Sunscreen

As we appear to be having a Summer this year, I thought this might be worth discussing.

I have struggled in the past to find a decent sunscreen; by decent, I mean one that not only works but doesn't have the consistency of axle grease, doesn't leave your skin sticky for hours and doesn't smell like the inside of a Caribbean brothel. 

A couple of weeks ago, I was in strong sunshine in West Wales (no, really) and I used some Aloe Up SPF12.  I had never heard of this product before and had picked it up in Snow & Rock on a whim last Summer.  Anyway, it's great stuff!  5 minutes after applying it, my skin felt normal - no sticky, greasy film that rubs off on clothes and gear.  As for effectiveness, I didn''t re-apply it all day and had no sunburn, although, to be fair, I wasn't in the sun all day either.  It's also nearly odourless.  So, I like it a lot and it's available in 30ml tubes that are ideal for backpacking.  

The last sunscreen I used for backpacking was Sunsport SPF30, largely because it was available in sachets but it was like coating yourself in lard.

The only drawback to Aloe Up is the cost - £8.99 for 120ml.  Has anyone else found anything as good for a lower cost?    

I use Boots Soltan 50+, comes in 15ml little squeezy tubes; couple of those are ideal.

However, in summer I have to use a 2-step approach, a layer of P60 (clear, non-greasy), followed 15 mins later by a layer of ordinary Factor 50+ (I have vitiligo and virtually no pigmented skin left). So, for a longer trip, I'm thinking of decanting some P60 into a smaller container since it comes in much larger bottles. Anyone done this?

Metric Kate wrote (see)

I use Boots Soltan 50+, comes in 15ml little squeezy tubes...

Yeah... I got a couple of those while I was in Jersey a few weeks ago. Boots two-for-the-price-of-one, so I couldn't complain. Normally, I'd take a big tube of Aloe Vera Sun Lotion for a trip lasting a month, but as it was 200ml I wouldn't have been allowed to take it on the flight as part of my hand luggage. To save on extortionate add-on fees, I'd already decided that my entire kit for a month in the Channel Islands was going to be 'hand luggage'. I decided not to risk packing the 200ml tube in case it got spotted and I'd be flown to a country where torture is a bit more legal and have a confession beaten out of me. So... anything for a quiet life... and yes... I did have the entire contents of my pack X-rayed three times and comprehensively strewn all over the place for a fingertip search anyway!

Does Tesco know something we don't? Is the rain about to come til Sept?

Another vote for Boots small container of 50+

Pah! beat me to it!

I've been looking for that.

OutdoorsMagic Editor | jon@outdoorsmagic.com 

I have used this stuff for years for long days out and at high altitude in Nepal etc with no problems whatsoever. Just put it on once and forget about it as it lasts for ages. I tend to get the green coloured one as its easier to see where your applying it initially. Oh and any factor over 30 is about 2% more than 30 so 50 etc is a bit gimmicky tbh. All good stuff should have Titanium Dioxide in it. If it doesn't don't bother you might as well put chip fat on ya. Its on offer at loads of places and i have never needed to even consider anything else. Oh and i have had two close mates with melanoma ones dead, god rest him, and the other bloody lucky. 

  http://www.nivea.co.uk/products/show/11425 

Coopsy wrote (see)

All good stuff should have Titanium Dioxide in it.

Should be lightweight then!

Seriously though... you're right... and titanium dioxide is often used in quality paint for the same reason it's used in quality sunscreen... it's very white and very opaque and a little bit spreads an awfully long way.

I was out on Monday over Skiddaw... a mixture of sunshine and cloud... and silly me didn't bother with sunscreen... so I've got a couple of tender patches on me... but nothing that really hurts.

Having had a brother who has had melanoma (survived), being from several high risk occupations in the past and having literally loads of moles all over  even my skin specialist reckons one day my bus will arrive.

And...because I am blessed with very dark skin and rarely even tingle never mind burn to be honest, I dont bother.

Exceptions are when I am very high or much further south - like south of France or Alps, then I go for factor 50+, just to be sure.

I use Ambre Solaire Clear Protect, usually factor 20, but it goes up to 30.

Decanted into a 60ml Body Shop atomiser.

It's relatively non-greasy; claimed to be '100% non-greasy', but that's not quite true.  The least greasy stuff I've used was some Sainsbury's own brand hair and body sun block spray, but that was a few years ago, and discontinued.

> All good stuff should have Titanium Dioxide in it. If it doesn't don't bother you might as well put chip fat on ya.

Not strictly true...  I think, realistically, you have to go to a TiO2 loaded cream to go beyond factor 30.