Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU re suncream

102 replies

iamdivergent · 15/05/2014 14:24

Talking with fellow school mum today. I mentioned about how x shop had own brand suncream 50+ kids stuff for less than half price of nivea. She said that own brand isn't as effective but i argued that it's all the same provided the factor is same as they have to conform to EU standards etc. who IBU? Smile

OP posts:
cerealqueen · 16/05/2014 22:33

for Frorg

BauerTime · 16/05/2014 22:33

Ah yes just read it. The lotion ive not tried,just the dry oil spray.

Bunbaker · 16/05/2014 22:40

"and so it's Boots own Soltan brand. £14.99 for 300ml or something obscene."

I never pay full price for it. They often have two for one offers. Although looking at the link it seems that any supermarket own brand offers better value for money. Soltan works for us and we never burn with it so I will continue buying it (and keep accruing points on my advantage card)

Gileswithachainsaw · 16/05/2014 22:40

Yanbu.

If dd wasn't allergic to sunscreens I'd buy an own brand one quite happily.

Thanks to bastardised eczema we are stuck paying £12 fir hers. The spray she takes to school (I keep the other tube at home for dd2) cost me £16 .

Gileswithachainsaw · 16/05/2014 22:41

Bastard (ignore the extra letters Hmm)

Gileswithachainsaw · 16/05/2014 22:42

Good job I kept last years I just checks and hers is £17.99 now Shock

Mydelilah · 16/05/2014 22:44

@The Fairy, we were in Cape Verde as well for 2 weeks in April week and we all got surnburn on factor 50 - the sun was incredibly strong! (I lived in the middle East for several years and never burned there). No suntan cream is a match for that, we ended up staying out of the sun in the middle of the day for most of the holiday (can you tell I'm wierdly obsesive about sun protection Wink )

Frorg · 16/05/2014 22:56

Thank you cerealqueen. I don't think it's that though as we still get it even without going in the sun if we've had sun cream on. Ds' looks more like a reaction whereas mine is more like acne spots. I used to usea piz buin one that was ok for me but they changed it and I got the spots (and which? says piz buin is rubbish anyway)

ilovepowerhoop · 16/05/2014 23:02

it only says one piz buin product is rubbish. We have used the one day cream in previous years and it has worked really well

ilovepowerhoop · 16/05/2014 23:02

have you tried many of the sensitive creams? Most brands seem to do a sensitive skin option

Gileswithachainsaw · 16/05/2014 23:16

Yes have tried Banana boat, simple, soltan, Nivea and others

It's cheaper now to stick to what we know. I've spent more than £12 and £16 on other stuff.

But agree in most cases branding is no better than own brands! I buy very little branded stuff.

PunkrockerGirl · 16/05/2014 23:31

Avon have got an offer at the moment, 3 for £10.

Original poster
iamdivergent · 17/05/2014 08:22

I noticed boots have suncream on offer too. Was tempted by the 8hrs stuff for school but I'm not sure how effective it will be after 8hrs

OP posts:
ilovepowerhoop · 17/05/2014 09:48

everywhere has suncream offers on. I have used the piz buin 1 day stuff on the kids for school before but we are in Scotland so maybe not always as hot/high uv as other places

MiniSoksMakeHardWork · 17/05/2014 10:56

The factor also makes a difference for me. Anything over 30 brings the dc and I out in prickly heat rash. Apparently the higher SPFs can block the pores too much. Just checked our Tesco value and it is a 5 star rating :)

ilovepowerhoop · 17/05/2014 10:58

we normally use factor 30 for all of us including the children as factor 50 doesnt block much more than factor 30 and can make you complacent about the amount of time you can spend in the sun. Is it true they dont do a factor 50 in Australia?

ilovepowerhoop · 17/05/2014 11:01

apparently SPF 30 blocks 97% of UVB rays and SPF 50 blocks 98% of UVB so not that much difference. We use factor 30 with 4/5 star ratings.

ilovepowerhoop · 17/05/2014 11:06

www.cancer.org.au/preventing-cancer/sun-protection/preventing-skin-cancer/spf50sunscreen.html - looks like Australia now has factor 50 but didnt used to

AuntieStella · 17/05/2014 11:09

Yes it's true. Aussie SPFs are regulated by the governmental (?) radiological laboratory and the highest they will certify is 30+ (and they publish all their assumptions/definitions somewhere, so they are one of places where it's easiest to check the science if you're interested).

Incidentally, the Aussies also state (Cancer Council) that you reduce the SPF by about a quarter (?) if you do not use enou. Their definition of enough is 1 teaspoon per limb, one each for front and back torso and 1/2 for face/neck, reapplying frequently (they don't seem to endorse single application ones at all).

AuntieStella · 17/05/2014 11:15

Sorry! I quoted the old regs (I'd missed the roll out, and it was a couple of years ago that I last looked into this is detail).

The old 30+ (new 30) must reach 96.7% UVB protection, the new 50 98%. But the level is reduced by more than the %age difference in the sunscreen if you do not put enough on.

AuntieStella · 17/05/2014 11:17

"Was tempted by the 8hrs stuff for school but I'm not sure how effective it will be after 8hrs"

That'll depend on how much your DC sweat, the movement of fabric against their skin (especially around collars, cuffs and the pull up/fall down of socks) and whether they rub/scratch/fidget much.

wowfudge · 17/05/2014 11:36

Two things with sun cream - put it on about twenty minutes before you go out and expose your skin to the sun and reapply frequently, but reapplying doesn't mean you get the same protection renewed.

For example, Factor 10 gives you ten times the protection you would have with no sun cream so if you start to burn after 15 mins exposure you would be protected for 150 minutes. If you reapply after an hour you don't extend the time you are protected by a further 150 mins, you are just replacing the cream you have sweated off or washed off swimming, etc to ensure continuity of protection.

So high factors all the way, cover up and have the option of getting some shade.

We spent many holidays abroad on cheap packages when we were growing up and these days I'm just not interested in lying in the sun trying to get a tan. Yes to the relaxing, but not to the baking. My DPs still do though and I always think they look scorched when they get home Shock.

MrsDavidBowie · 17/05/2014 11:40

frorg I get pustular rosacea in the sun...face and neck covered in smallpox type spots and bumps under the skin.
Horrible...it goes down after about 4 days but is very unpleasant. Even ten minutes in sunlight makes it flare up.

So I stay inside..and now have vit d deficiency.

MyrtleDove · 17/05/2014 11:48

I get supermarket value factor 30 for my body, more expensive factor 30+ (higher if I can get it) dry-touch stuff for my face. Has anyone tried the Superdrug face mattifying sun cream? It's on offer for £2 at the moment, all Superdrug sun range is half price right now.

Glastokitty · 17/05/2014 11:49

Yes they have changed the rules in Oz, used to be factor 30 was the standard but it's now gone up to 50. But it's great stuff, none of us have burnt at all since moving here, maybe because we are very careful and don't really sunbathe ( no need Grin). But it's only 15$ for a litre here, and most outdoor places have free sunscreen for people to use if they run short.