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The original was posted on /r/Ultralight by /u/JohanRiver7 on 2023-06-27 16:10:12+00:00.
Sunscreen is a very valid option for hot weather, not only to keep the sun from burning skin, but also to reduce the amount of clothing needed, thus much better airflow and cooling.
But, I didn't even touch sunscreen for like 10+ years because of so many bad experiences with it.
- Smells bad
- Leaves gross layer on skin and collects dirt
- Turns hair into insta-dreadlocks
Those are all true points, unless you get the right type of sunscreen. A couple months ago I came on here to "female-dog" about sunscreen. Someone mentioned Zinc sunscreen sticks as the solution to my problems. So, I gave it a go.
I've been using it on my hands and face for two months, and only washed my face once a week, at most. I also run a leaf blower a 10+ hours a week and experience as much dust as anyone would ever experience out on a trail.
The new findings:
- Doesn't smell bad
- Doesn't have to leave a gross layer on skin
- Doesn't have to get into hair if using in stick form
The products I have tried so far:
- Neutrogena Sheer Zinc Oxide Kids Mineral Sunscreen Stick
- Blue Lizard Zinc Sunscreen stick
- Blue Lizard Zinc + Titanium Oxide Liquid Sunscreen
- Burt's Bee's All Weather SPF 15 lip balm
According to my research and personal experience, you need to match your sunscreen to your level of natural skin oiliness. Some sunscreens will leave skin more dry than others, so getting the right balance is a personal thing that takes trial and error. It also matters how thick the sunscreen is applied, to an extent.
Sorry, I didn't go all "Deputy Sean" on this one and purchase all of the top sunscreens for my test. You'll have to do some trial and error on your own, if needed.
| Neutrogena Sheer Zinc Oxide Kids Mineral Sunscreen Stick | This is probably going to be a decent option for people with dry skin. It leaves a little bit more of a layer than the Blue Lizard, but can be more moisturizing than BL. They also come in larger 1.5 ounce sticks. |
|---|---|
| Blue Lizard Zinc Sunscreen stick | Leaves skin pretty dry, which is more ideal for people with more oily skin. Absorbs into skin and doesn't leave much, if any, layer on skin. Amazing choice for dusty conditions. Only comes in 0.5 ounce sticks though. One stick lasts me around 1 week for hands and head. |
| Blue Lizard Zinc + Titanium Oxide Liquid Sunscreen | Dries extremely fast and leaves virtually no sign at all that it was ever applied other than slight white color cast. Contains Titanium Dioxide though, which has unknowns to health effects. Still has issues when getting into hair. Bottle turns blue when Orcs are nearby, or when UV light hits it. Can be easily transferred to smaller containers. Difficult to sometimes measure the right amount of sunscreen. Often too much or too little applied first go. |
| Burt's Bee's All Weather SPF 15 lip balm | Goes on thick and greasy, but has pleasant taste. Makes you look like a crackhead with white nasty lips. Better than nothing. Look and feel go away as it absorbs into skin and excess rubs off. |
Sun Screen VS Clothing:
To put it simply, I haven't touched my Buff or Glacier Gloves once since going to the new sunscreens. They add too much warmth in hot weather. My new, best setup for hot weather is a sun hoodie with sun visor and sunscreen. No gloves and no wide hat.
Reducing Plastic Waste while still being UL:
One issue is that 1.5 ounces of sunscreen is too much for a backpacking trip, and 0.5 ounces can maybe be too little or too expensive and wasteful.
My plan, once the current supply is used up, is to buy metal tins of Zinc Sunscreen paste and use it to refill my blue lizard sunscreen sticks. That way the sticks are always topped off for a trip, and I don't have to toss the plastic into the garbage bin.
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