Hannah H.
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Aveeno Protect & Hydrate lapped other sunscreens that I tested on my long, sweaty runs in the sun.
I never wore sunscreen before age 25. I was the one runner whose bare skin was immune to our bright star’s radiation, I thought.
But freckles and fine lines began to tell otherwise. I’m now obsessed with wearing sunscreen – correctly.
I’ve been using the Aveeno Protect and Hydrate Sunscreen Broad Spectrum Body Lotion SPF 60 on my face and have loved it.
I decided to pit it against several hand-me-down competitors in my medicine cabinet. I looked at value, ingredients, texture, eyeball fire, and sweat-resistant protection.
While Aveeno Protect & Hydrate Sunscreen wasn’t the top finisher in all areas, as a total package, it’s still my #1 for long runs in the sun.
Sunscreen Quick Facts
SPF = Sun Protection Factor
Think of SPF as an estimate of how long it takes to burn versus if you weren’t wearing any sunscreen. Since my bare skin takes appx. 10 minutes, a 60 SPF sunscreen protects me for about an hour.
UV Wavelengths
SPF only relates to UVB rays. Those are the short ones that cause classic sunburns. There are also long UVA rays. They cause skin cancer and photo-aging. Both A and B are bad, and only a “broad-spectrum” sunscreen protects against both.
Formulation
While individual ingredients are important, the whole formulation matters most. You can’t tell if a sunscreen is good just from the percentage of its active filters – especially with mineral filters.
A Shot Glass an Hour
You need a shot glass of sunscreen to properly coat your face and body. For just the face, a nickel-to-quarter-sized dollop is about right. Rubbing, water, and sun rays degrade the sunscreen, so you have to reapply. I try to do it every hour.
Versus Sweat
No sunscreen is waterproof. They can only be water-resistant/ sweat-resistant for up to 40 or 80 minutes. If the sunscreen’s label says this, it was tested in swirling water and still had at least 50% of its SPF at the listed time limit.
Aveeno Protect and Hydrate Sunscreen vs. Random Sunblocks in My Medicine Cabinet
Low score wins (just like in cross-country).
Aveeno Protect and Hydrate Sunscreen Broad Spectrum Body Lotion SPF 60
$33
Final Score: 7
12.0 FL OZ
$2.74/FL OZ
SPF 60
Chemical Sunscreen
Body Sunscreen
La Roche-Posay Mineral Anthelios SPF 50 Gentle Lotion Mineral Sunscreen
$26
Final Score: 11
3.0 FL OZ
$8.67/FL OZ
SPF 50
Mineral Sunscreen
Body & Face Sunscreen
Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen SPF 40
$9
Final Score: 15
1.7 FL OZ
$5.29/FL OZ
SPF 40
Chemical Sunscreen
Face Sunscreen
Banana Boat Sport SPF 50 Sunscreen Lotion
$11
Final Score: 17
12 FL OZ
$0.91/FL OZ
SPF 50
Chemical Sunscreen
Body Sunscreen
Lap 1: Value
Pricey sunscreens may offer better coverage and ingredients, but when they cost too much, I apply too little. On the other end, cheap sunscreens can be so irritating and unpleasant, I don’t even want to wear them at all.
#1
Aveeno Protect and Hydrate Sunscreen
The 12 fl oz bottle of Aveeno Protect + Hydrate sunscreen seems expensive up front, but it works out to a nice Goldilocks value of $2.74/fl oz. It’s good quality and it lasts forever because I only use it on my face, neck, and hands. I also keep the pricier 3.0 fl oz bottle on-hand for travel days, since it’s more portable.
#2
Banana Boat Sport Sunscreen
Banana Boat Sport is dirt-cheap at $0.91/fl oz, but it’s not the best face sunscreen for runners like me who have sensitive eyes. It’s also pretty oily. With its low price, it’s ideal as a body sunscreen instead.
#3
La Roche-Posay Mineral Anthelios Sunscreen
$8.67/fl oz is unaffordable. Every dab feels like a $10 bill smeared on my skin. However, it moisturizes and I also like the antioxidant technology. So, while LRP is my most expensive sunscreen, it has better value than the last place finisher.
#4
Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen
I was surprised at the TJ’s sunscreen price, given the hype over their cheap dupe toiletries. The bottle is tiny at 1.7 fl/oz. At $5.29/fl oz, it just costs too much for a SPF 40 sunscreen that doesn’t offer any added skin benefits. This is not a sunscreen for athletes.
Lap 2: Sunscreen Ingredients
American sunscreens are relatively limited in terms of stable, broad-spectrum filters. Let’s review the most common FDA-approved sunscreen actives.
