, working in editorial, I can tell you that any decent magazine with any kind of a budget will fix up their photos. Not “alter” them per se, but correct any minor imperfections. Especially if you’re talking about a cover photo. In any given magazine, almost all photos are color corrected. It would not be out of the norm to remove extra red (as in a sunburn) or to remove shadows, etc. I’m guessing that if Lance has bad tan lines, they may have been retouched so as not to distract from the image. If the cover photo was a posed, portrait-type image, it’s also possible that with lighting and/or make-up, the tan lines were disguised. Obviously, I know this isn’t your point, but I thought I’d mention it.
I have found that apparently the best sun block in the world is the markers they use for body marking at races. Never fails that I end up with the first one or two numbers of the year permantly taned into my arm.
~Matt
Another vote for bullfrog.
OK, I’ll have a dissenting opinion. I vote for Aloe-gator for the face and neck. It does not wash off, even if you sweat alot. When I was sailing alot, it stayed on even with lots of spray. With Bullfrog, it felt like I was wearing a layer of plastic.
I can be hard to find, but REI usually carries it.
my $0.02
In addition to what Fleck said, the sunscreen needs to go on about 1/2 hour before exposure because it needs to be absorbed and you should make sure your sunscreen blocks uva and uvb light.
All you bullfroggers…
Can you feel the gel on? Does it absorb well? I used the spray last year and I can’t tell it’s there. Loved it.
I’ve had to use what’s left of my coppertone sport and I hate it. I can feel it on. It feels like I’m coated in saran wrap.
I used the spray last year and I can’t tell it’s there.
Damn! It’s still on? That is good protection…
Bull frog. Stays with you while swimming.
Kinesys is cool too.
I agree with you on Coppertone Sport 30. Far and away the best that I have used. It doesn’t come off in the water and it doesn’t run into my eyes.
Blue Lizard.
Basically there’s two types of sunblocks, physical sunblocks and chemical sunblocks.
I was told that normally physical sunblocks are preferred. But in sum cases chemical sunblocks are better because they don’t rub off like physical sunblocks, but penetrates the skin. For example if you play beach vollet, chemical sunblock can be better because it doesn’t wear as fast when you skin rubs against the sand.
thanks for the tip on the spray…i love kineseys because it’s a spray. like bullfrog too, especially for the chest and arms for long hours out. so, i’ll be getting the spray bullfrog–i didn’t know they made it. yay! (it’s the little things…and, a margarita 
)