Warning others that a product is dangerous is misleading and duplicitous especially when most sunscreen 'mistakes' come not from the product itself but from how it is used. When this product is applied correctly according to the label then it works according to how it is intended.
First of all, it states to apply 15-30 minutes before exposure to the sun. Applying it at the beach, right before a child or whomever hits the water, gives you those 15 minutes to get burned before the sunblock has a chance to work. By then, because it hasn't 'set' into the skin, it is washed away in the waters, especially at the beach where the sandy water is often abrasive to skin.
So, when you don't wait that 15 minutes, the sunscreen never has time to set or settle onto the skin, and additionally, it gets washed away if a person jumps into water [which is highly reflective as well, sun damage is increased underwater because of this]
Additionally, when the child is done swimming, most of the sunscreen is toweled off, rubbed off, and sweat off. Directions clearly state that the sunscreen must be reapplied after sweating, swimming, toweling, and 'extended sun exposure' [likely, one half hour of continuous sun]
Technically there is no true waterproof sunscreen. I think the benefit of this sunscreen is that it does not dissolve in wet conditions, which is a benefit, but it can not protect you from the effect of what happens when skin is submerged for an hour in the water in the afternoon sun and then wiped off with a towel.
Consider this as well The ingredients in Helioplex and other UVA formulas are synthetic. They degrade once they hit the sunlight and air. UVA synthetic sunscreens are a great invention and they do wonders but because of their formulation, so when using them, care and caution should be taken into consideration. Once a synthetic is applied, the ingredients start to break down.
Natural formulated sunscreen like the white zinc oxide formulas work great to block UVB rays, which are the rays that burn your skin. Their shelf life is much longer and after its applied it stays in a stable condition and lasts much longer than the effects of synthetics but the drawbacks are that it can leave a whitish cast on the skin, it can be greasy or heavy, and also it does not protect you from those UVA rays, the most dangerous kind, which go deeper into your skin and are responsible for cancer.
So synthetics offer a better range of protection, but their formulas prevent them from being stable for longer periods of time like natural formulas are. When a synthetic formula is applied every hour, it has already lost most of it's potency and when the person does not wait those first 15-30 minutes for that initial application to set, most of the major sun damage is already done, and the rest is simply an addition to what will likely be a very bad burn that damages all the way down to the lower layers of the skin. It's like you're not even wearing sunscreen at all!
Spray sunscreen is different than lotion sunblock. Lotion is usually applied more carefully and rubbed in and layered in its application. You can see where lotion goes and you can see when it is rubbed in. Spray sunscreen is clear and because of this it is more difficult to see where it's been applied [especially on wet skin!]
Spray sunscreen is often simply sprayed onto the skin, many times it only covers a small area, and many times not enough block is put onto the skin. According to the directions it states that the spray should be applied slowly and evenly in a continuous motion until it is visible on the skin. So a light coating that covers yet is not clearly visible is not good enough.
A good rule of thumb is to spray and then rub each area, work from bottom to top. Spray block into your hand and then apply to the face and neck, and then do it again, from bottom to top working your way up again. This way the spray will have time to settle and you will be completely covered. Don't forget the tops of your hands, the tops of your feet, your neck, ears, hairline and your back.
They say that for lotion sunblock to be effective, it has to be applied in sufficient quantity. It is usually recommended that users spread on about a half a shotglass per half hour or so. For spray sunblock, Ive never really seen a quantity recommended, so i would say that a coating that covers from bottom to top twice is a very good application. This kind of application has kept the sun off my skin and i live in the southeast where its not uncommon to have 95 degree weather with high humidity for most of the year. im in the Sunshine State [florida] in fact and it makes me sad to see older people who walk the beach, their skin so leathery and dark and wrinkled from years of tanning...*shivers*
There are more factors working against you as well.
outdated sunscreenIf sunscreen has been left in a hot car day after day, do you expect for that formula to do any good when the heat has likely destroyed its chemical composition or changed it in such a way that it no longer provided adequate sun protection?Also, sunscreen that is kept for over a year is probably garbage as well. If you keep your sunscreen for that long then you just aren't using it the way it is meant to be used. My can of this sunscreen lasts me a month at the most, and that is application at least 3 times a week. Even though my can is dated for exactly one year later, I would use it up long before then.
Time of Day In some respects, what time of day you are out in the sun can determine how much sunscreen is needed. There is a greater need for proper and timely sunblock during the hottest part of the day when the sun's rays are their most intense from 12 3 PM. so if your children are in the water during the mid afternoon, they are exposed to the most rays possible. When our family went to the beach, we would go early in the morning and leave by 11am. My brother and I rarely ever got burns because the sun just wasn't as strong during the morning hours.
Other Environmental Conditions:
Children and certain skin types which are light, nordic or those with blonde or red hair are more prone to sun damage; their skin burns much faster and they take the most damage.
Certain medications like birth control, antibiotics, and even herbals like st. johns wort can also effect sensitivity to sunlight causing a person to burn very quickly to give you an idea, stepping outside without protection can burn a person's skin in under 5 minutes.
Some are predisposed to skin cancers. If it runs in your family you may be better off paying attention to your sunscreen habits as your risk may be higher simply because of genetic makeup.