Avobenzone
Chemical
Avobenzone is the only FDA-approved chemical filter that absorbs UVA rays. It degrades easily in sunlight, so it needs stabilizing friends.
Homosalate
Chemical
Homosalate is pretty weak on its own and just absorbs UVB rays. It often tags along with its chemical friends on this list and helps stabilize Avobenzone.
Octisalate
Chemical
Octisalate absorbs UVB rays and a tiny bit of UVA. It’s pretty weak, but stable, and works best when paired with its chemical friends on this list.
Octocrylene
Chemical
Octocrylene absorbs UVB rays well and some UVA rays. It’s one of the most stable chemical filters and is Avobenzone’s best friend.
Titanium Dioxide
Mineral
This mineral that comes as a white powder has great UVB blocking power and decent UVA ray reflection, but it works best when paired with Zinc oxide.
Zinc Oxide
Mineral
The gentle god of sunscreen ingredients. Zinc oxide has the broadest absorption of UVB and UVA rays – all on its own. It’s completely photostable, and blocks the full range of UV light.
La Roche-Posay Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50
Aveeno Protect and Hydrate Sunscreen SPF 60
Banana Boat Sport Sunscreen SPF 50
Trader Joe's Daily Facial Sunscreen SPF 40
- La Roche-Posay Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50
- Aveeno Protect and Hydrate Sunscreen SPF 60
- Banana Boat Sport Sunscreen SPF 50
- Trader Joe's Daily Facial Sunscreen SPF 40
#1
La Roche-Posay Mineral Anthelios Sunscreen
Titanium Dioxide 5%
Zinc Oxide 5%
Cassia Alata Leaf Extract
LRP’s body and face mineral sunscreen has the best active ingredients. Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide provide gentle, broad-spectrum protection. Also, LRP’s fancy Cell-Ox Shield tech combines Senna alata leaf extract with the two mineral filters to combat sun-created free radicals. Does it work? I guess I’ll know in twenty years.
#2
Aveeno Protect and Hydrate Sunscreen
Avobenzone 3%
Homosalate 13.5%
Octisalate 5%
Octocrylene 10%
Oat Extract
The chemical filter quad squad provides stable, full-spectrum protection. Aveeno’s eponymous oat extract conditions, soothes, and moisturizes. I feel like it counteracts any irritation the high percentage of actives might cause. I use the body version of Aveeno Protect and Hydrate sunscreen because it has 99.99% identical ingredients to their face version, but it’s cheaper.
#3
Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen
Avobenzone 3%
Homosalate 12%
Octisalate 5%
Octocrylene 6%
Shea Butter
Jojoba Esters
The Trader Joe’s sunscreen uses the same chemical filters that provide broad-spectrum protection. This sunscreen doesn’t purport to moisturize like Aveeno and LRP do. And it doesn’t feel like it either, despite having shea butter and jojoba in its inactive ingredients. Instead, its selling point is that it’s non-greasy and doesn’t give a white-cast.
#4
Banana Boat Sport Sunscreen
Avobenzone 2.7%
Homosalate 7.5%
Octisalate 4.5%
Octocrylene 5%
Aloe Leaf Juice
Banana Boat is a very simple sunscreen. It doesn’t offer anything except broad-spectrum protection from UVA/UVB rays via the same chemical filters. While its inactive ingredients include aloe, it doesn’t advertise any soothing or moisturizing properties. This is one basic banana boat.
Lap 3: Consistency and Appearance
As a runner, appearance isn’t super important, but gooey and pasty sunscreens can genuinely make a run uncomfortable.
#1
Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen
As advertised, the Trader joe’s sunscreen is a truly invisible gel. It glides on clear, with no oily feel – it almost reminds me of a makeup primer. It doesn’t pill and I can’t even tell I’m wearing it. When I sweat, it doesn’t mutate or melt. Overall, TJ’s nailed it with the texture.
#2
Aveeno Protect and Hydrate Sunscreen
I wear Aveeno’s Protect + Hydrate Sunscreen all the time. It is a bit oilier than the TJ’s sunscreen, but it settles down after 10 minutes and gives me a healthy glow. Aveeno’s signature oat magic also nourishes my dry face. A bonus: it doesn’t stain my white clothes yellow.
#3
La Roche-Posay Mineral Anthelios Sunscreen
The only mineral contender in the group surprisingly doesn’t have the worst texture. It’s more liquid-y than chalky, and is the best mineral sunscreen I’ve ever used. But the white cast is abominable. I’m quite pale, so with enough rubbing in, it sort of melds into my natural pastiness. On more radiant runners, it’s going to be very obvious. And once I start sweating, it turns into an ashen glaze.
