With a very hot and sunny Half Ironman this weekend I’m going to need a water/sweat proof sun screen. Usually when I put a “sport” sun screen on it changes the way I sweat. Are there any out there that you’d suggest that don’t just put a layer on top of your skin, thus preventing your ability to sweat.
Thanks,
Adam
From my experience and from what I have read, application is key. Have a hot shower with soap and water first thing in the morning. Towel off and then apply a generous amount of suncreen to ALL areas that will get sun exposure. Massge it deeply into the sceen. Let it dry and soak in before putting any cloths on. Reason for all of this: The natural oils in your skin disrupt the bonding of the sunscreen active elements to your skin. This action takes up to 30 minutes to happen. Go to race site and then re-apply more sunsceen to key high exposure areas (nose, shoulders, arms etc. .) just before race start.
I am reasonably fair skinned and this program worked for me in a numnber of IM races. There are all kinds of sunsceens out there but I have had good success with the Coppertone Sport Line - SPF 15 & SPF 30. They dry nicely after application and seem to last a long time despite excessive sweating.
Thanx Fleck, good info. I’ll buy Coppertone next time out.
I would recommend the Coppertone Sport Gel sunscreen. It’s a clear gel that dries far less greasy than lotion-type sunscreens, plus it’s far easier to apply if you have body hair. I find that it really sticks to the skin better than the lotions, and I’ve had no problem sweating with it.
I hear BULL FROG is the way to go. I use the spray. I have tried a couple of the Coppertone and Banana Boat products that call themselves Sport. They have all failed. I get sun burnt really, really fast and need good protection that does not get compromised by sweating or swimming. BULL FROG has lived up to its reputation so far…
As far as sweating goes, wife and I swear by Neutrogena Ultra Sheer™ Dry-Touch Sunblock (SPF 30 & 45)
http://www.neutrogena.com/ProductsDetails.asp?ID=164
But while searching the site for the previous product, I came across this which we may try as well: Neutrogena® Active Breathable Sunblock
http://www.neutrogena.com/ProductsDetails.asp?ID=214
Now would someone mind answering this question for me - if your sunblock is sweatproof and waterprrof, then why do you need to reapply it ever 2-4 hours and how are you supposed to get it off afterwards?
Michael
Ditto on the Coppertone Sport!
I’ve been using BullFrog for a year or so, and find that it lasts for at least 4 hours with heavy sweating. It also doesn’t seem to affect my sweating ability, where lotions made it impossible to sweat properly…I vote for BullFrog although I haven’t tried the CopperTone.
Bullfrog. Period. Get the stick. It looks like an oversized chapstick. Been using it for years. Its also about the only thing that I can put on my kids that will stay on them while swimming and playing all day at the beach.
I use my USAT discount and order the stick from Sportsbasement.com.
Try a child’s waterproof sunscreen with an SPF of 45 or higher. It has less unnecessary chemicals and will not sting your eyes when you sweat! (Waterbabies)
The regular Bullfrog is very greasy, but the Superblock 45 by Bullfrog is very sweat and water-proof. I*t is not greasy. *I have tried it several times, including several summer days in a row at 8000 ft in the Sierras in midsummer. We didn’t even get pink. I recently used it for 2 consecutive bright sunny days of mid April skiing in Mammoth–hardly even pink. It contains Titanium Dioxide (a sun block, similar to Zinc Oxide) and several sunsreens. It satays on in water, sweat etc. I did 3 1/2 hours on the bike 2 days ago, at midday–again no color. Very little eye stinging if applied carefully and extra is wiped away.) Only problem is that if you put on too much you will look a little white.
My previous favorites include Lil Gator (absolutely no eye stinging) and Banana Boat Sport or Kids (almost never sting.) These both are sweat and waterproof, if you put it on 15-20 minutes in advance. (Same with the Superblock.
I have used all of the above for several whole days at the beach in SoCal in the summer. They do not wash off and we did not burn.
Oldman,
Those come off in 1-2 hours. Not great.
There is a brand called Head Hunter Sunscreen that is marketed to surfers. It is designed for guys who are in the water for hours on end, without shade, in tropical places. Really incredible stuff. Most surf shops stock it and it can be ordered online. Its expensive but its the only stuff I have ever known to work on my nose and other easily burned places when I am in the sun for hours on end.
The original is slightly colored but they have a new product that is just as effective and is totally clear.
Dr. Maffetone says the best prevention to sun burn is a tan - the body’s natural prevention. So there, go work on your tan.
bullfrog.
Bullfrog Quick Gel has served me and my family well, even at the Equator.
I totally cast my vote strongly for Bullfrog Gel, the absolute best.
In Hawaii last week I used a clear, spray-on brand that said it was “waterproof and sweatproof”. It was the day of the Olympic Trials and I was going to be in the sun all day. I sprayed the stuff on my face, with my eyes closed of course and everywhere else. It worked fine but when I started working hard, running up a hill with 40 pounds of camera equipment and bike tools on my back, the perspiration rinsed some of the sunscreen into my eyes.
Oh my God man, it burned like teargas. I was trying to shoot photos during the race with my eyes watering so bad and I couldn’t see through the viewfinder at all.
Note: Spray on sunscreens can run even if they are “sweatproof”. -Very bad. I am sticking to Bullfrog Gel from now on.
Thanks for the help. It looks like Bull Frog might be the way to go. I used the Banana Boat stuff and had some sweating problems, so hopefully the Bull Frog will take care of it.
Adam
Try the Bullfrog Superblock. YOu’ll never go back
Kinesys is the way to go. Why are all you guys using anything less?