Do you use sunscreens when outdoors in your garden? What preferences do you have? I have not found any that I like, and I do not remember which ones I have tried. I try to wear a large brimmed hat, but that is sooooooooooooo hot and sweaty and I do not do heat at all. 70'F is pretty warm for me, and can be too much at times. Here is southern Missouri, the heat can be brutal at times. Some years we have lots of 90s and 100s, and other years mostly 80s or less. I prefer the mild weather. Like I mentioned in my post on Ronni's thread, some feel so greasy and others like you have been dipped in wax. Can't they do it without grease or wax? What kind of SPF do you use/recommend?
I am of no help to you, Nightowl. I have dark skin naturally and have only had one sunburn in my life--my nose peeled! Rather than covering yourself with a lotion, I think a light weight long-sleeved shirt, light-weight long pants, and a hat would do more good. Those also help keep mosquitoes and chiggers off. My husband, bless his Irish heritage heart, burns easily. We have tried many remedies/preventives, and found that covering up with something light weight and light colored works best for him.
I don't use it. I can't stand the smell of it, the taste of it ( I inevitably seem to swipe it right across my mouth, somehow) or it trickling down my face with sweat...right into my eyes, usually. I have a real farmers tan.
I am fair skinned and work outdoors and should always wear sunscreen, but I don't. I hate the way it feels, smells, and rubs on. I have even tried the spray on kind and I do tolerate that better, but still don't like it. I often wonder what is worse for me ... rubbing this man made stuff all over my body to be absorbed into my system or the sun? I make myself wear it on high UV days, but I hate it.
I don't use sun screen either. I wear a large brimmed hat that is ventilated around the top. A long sleeve light colored shirt keeps the sun off and the blackflies from eating me alive! I am not a beach goer, the Bay of Fundy is much too cold for that, so no worries there.
I hate to sound dumb but I thought it was the suns rays that caused cancer on all skin and not just the kind of skin that gets a sunburn. In my bicycle riding days I used a sunscreen all the time but now I don't use it just out of laziness. I don't burn very easily so, if you are correct, maybe I won't bet back into using it. I hate it also. I use bug spray and hate it also.
Barb, you don't sound dumb at all--I just didn't explain very well. Sunburns, especially in children, can lead to skin cancers later in life. Those of us who are dark-complected are less likely to have had many or any childhood sunburns, so are less likely to develop skin cancers now. Carolyn, I have a farmer's tan also--arms brown to where my tee shirt sleeves start, and brown legs from the shorts line to the sockette line.
I don't use sunscreens either. The last two years we've been using coconut oil. It's a natural sunscreen and works great...tho...if you have a nice tan, it will erase it! Amazing stuff!
I use cocnut oil as a moisturizer when I am dry, but I didn't think about it as a sunscreen. Will have to be more diligent.
Thanks. Ronni's post reminded me that too much sun can cause problems. My late husband died of melanoma, so it makes me concerned. He was red haired and blue eyed, and freckled. He burned easily. Like everyone else, I have not been using it as it feels all greasy and yukky. Is the coconut oil you use the same as the Hawaiian Tropic Suntan oil, or just plain cooking coconut oil from the healthfood store? Someone on another forum recommended organic coconut oil for skin problems on dogs, and I want to get some and try it. I have a lightweight long sleeve shirt in my mending pile, guess I will have to look for it. I play in my garden more than with my sewing most of the time. I try to work outdoors in the mornings, or late afternoons when the sun is not so harsh, but that is not always an option.
IF, I use sunscreen, it ends up in my socks or shoes. I uh, ........perspire, yeah, that's it, heavily. Or, as my grandfather would have said, "sweat like a whore in church".
Men sweat. Women "glisten." Didn't you know that FBG? Wow, I've never heard that expression before...priceless! I'm glad you brought up this subject, Nightowl. My doctor told me that my days in the sun were over, if I wanted to prevent any more skin cancer issues. He advised a 50SPF sunscreen, long sleeves and a floppy hat. I told him I wasn't out in the sun all that much. He looked at my tan, and said "Uh-huh. Sure. " I don't burn easily, so I hadn't given much thought to skin protection up to this point. I was a beach bunny in my youth, and spent every spare moment on the beach and in the sun. Since my kids grew up the only sun exposure I get is when I walk for exercise, working in the garden, and being outside with the grandkids. Nonetheless it's given me a nice tan, and I realize after talking to the doctor how much sun exposure I do get and how careful I need to be, going forward. Nightowl, one thing I discovered, (and this was completely accidental when I was looking for any kind of sunscreen this weekend because I hadn't actually gone out and bought any for myself yet) the sunscreen I used of Paige's that she bought for the kids didn't feel greasy at all. You might want to consider trying the various types out there made specifically for children. It tends to be the higher SPF's, and at least with the one I tried, felt more like a lotion. I need to find one of these: (The hat, not the cigar!)
Never have used it and don't intend to start. Don't like hats. Don't like long pants on long sleeves shirts or to wear shoes(except out of necessity in the winter). My typical attire is shorts, tank tops and flip flops. When I'm not at the office, I'm outdoors. I also have a naturally dark complexion that just gets darker during the summer. Love my sunshine!
I will look at the children's sunscreens as soon as I can. I don't mind lotion, but greasy yukky stuff, no thanks. I do have a nice hat. It is cloth, with a wide brim, and has a tropical print with yellow and pink flowers and green leaves. Perfect for in the garden. I like capris, and flops and T shirts, and tie my hair back. When I was a kid, I never burned nor tanned. Now I burn easily, and I have had a few severe burns. No thanks on those! That 'smoking mexican' is cute, but he could lose the cigar. If I find a nice sombrero type hat, I might get it. FBG, I "glisten" a LOT, especially in the heat.... I try to avoid socks in the summer.