#4
Banana Boat Sport Sunscreen
The Banana Boat Sport is extremely oily. It gives me a nice greasy sheen like I’m a well-basted chicken breast. When I tried it on my face, I glistened all day while my eyeballs oozed tears. When I wear it as a body sunscreen, you can track me by the trail of oleaginous skin prints. Even after washing, it leaves a sticky residue on my body.
Lap 4: Eyeball Fire
This is the most important category for me as a runner: I refuse to wear a sunscreen that irritates my eyes when I need to stay alert to my surroundings.
#1
Aveeno Protect and Hydrate Sunscreen
Aveeno wins this round hands-down. Speaking of hands, I also wear it on them because when I forget and rub my eyes, it doesn’t burn. My eyeballs have steeped in this sunscreen for hours. Nothing – not even a twinge. The most surprising part: it has the highest active ingredients among our chemical contenders. It must be the oats.
#2
La Roche-Posay Mineral Anthelios Sunscreen
As one would expect, the mineral sunscreen didn’t burn my eyeballs (the chemical UV filters typically cause the burn). This lives up to its “gentle lotion” name. However, I don’t like that it turns into a chalky, liquid mess when I start to sweat. It physically blocks my vision if it gets on my sunglasses.
#3
Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen
I don’t trust this small-eyeball-flame sunscreen for sweaty running, but it’s safe for dry errands. I had no problem when it was just settled on my face. However, once sweat started oozing down, I felt the warm twinge in my delicate little eyes.
#4
Banana Boat Sport Sunscreen
If even the breath of Banana Boat Sport wafts across my tender sclerae, the sparks start. The only way to put the fire out is to shower and wash my eyeballs like in chemistry class. Merely rinsing my face adds fuel until I can barely see. Never, ever wear this sunscreen on your face on a long run.
Lap 5: SPF/Sweat Protection
I usually run for about an hour and start to sweat profusely within 10 minutes of starting, so I need a sweat-proof sunscreen with a decently high SPF.
#1
Aveeno Protect and Hydrate Sunscreen
At 60 SPF, Aveeno Protect and Hydrate sunscreen has the highest protection on our list. This means I can go about an hour before reapplication. That’s perfect for my runs, but not for traipsing around in the sun afterwards. When I reapply, I don’t get sunburned. When I forget, I get sunburned. It’s also water-resistant up to 80 minutes. I apply the sunscreen about 20 minutes before my run so it has a chance to settle and doesn’t seep off when I start to sweat.
#2
La Roche-Posay Mineral Anthelios Sunscreen
The La Roche Posay Mineral Sunscreen technically has the best broad-spectrum protection with its zinc oxide. At 50 SPF, it offers slightly less protection than the Aveeno sunscreen. It’s also water-resistant up to 80 minutes. While the white cast is ridiculous, the color is kind of helpful once I start to sweat: I can literally see where I’ve wiped off the sunscreen and no longer have protection.
#3
Banana Boat Sport Sunscreen
I can’t put the Banana Boat Sport Sunscreen anywhere near my face, but it does a decent job of protecting my skin. At 50 SPF, it offers the same protection as the LRP sunscreen. It’s also marketed as a “Sport” sunscreen, with 80 minutes of water-resistance. I wear it on my runs as my body sunscreen and haven’t been sunburned and have only tanned lightly (a tan indicates UV damage).
#4
Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen
The Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen really isn’t a good choice for runners. It offers the lowest SPF at 40 and is only sweat and water resistant up to 40 minutes. The short sweat resistance is concerning – that means after only 40 of running minutes, possibly only 50% of the already lower SPF remains.
Aveeno Protect and Hydrate Sunscreen Wins the Race
Coming in at a winning 7 points total, Aveeno was the #1 finisher in the Value, No Eyeball Fire, and SPF categories, and #2 in Ingredients and in Consistency.
The zero eye irritation is magical, along with its effectiveness even when I drip sweat. Combined with the long-lasting value of the bulk body version bottle and its nourishing lotion quality, Aveeno Protect and Hydrate sunscreen remains my top choice for long runs.
The second-best option is La Roche-Posay’s mineral sunscreen at 11 points. The white cast and the cost are horrendous, but this sunscreen does have premium ingredients. It’s also the best mineral sunscreen I’ve ever worn. I’ll use it for runs where nobody else is around.
The 3rd-place finisher is Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen at 15 points. Its clear, gel-like consistency boosted it above the last-place finisher. However, I found it to be underwhelming in most areas – especially value-wise, with its tiny bottle size.
Banana Boat Sport SPF 50 comes in last with 17 points. This sunscreen’s eyeball irritation factor killed it, combined with its across-the-board mediocre qualities. Its main selling point is that it’s cheap, which makes it a decent choice for a sport body sunscreen.
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