If you’ve been to a drug store lately, you’re likely overwhelmed by your sun protection options. Chalk it up to the rise of #skincare culture or a general glut of products, but it seems like there are more types of sunscreen now than there are days in the summer.
When it comes to choosing the best sunscreen, few people are more qualified than lifeguards. They spend long hours in the sun, in and out of the water, and, depending on where they’re working, around sand, mud, rocks or hot pavement — and their SPF has to be able to keep up.
So to help you pick the best sun protection for you, we reached out to lifeguards near and far, asking them about their favorite hard-working sunscreens. Every product listed is water-resistant for up to 80 minutes and has an SPF of at least 30, a baseline recommended by dermatologists.
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Kamaya Robles, a lifeguard at a pool near San Diego, agrees, saying the Play lotion is her daily go-to. "I love how it’s full of clean ingredients, hydrating, and doesn’t dry out my skin, especially being in chlorine all the time," Robles told HuffPost.
"It's a great sunscreen that prevents burns well and does not irritate or cause acne on my sensitive skin, but most importantly I find that it does not feel like I’m wearing sunscreen," French told HuffPost. "I don't feel greasy, it doesn’t smell, and I am protected in and out of the water. Because I’m wearing sunscreen all the time when I guard outdoors, it really is what I have found to be the best."
"It smells pretty good, doesn’t leave a white cast, and prevents sunburn," Sanborn said. "I don’t feel like I need to reapply often.”
However, if you're not into the white cast, Harshbarger said the Neutrogena Sheer zinc face sunscreen “is great, too.”
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