I somehow managed to get myself sunburned yesterday (an occurrence for which the details annoy me somewhat, but I won't go into the details here) which prompted me to do a little research into proper use of sunscreen and how to use it properly. It's funny how I managed to go for 2 weeks in the Gold Coast and Melbourne without sustaining a single sun burn but end up going back here and getting one the first time I step out of the house to do something remotely outdoorsy.
Anyhow here's what I found out (from multiple internet sources, some credible, some less so). Apparently the most common mistake people make when using sunscreen is simply not using enough. Multiple sources quote the figure of about a shot glass full (or 1oz/30ml) which is actually quite a lot. That would mean my 88ml bottle of Neutrogena would be finished in 3 applications! And assuming you're applying the stuff every 2 hours like they tell you to, one bottle is only going to get you 6 hours of constant sun exposure. I'm guessing that that figure is a whole body application, say if you were wearing togs. So if I was wearing a T-shirt and shorts, that would mean I would be using less. Still seems like quite a lot. The stuff gets all over your clothes, too. And doesn't wash off readily. Definitely the lesser of two evils, though.
The other consideration is which branding to choose. Now every brand is going to have its marketing ploys. About how their one is ULTRA broad spectrum, lasts for 99 hours, SPF OVER 9000!, etc. Of course they're all going to say that. Plus baloney comments such as "Dermatologist recommended" which means they probably gave away some free shares in their company to some dermatologist to put their name to one of their products. According to the limited studies I could find it seems that the cheap brands are actually better than the expensive ones, in terms of sun protection. I won't list any here, since you can easily look them up for yourself. But I guess there are other things to consider, like scent, texture and consistency, since some feel more disgusting than others to apply. That's actually a big factor in choosing a particular type for me personally so I'm going to shop around until I find something I actually like. I was using Neutrogena for a long time because I fell for their marketing but I know better now. That stuff went all over my T-shirts and sustained several stains on several of my nicer ones which make me deeply regret buying their products. I don't think I got burned while using it though, so at least that's something. Ruining my nice clothes is less than ideal, however.
Enough ranting from me for one night, I think. I'd better come up with something else to blog about for my next post in the mean time. Going to watch some anime and sleep, I think. I went for another run today (with sunblock, of course) which was refreshing although extremely hot. This New Zealand summer is pretty intense. Better go buy me a tube of cheap sunblock on the way home tomorrow.
