Bree

Okay, I know what SPF is - it's a number that tells you what level of sun protection is in your sunblock.

My question is this: as an Asian woman who tans very, very easily (I got too dark for my current makeup shade in less than 40 minutes, during a bike ride to the grocery store), I am trying to find a product which will let me be in the sun for short to moderate periods of time but will block out enough sun so that I will not tan. I do try to wear long sleeves and pants as often as possible, but there are times when the weather is such that this garb is uncomfortable. If I find an SPF of 50, will that do the trick? Or am I doomed to a life of darker-than-lovely skin?

seebs

I don't know. When I was a kid, 15 was as high as it went, and 15 was "no sun gets through", only obviously it's not. They get into the 30+ range.

I am told that "no-ad" brand is the best brand; as you might guess, they don't advertise, but most places that sell suntan lotion carry it.

Oxidizing Material

Do what I do!

Big black trenchcoat, and big black hat

Then shut all your windows and doors and hide in the basement

It's worked for me!

I'm so alone

BioBeing

I think the ones we use on our kiddies are usually a 45. If you are going to go biking, use a sweat proof one. However - I and my kids are white... one of my Indian friends, who tans in a heartbeat, just stays inside. He says even the high SPF ones don't work that well for him (but he is also not really the sort to bother putting them on).

lunachick

I don't believe that there is such a colour as darker-than-lovely.

Bree

Oh yes there is. If I were to go outside for say, four or five hours (a nice long hike, for example) you could easily mistake me for an African American woman - not that there's anything wrong with African American women. If I went out the next day and did it again, I'd be darker than any colour makeup that you can find in the drugstore. On me, dark skin is ugly - I've actually tried bleaching myself normally using buttermilk and other homemade remedies to no avail. It's a damn good thing my freckles disappeared - otherwise I'd be really weird-looking.

Back on topic - the NoAd stuff only goes up to 35 SPF. I already use this, and while it does a good job, I still somehow manage to tan. Does anyone know of a brand that goes higher? Does a thicker texture mean it's reflecting more light?

Viti

I wear hats all summer...you would look fabulous in a wide brimmed hat

Bree

Added: Does exfoliation work? If I loofahed after sun exposure, would my sun-affected top layers come off? Or would that make the virgin layers underneath more susceptible to the sun?

mongrel

For some strange reason, 30+ is the highest rating we can get(the highest was 15+ until a few years ago), here in the land of the melanoma:banghead: . But 30+ means just what it says- it could be 31, or 80(IIRC, a few are that high)- we just have no way of knowing.

I think an SPF 50 would do the trick. My nose always gets badly burned(for some reason, the rest of me just tans, but for the life of me, I can't get a brown nose... ) if I don't use at least a 15+ sunscreen, but unfortunately I have no idea what the actual SPF is of the stuff I use. I guess I'm not much help.

Viti

Newly revealed skin is even more susceptible...wear hats