2008 Miami Ink Tattoo Fade Shield Sunblock Stick

I tan on a regular basis and I'm always out in the sun, and I've noticed a significant increase in how bright my tattoos look since I've been using the fade shield. I have more confidence to go out in the sun now that I'm not afraid of ruining all my expensive ink. And it smells good too!

I have several large tattoos on each arm; the outside of each bicep is tatted, as is the inside of each forearm (thankfully, I made it through the early 2000s without acquiring a barbed-wire/tribal armring). I also have a tattoo in the middle of my chest/sternum that is exposed whenever I wear a polo or v-neck. All of these are black, which means they soak up UV-A and UV-B--both of which abound in New Mexico, particularly in the spring/summer.

Prior to using this product, I've usually gone with a spray-on SPF30 sunscreen, whether name brand or store brand. All of these tend to smell a bit like fermented fruit, and not in a good way. Still, since all I spray are my tattoos, an ~$8 can of sunscreen tends to last all year. The downside being, of course, that you get to smell the sunscreen all day, every day. Great fun in a cubicle at work.

By contrast, this stuff has a consistency somewhere between the old school white cakey roll-on deodorant and chapstick. I suspect that it probably applies easier when warm (just like most chapsticks), but I apply this stuff daily right before I leave for work. I tend to apply it by making one pass over a tattoo, then rubbing it in to ensure even distribution. I'm not sure if it's because this stuff seems a little old, but I tend to end up with tiny flakes that brush off after I apply it.

In any case, once applied, it leaves your skin soft and a little tacky, though not greasy like a lot of sunscreens. I haven't noticed any difference in my tattoos' appearance, but I try to take care of them (remember to apply a urea-free lotion--Curel, Nivea, Lubriderm, etc.--after you shower).

Unlike most sunscreens, this stuff smells really good. Not exactly manly, nor perfumey; maybe sort of nutty?

I want to like this stuff a lot, but the size (the picture is a tad misleading; think three sticks of chapstick lined up) doesn't quite justify the cost. If it was sold for the same price at the same size as a regular stick of deodorant, this would be the best stuff ever. Once I run out, I'll probably go back to sunscreen, despite the odors entailed thereby.

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