What I look for in a great sunscreen for surfing?

Surf Proof! It has to stay on the entire duration of my surf session.

I am Asian. I am supposed to hate the sun but I love the beach and surfing. I have tried probably close to 20 brands of sunscreens before I found THE ONE. I am no longer phased by the bombardment of sunscreen ads. So, how did I get there?

What to look for in good zinc sunscreen for surfing?

1. Zinc Coverage

Zinc works. Especially the paste or stick formulas. I have used the tube kind and it just doesn’t seem to have the same staying power. Some formulas have separated and oil comes out of the tube. Some formulas have liquified and become very watery (no longer lotion consistency). I have used chemical sunscreens and have no clue at the end of my session if the sunscreen is still on my face.

2. Natural Ingredients. Minimal Ingredients.

I have tried so many brands. Many were before I actually knew much about reading ingredients. I don’t need any of the extra stuff. I just want the sunscreen to stay on while I am in the water surfing. I don’t need it to smell artificially tropical.

3. Reef Safe

I care about the planet and my face. I don’t want unnecessary or harmful chemicals on my skin.

4. Stays On

I believe in physical coverage. I want to see the sunscreen on my face. I want to get out of the water and still see it on my face. I don’t want to have to reapply mid session. I have tried clear zinc and I cannot tell if it is still on at the end of my surf session. The worst is when the sunscreen runs into your eyes. The burning can’t be good for your precious eyes.

*edit I have learned that clear or sheer zinc uses nano zinc which can be absorbed into the bloodstream. Ewwe, so another reason to avoid it. Stick to non-nano zinc.

…

FAQ

How do I get it off?

Just water and this wonderful reusable cloth by Makeup Eraser. I saw a youtube video where they removed super thick theatrical makeup with just water. It really does work. I use the cloth a few times, thrown them in the wash and use them again. I used to use the Neutrogena Makeup Remover wipes but it has some chemicals in the ingredients and disposable cloths aren’t good for the environment.

Tinted vs White?

I prefer white because I don’t mind seeing a bit of white on my wetsuit or surf hat. The tinted formula would occasionally stain my clothes. Nothing worse then seeing beige colored stains on light colored clothing. It doesn’t really look any better on your face. This is all personal preference.

I live in cold weather and the stick formula is too hard to rub on.

I bring hot rinsing water with me and will put the sunscreen next to it to kind of warm it up. Another tip is to not leave it in the car overnight. It will be rock solid the next morning when you try to apply it. Also try putting it in front of your car heater vent to warm it up. This is a small drawback to thick pasty sunscreen. The tin can be easier to warm up than the stick.

So, what do I use?

My go to sunscreen brands are WaxHead and SuperGoop.

(If you are able to attend one of our weekly meetups in Huntington Beach, I always have my WaxHead sunscreen stick with me if you would like to try it.)

The WaxHead white stick uses only 4 ingredients: 25% nano Zinc-Oxide, Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Beeswax and Organic Vanilla Extract. Just wanted to add a close friend was convinced she was unable to use zinc due to her excema . She tried 2-3 different brands and said her

I put on SuperGoop Play before I leave the house. I do this around 80% of the time. I don’t like leaving the house without sunscreen on my face (sun paranoid Asian). If you plan on using a lotion sunscreen as your baselayer, put it on around 10 mins before you apply the thicker sunscreen. If you do not give the lotion time to absorb into your skin, the paste/stick sunscreen will not stay on as well.

At the beach before my surf, I use the WaxHead Natural Stick Sunscreen on my face neck and chest if it is exposed. It also comes in a tin but the stick is a 3.7 oz while the tin is only 2.0 oz. The stick lasts a very long time. I also rub it on the tops of my hands and feet. I have the sample 0.5 oz tin that I take with me on surf trips. I just refill it with the stick each time and can carry it on the plane. I find it easier to use my fingers to apply rather than trying to smear the stick directly onto my face.

I also have the Tinted Sunscreen stick by Waxhead. This formula seems a bit drier/harder than the white stick. It still only uses 4 ingredients: 25% nano Zinc-Oxide, Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Beeswax and Organic Cocoa Powder. Both work great but the natural stick formula is softer/creamier.

If you are applying in cold weather (like below 70F) I would recommend the white formula. I alternate between the two but will be repurchasing just the Natural Stick when I run out.

I will also use the SuperGoop on the rest of my body. It is too difficult to apply sunscreen paste to larger areas like your arms and legs if I plan on hanging out at the beach later.

Post surf

I like to look in my side mirror and still see the sunscreen on my face. I usually take my wetsuit off first, then wet the Makeup Eraser cloth with water and wipe that thick sunscreen off. Reapply some SuperGoop Play for the rest of the day or drive home.

Note, WaxHead also makes a tube formula zinc and this one was very oily. Sometimes I would get a few drops of oil come out before the cream. It didn’t seem to stay on because it was so oily. It smeared better but it didnt really dry. I don’t know if they have improved the formula but I wouldn’t recommend it. I initially bought it thinking i could use it on my arms and legs as using the thick paste isn’t practical for large areas.

Links to the awesome products I use:

I run the weekly event and this website for free and hope that you will consider using the links I have put in my articles to purchase recommended items. Thanks.