With all this scary sun business and skin damage, I have noted that my sunscreen (varied brands) just not cutting it anymore...
Has anyone have found a sunscreen that works well for them, particularly in WA where the sun is hell-of-a-strong...
I was thinking about
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
a) Ease of applying
b) How long it lasts in a session (I frequently get trashed by a few waves)
c) Does it burn your eyes (some stuff just kills it for me)
d) Approx price (although youthful looks cannot be bought later in life ;) -- ok, maybe some can...
I think naturally speaking and SPF of 30 would be a minimum...
I found Banana Boat 30 plus(black tube) great I use it surfing ,kiting ,skydiving ,sailing ect it lasts for ages good water resist also zinc on the face always works a treat! Hope this helps as i have tried nearly every brand!! 
Yup I'm a Banana Boat man myself. Haven't been sunburnt ever since I've been using it.
Yep, Banana Boat for me too, the orange tube stuff seems pretty freekin good.
Only downside is that it doesn't taste of bananas. Rip off.
Amazing 
- just what i was gonna say.
Black or Orange are long lasting & no sting. Both have titanium.
Silly name but you cant confuse it with any other.
The bestest sunscreen I've Used is AloeGator SFP 40+ Gel.
Jonesey Brings it in from the US. It looks like vasiline and can be hard to rub in But it is waterproof for Eight hours. I'm a Red head and uses it as a sunblock It feels a bit tacky when first rubbed in but is fine in 15 min when it soaks in. Only avalible in US but can be bought over the Net About $10US per tube + frieght
THe Black tube banana boat defs works really well - doesnt come off for days !!
I have two young girls and have used the aerosol version and it works exceptionally well - really nice for getting a good even coverage without getting it all over your hands and having slippery bar issues 
Tan coloured Zinc for the face, provides a physical barrier.
Banana Boat for the neck and arms.
I'll second the cancer council +30, if you can find it Head Hunter is really good as well but I haven't seen it over here yet.
the billabong zinc in the twist up tube thing work the best i have tried so far. its tan colour but im sure you can get it in white..
with sunscreen i had a tube of this really good stuff that had zinc mixed in but it was incredibly expensive and it was from umm i cannot remember what it was called but the skincare place in Tannum Sands...still cannot remember the name. Its like a beauty/skincare place.
not sure which brand but this stuff called
Clear Zinke
Ben switched me on to it as he needs it for all day sessions in fiji and stuff. Zinc that rubs in so u dont look like a cricketer out on the water and last ages
I recently bought myself the sprayon 30+ Bananna boat sport blockout... ive been using this stuff for years in tube form, and i swear by it, the spray on is so much more easyer to apply....... yeah its more expensive, but seems to be less oily with the same protection.
quiksilver zinc - comes in light brown (my choice) or shane warne white...sticky as ****, gets all over everything, stains your bar and wettie and everything else, but is the only thing that works at all and doesn't sting your eyes. And I am a ginga as well, so I know a thing or two about sunburn...
that cancer council or wat ever it is brand makes it, its the orange bottle, saw it on google earlier.. or just ask the pharmacy to get some?
ALOE GATOR ....its SPF 40 plus total sun block gel....lasts 8hrs and super waterproof.....its non greasy,invisible and doesn't sting your eyes.
www.aloegatorsuncare.com
This stuff is excellent
cheers
col
"Invisible Zinc" Produced/Promoted by Megan Gale, available at David Jones.
I use it on my face, in addition to sunscreen.
Le tan, in a blue tube.
30+ 4 hour clear gel stuff.
Slaps on and stick like a layer of super glue.
Hard to find, but you'll find it at Target'
I'm intersested in the Aloe gator stuff too but cant find anywhere online to buy it. You can only get it sent to the USA from their site. Any leads?
