Sunblock That Takes the Heat

There are few things that can ruin a much-needed vacation, but sunburn is definitely one of them (take it from ultra-pale, quick-to-burn me, who?s managed to go from pasty white to bright red everywhere from Antigua to Boston ? yes, Boston). So as I started packing my bags for a week-long trip to the tropics, I jumped at the chance to try out Scape SPF 50+ sunblock.

Let?s start with the lotion (4 oz. for $14.99): I?m sensitive to smells, and I?ve slathered on my fair share of stinky sunscreens, but this one didn?t offend me (granted, it wasn?t a welcome coconut or citrus scent, but the odor was neutral). It wasn?t greasy, either, another fault I usually find with sunblock. The white lotion quickly disappeared as I rubbed it into my skin (though it was hard to conceal on my husband?s stubbly face ? he should?ve used the face stick, but more on that in a moment!). The issue with the fast-vanishing lotion is that it was easy to miss spots on my skin ? and I paid dearly for this in the form of a stripe of sunburn on my stomach that?s still pink two weeks after the rays first got to me. Full disclosure: I tend to prefer colored sunscreens (I know, I know ? those are supposed to be for kids) that stay colored for a while so I know what areas I still need to cover with sunblock. 

Back to this sunscreen. It claimed to be waterproof and sweatproof. I did plenty of swimming and sweating while I wore it, and it seemed to withstand both. But at SPF 50+, I thought I wouldn?t need to reapply while I lounged (mostly in the shade) by the pool. The parts of me not covered by the umbrella started to turn pink after a few hours, so if you?re pale like me, be prepared to slather it on again halfway through the day.

I also used the face stick sunblock ($11.99). Its major draw is that it supposedly won?t get into your eyes, even if you sweat. I must have applied the stick a bit too close to my eyes on day one because I felt the sting. I kept it above my eyebrows after that and didn?t have any problems. The face stick is a little greasy, which is why my husband preferred to use the lotion on his face, but I don?t think women who are used to wearing facial moisturizer will mind the feeling. The stick is also clear, so I liked that there were no white spots on my face. Again, the issue with invisible sunscreen is that you?re likely to miss spots. Plus, the face stick is flat on the surface, so, just as straight-across razors don?t always shave off hairs on your rounded knees, the face stick won?t always protect spots on the curves of your face. I?m sporting a bit of a Rudolph-the-red-nosed-reindeer look as a result.

Lastly, I skipped my regular cherry Chapstick in favor of Scape's Athlete Lip Balm ($3.50), which has vitamin E, aloe, and antioxidants that are supposed to moisturize. It seems to have worked ? my lips were extra smooth that week, despite the harsh Aruba winds. One downside: I was conscious not to lick my lips, but I still got a taste of the lip balm, which was kind of nasty and chemical-y (unlike my cherry Chapstick). 

I would use these all again, but I?d ask someone more thorough than me to make sure every spot of my skin is covered!

Meredith Bodgas, Associate Editor at What to Expect

Source: http://www.everydayhealth.com/blogs/health-beauty-reviews/sunblock-that-takes-the-heat

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