This weekend we made a spontaneous decision to go to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. As I scrambled around packing, I made sure to bring along plenty of sunscreen. I've had ikky-mole scares and while my olive-skinned older son is perpetually tan, Spliggle is blonde and ghostly-pale like me.
Last year, we tried out KINeSYS, and I was glad. I enjoyed the ability to spray it on without worrying about coverage. (I do cheat and "spread" a little "just in case.") Also in my sun-arsenal is Neutrogena Ultra-Sheer. A couple years ago, I had tried an SPF 50+ from L'Oreal, but it smelled disgusting, rancid even. I am not sure how I decided to try Neutrogena, but I did.
Then when I went to Camp Baby, one of our freebies was a bag filled with Neutrogena products. I didn't know that Johnson & Johnson owns Neutrogena! (I also didn't know they own Aveena.) As part of my stash, I received more Ultra-Sheer, plus their Face-Block and a spray-on sunscreen.
I was intrigued by the face version (Age Block Face Shield,) so was happy that I got one to take home. Although I don't break out all the time, memories of teenagerhood plague me such that I am extra-careful about what I put there. I had a mole on my forehead that caused all kinds of drama (despite not being cancerous,) so sunscreen on my face is a must. Until I received the Face Shield, I had been using Oil of Olay's SPF 15 face lotion. A 50+ face lotion is a much better option for me, though!
My main complaint about "regular" sunscreens is that I can feel the barrier. I seem to sweat more. I get uncomfortable because I get a sensation that my skin cannot breathe. This is not a problem with the Neutrogena products I've tried. (or with KINeSYS, actually.) My skin is smooth (not sticky) after using the product. It feels almost as though I had applied powder, as I notice a soft feel. The scent is not overbearing, although interestingly, it is the "fragrance" portion of its composition that has the most "negative" score in the Environmental Working Group's database. It is thus "fragrance" that ends up giving this product a "not recommended" score for the cosmetics database. Interestingly, its sun-protection factors are given excellent scores.
I received some Fresh Cooling Body Mist Sunblock, too, but haven't used it yet. I really like the two lotions mentioned above. Unlike traditional lotions, these don't gush out of the bottle, so I find application easy. That said, I still prefer the spray of KINeSYS for my kids, at least until I can trust them to understand the concept of "enough." Perhaps the Neutrogena spray will be similarly easy for my kids, we'll see.
Camp Baby also gave me some self-tanner, although I haven't gotten up the courage to try it. I'll report back if/when I do.
In the meantime, I am very happy with my Ultra Sheer Dry Touch for my body and Face Shield for my face, both from Neutrogena SunCare. And no, I did not get sunburned in Santa Cruz! Conditions were optimum for sunburn: bright sun one day, and highly reflective clouds the next. But instead of an ouchy red body, my skin is soft and undamaged.