The below appears to be an Aussie site where you can order the "Aloe UP" products which were mentioned above as being on par with the "Aloe Gator";
www.sunprotection.com.au/pages/products/aloeup.html
I tried to do a google search for a site in australia where I could get Aloe Gator and all I ended up with was a page where I could buy the cinematic masterpiece "Son of the Mask"
sun screen burns my eyes.....
anyone else have this , and what do you do to prevent it?
I have used both, IMHO Aloe Gator is vastly superior.
Hoping someone can find it as I have drawn a blank since coming back from Maui a few years ago and trying to get it.
Cheers Andrew
This is an area I've looked into a bit lately. The sad truth is many sunscreens aren't nearly as good as you might think from their SPF rating. Many sunscreen ingredients break down in the sun, in a matter of minutes or hours, and then let UV radiation through to the skin
There are two different types of UV rays in sunlight: UVB light causes surface sunburn, while UVA light penetrates and causes deeper connective tissue damage -- even when the skin surface feels cool.
SPF 15 blocks 93% of rays, while SPF 30 blocks 97%. Experts say that SPF ratings higher than 30 don't offer any further UV protection, and let the same 3% of UV rays through as SPF 30. Furthermore, SPF only applies to UVB rays. For that reason, it's just as important to look specifically for UVA protection, ie broad spectrum.
Be wary of using just one application of AloeGator if you're in the sun for a long time. I couldnt find an ingredient list for it, so you can't be sure how photostable the active ingredients are. You could still be getting a good dose of UVA without getting burnt. If anyone has a tube of it can they post the active ingredients please. The thick gel formula sounds good for long water sessions.
The Environmental Working Group (www.ewg.org) did a big review of 889 name-brand sunscreens (see www.ewg.org/skindeep/). They found that 83% of the products offer inadequate protection from the sun, or contain ingredients with significant safety concerns. Only 17% of the products on the market are both safe and effective, blocking both UVA and UVB radiation, remaining stable in sunlight, and containing few if any ingredients with significant known or suspected health hazards.
The best of the tested products are here www.cosmeticdatabase.com/browse.php?sunscreens=1&best=1 This would be a good list to choose a sunscreen from.
Half of the banana boat sunscreens got a poor score in the EWG review so check which one yours is here www.cosmeticdatabase.com/browse.php?sunscreens=1&spf=&brand_id=679&ai=&query=search+terms
Heres what they say about a couple common sunscreen ingredients:
OCTINOXATE (OCTYL METHOXYCINNAMATE) - Estrogenic effects noted in laboratory animals at concentrations close to those experienced by sunscreen users.
PADIMATE O (OCTYL DIMETHYL PABA) - A derivative of the once-popular PABA sunscreen ingredient, research shows this chemical releases free radicals, damages DNA, has estrogenic activity, and still causes allergic reactions in some people.
More here www.cosmeticdatabase.com/special/sunscreens/active.php
The sunscreen I use now when kiting is from an Australian company.
mistore.mionegroup.com/product/13430
disclaimer - thats my online shop. Hope the info in this post makes up for the pimpin
The SPF15 rating is due to not yet meeting some Theraputical Goods Administration red tape to be able to claim more than that. Its been independantly lab tested much higher. Its ingredient list is pretty similar to one of the top rated sunscreens (www.cosmeticdatabase.com/product.php?prod_id=92830) I dont find it too stingy when it gets in my eyes. It goes on well and smells so good I want to eat it. Its in an oil base, which is good for water resistance, and has lots of natural antioxidants to protect the skin.
I once saw a guy surfing in a full lycra suit with a hood and only holes for his eyes and mouth. Scary looking dude..... Kind of like a cross between the phantom and a gimp..Is it coming to this?
i used to be banana boat man until i tried some of my wife's ella bache sunblock - smashes the pants off everything I've tried so far. Rubs in well, lasts for a full session and if i believe the hype i may actually be reversing the effects of prolonged sun damage...yeah right - they obviously haven't seen a kiters face.
now i'm off to try some other girly products and treatments - maybe a manicure would help get rid of my calloused hands from excessive kiting