Those who are not tanned in any way will of course burn faster until their skin gets color. Tanning is a natural response aimed at helping your skin to protect itself by providing a darker color to your skin, but the collateral damage is of course not just on the surface, its also below the skin as well where you can't see it.
Water magnifies the suns rays. While it feels nice and cool to be in the water in the summer, the sun is magnified and its easier to emerge with a burn much faster than if you had been standing on the land for the same amount of time. Additionally, a cloudy day affords you no protection.
Its entirely possible to emerge with a burn on a cloudy day. A semi to partly cloudy day is even worse especially when you think to yourself 'Gee, its not that bad, i won't be out there for long!' the cumulative effect of spending 3 hours out on the town shopping on a cloudy day could end up giving you sun damage in the equivalent of laying out in the sun, unprotected, for at least an hour.
So while spray spf can be more convenient, the upkeep on it is more than lotion block would be due to consistency and typical method of application.
I use this product and when it is used according to the label in conjunction with proper methods of dealing with the summer sun, then it should cause no problems.
Those who have very fair and sensitive skin should *always* opt for a lotion vs. a spray, simply because fair skin typically is more prone to burning, burns faster and causes more damage, so maximum protection is what is needed. This product and many other spray spf's on the market in general are rarely used according to their label instructions because many people treat it as if it were the same as lotion when it is not. Also, Fair skin and children's skin needs a higher degree of protection in general.
And no, im not a marketer, i do not work for neutrogena, i am not a paid blogger. I am into the goth scene so i have experimented widely with various lotions and sprays to keep my sensitive skin as light as possible for aesthetic reasons and also for health reasons as well.
Most sunscreens and sunblocks that I have tried have done what they are designed to do. Some are greasy, some are dry, some are more like lotions, some are easier to spread and others not so much. Some leave a whitish cast. So YMMV.
The benefit to this formula is that it is clear, it dries to a dry consistency, it does not have an annoying scent, its easy to apply, it does not burn my sensitive face skin like some sunscreens can [one brand left my upper lip on fire!] and most of all, it works. I also wear it under my makeup because even though my makeup has SPF in it, its never really enough to keep the sun out.
So overall, so far its one of the better spray sunscreens that ive used in the past few years. I suppose thata brand like neutrogena will have a loyal following, just like other brands [aveeno, etc] So consider that if you dont enjoy neturogena products or you have found that they haven't lived up to your quality in the past, then this product may not be for you. Pereceptions that are negative of a product will invariably make some users believe that the product is inferior when they try it as well simply due to preconceived expectations.
Also consider that this brand makes a formula for the face that dries quickly, comes in a tube, and is just as easy to use as the spray, and it works wonders for use on the body for its softening and conditioning effects. I like to alternate my spray with the use of their face sunscreen lotion.
There is something to be said for fair, beautiful clear skin it can look so nice! To maintain this porcelain look, I use products like this every day, at least 15 minutes before i head out the door. I have had great results from using it, but like any sunscreen, its important to reapply as often as possible so the effects aren't lost.
I purchased this product WITHOUT reading any reviews beforehand. I do this sometimes so that I can form my own opinion of the experience and then confirm it later on when i do read the reviews.I try to make my own shopping choices based on my needs and desires.
This product might be good for you as an adult, but i dont think that its made specifically for children. They have a children's formula but my take on the matter is that children shouldn't be using sprays because they are too active generally and they need to have it reapplied more often than a regular lotion sunscreeen. Children don't understand the need or value of sunscreen so its up to mom to take care of this.
Most of the damage thats done to our skin is done in our childhood something like 90% crazy high number but its generally true. By the time we are adults we have learned our lessons with sun exposure.
I believe that some of the negative reviews may have not followed the directions. When I followed the directions exactly it worked perfectly. I burn rather easily, and this kept me from burning, and does as promised when applied to wet skin. The only complaint I would have is the fumes when applying the product indoors prior to going out into the sun, but that's to be expected from any aerosol product.
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I have never written a review on a product before, but felt so strongly about this, that I had to.I have a 5 year old son that I am very good about putting sunscreen on when he is going to be out in the sun for prolonged periods of time.He has never had as much as a slight bit of color from the sun, EVER!!!I thought I would buy this new product because it seemed awesome that you could reapply while they were wet.Well, after using it this past Memorial Day weekend, I had to nurse a little boy with a bad sunburn all day on Monday.My friends and I used this on 3 children from ages 5-8, applying it 4 times between noon and 10 o'clock that night, and they all ended up with sunburns. I am not talking a little bit of sun, but major sunburns.I was so angry, and disappointed that I let this happen.I have thrown away this product, and will be telling all of my friends not to use it.
Read Best Reviews of Neutrogena Wet Skin Sunblock Spray, 5 Ounce Here
I took my 14 month old and 3 year old to the splash park in 100 degree Texas Summer heat and it worked its magic.You can actually see water bead up on the skin where the sunblock is applied so you know it is still on the skin even though it is clear.
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Very easy to apply to the body, not so much to the face because you have to spray it first in your hand and then rub your face. As for sunblock protection, it is very good also.
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It may be a little expensive, but it is so worth it. Plus it will last a fairly long time. Don't hesitate, just buy!
