<p>The weather today made me realize that summer’s fast approaching. I have really oily skin on my face, and most sunscreens make my skin feel disgustingly slick. My current sunscreen of choice is Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock - it’s the least oily-feeling of all the products I’ve tried, but it’s still far from great. Does anyone have any recommendations for another sunscreen product with a non-oily feel?</p>
<p>I use the Neutrogena Dry Touch, it’s really the only one I’ve found that isn’t oily and has a high spf.</p>
<p>La Roche-Posay Athelios…feels like a great facial moisturizer, blends in well and has 40 SPF…not oily at all…</p>
<p>lancome, about 50 spf-kind of expensive though</p>
<p>When my children were still at home and outside a lot I bought a generic brand of Sports sunblock. It came in all ranges of SPF and wasn’t greasy at all.</p>
<p>Banana Boat Sport Spray (usually an orange bottle). Just be sure not to get the kind that says ‘lotion’ on the label. It’s just like the usual thick stuff but in a spray. You want the no-drip, no-rub formula. It’s a clear spray that goes on thin and dries very quickly. We’ve used it for years…sand doesn’t stick to it so children don’t object so much to being coated.</p>
<p>I loved coppertone oil free (SPF 45, UVA/UVB) when I was playing tennis - it dries non-greasy. I still use it.</p>
<p>I use something more serious for the beach but for everyday coverage I like Oil of Olay with SPF 15. It’s not oily at all.</p>
<p>Puzzled, I use Oil of Olay every day (even under my makeup) and agree that it’s not oily.</p>
<p>slightly off topic:</p>
<p>Can I use sunscreen on top of moisturizer without reducing the efficacy of the sunscreen? Does it need to “sink in” to work?</p>
<p>For daily use, I like neutrogena healthy skin. SPF 15. Supposed to reduce wrinkles, very light feeling. The neutrogena spray is very light and nice for more serious sun.</p>
<p>My dermatologist warned me against most new sunscreens because they use nanoparticles which can cross into your brain (!). Here’s an article about it here:
[Nanoparticles</a> in Your Sunscreen: Too Hot to Handle? - Bits Blog - NYTimes.com](<a href=“http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/08/14/nanoparticles-in-your-sunscreen-too-hot-to-handle/]Nanoparticles”>Nanoparticles in Your Sunscreen: Too Hot to Handle? - The New York Times)</p>
<p>It sounds like the jury’s still out, but I don’t feel like messing with the stuff. Even the chemical ones have problems (and those are absorbed through your skin).</p>
<p>Also, partly because of sunscreen use, a lot of women have low levels of vitamin D, which can cause all sorts of health problems.</p>
<p>The best is to wear a hat.</p>
<p>From that same article:</p>
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<p>If you read the article, as mousegray said, the jury is still out.</p>
<p>For someone like me who has a family history of skin cancer, the jury is in. I use sunscreen everyday. If I’m doing more than walking between building, I add a hat. Look for oil-free and sport, they are not oily-feeling.</p>
<p>If you are worried about the chemicals, you can get a zinc-oxide based sunscreen which I believe is more of a physical barrier (presumably less unknown-chemical-risk).</p>
<p>Here’s a quote from another article:</p>
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<p>They are referring to nanoparticles of zinc or titanium oxide. From the above quote, I would infer that as long as you don’t have open cuts, you’re probably fine. And it’s probably better not to exfoliate! (That “dead layer” of skin is good for something, after all!)</p>
<p>Here’s the link to the article: (I’m not sure who these people are, but they seem to be pro-nanotechnology.)
[Nanotechnology</a> risks - nanoparticles and sunscreen safety](<a href=“http://www.nanowerk.com/spotlight/spotid=714.php]Nanotechnology”>Nanoparticles and sunscreen safety)</p>
<p>I think if there’s a family history of skin cancer, it makes sense to go for the sunscreen. For someone like me, with no family history, with olive skin who doesn’t burn easily, I make look for alternatives. Not sure what they are, other than wearing a hat.</p>
<p>It’s just that sunscreen has been pushed so much recently, with specific directions to use an ounce (a shotglass full!), to reapply liberally, etc, without enough knowledge or testing of these new chemicals or technology.</p>
<p>Thank you all for your suggestions. I’m looking for a sunscreen for daily wear, so I’d be putting it on my face, behind my ears, and my hands - I’m leaving the Vitamin D production to my arms. 
</p>
<p>The Lancome and La Roche are too much for my student’s budget, but I will definitely take a look at the recommendations for Banana Boat and other products by Neutrogena. I’ll take a look at the Oil of Olay, too.</p>
<p>Check out Bullfrog pump spray bottles. Absolutely not greasy or oily, water resistant, long lasting. I detest putting creams or lotions on my skin and have been using this product for many years with great success in a variety of circumstances from relaxing on the beach, swimming in the ocean to 6 hour bike rides in the summer sun.</p>
<p>I’m more concerned about this:</p>
<p>[Sunscreens</a> Cause Coral Bleaching by Promoting Viral Infections](<a href=“http://www.ehponline.org/docs/2008/10966/abstract.html]Sunscreens”>http://www.ehponline.org/docs/2008/10966/abstract.html)</p>
<p>Seems some sunscreen contains an element that might be killing coral reefs.</p>
<p>Shades children: Give your arms 15 minutes in the sun, then apply the lotion. 15 mins is plenty of time to acquire some Vitamin D. Of course, you could just drink a glass of milk…Vitamin D & Calcium in one convenient serving!</p>
<p>It’s not just coral reefs that sunscreens are impacting:
[Nanoparticles</a> in Sunscreen Damage Microbes: Scientific American](<a href=“http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=nanoparticles-in-sunscreen]Nanoparticles”>http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=nanoparticles-in-sunscreen)</p>
<p>The run-off from shampoos, lotions, etc. is causing all kinds of ecological havoc.</p>
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<p>Through a lot of trial and error, this is what we use now for longer times in the sun. Yes, it makes us slightly more pale but it actually works. And it’s cheap. You can get it at anydrug store under their house brand. Plus, of course, a hat.</p>
<p>In fact, after H’s last round of having moles checked (he’s fine, thank goodness), his doctor told him to switch to a hat with a five inch brim. I’m going to switch over to one as well. Better safe than sorry and, let’s face it, it’s not the brim that gives me horrible hat head!</p>