Burt's Bees Chemical-Free Sunscreen with Hemp Seed OIl, SPF 30

I work on a boat, so sunscreen is must year-round. Lately, I've been using Burt's Bees Chemical-Free Sunscreen With Hemp Seed Oil.

I like the idea of proactively avoiding sunburns so I can hopefully avoid skin problems later in life, and I really like the idea of a chemical-free sunscreen. Burt's Bees Chemical-Free Sunscreen with Hemp Seed Oil in SPF 30 provides both UVA and UVB protection, and does not contain sulfates, parabens, phthalates or petrochemicals. I read the label and was familiar with all the ingredients. That's a good sign.

The Burt's Bees Chemical-Free Sunscreen with Hemp Seed OIl sunscreen goes on fairly thick, so a little goes a long way. The main sunscreen ingredient is titanium dioxide, which can leave a white tint on the skin. But Burt's Bees claims that this sunscreen is "non-whitening," so I was curious to see howit worked. When I first started rubbing it in, it did give my skin that white look, but as I kept rubbing it in, the whiteness eventually went away. I think the intial color is actually useful because it helps me swee where I'm applying the sunscreen so I don't miss any areas.

One thing I really appreciate about the Burt's Bees sunscreen is that it doens't feel greasy when I apply it. In fact, it felt more like thick hand lotion. The instructions on the tube say to re-apply it after swimming or sweating, but since I ignore most instructions, I often apply it once in the morning and that's it.

I can spent a day in full sun with plenty of sweating, and can still feel it on my skin. The first day I wore the sunscreen I diidn't burn at all that day and felt that it really did its job even though I stretched it to its limit by not applying more sunscreen throughout the day. One way I could tell that the sunscreen might last longer than some sunscreens is that it wasn't very easy to wash off my hands when I finished applying it. I had to use soap and warm water to really scrub it off. If you spend all day in a chlorine-filled pool, you may want to reapply the sunscreen often, but if you're in and out of fresh water or sweating for just a few hours, it seems to spread with a thick enough layer that it lasts for quite a while.

Another way I knew the Burt's Bees sunscreen was still on even after several hours is that I could still smell it. The word "fragrance" is listed in the ingredients, but I'm not sure what kind of fragrance they added. It does have a somewhat strong smell but it's not flowery. It smells like most other sunscreens. It's not necessarily a bad smell, but it definitely does have a smell to it.

Overall, I was really happy with the long-lasting Burt's Bees sunscreen. It's great for people like me who aren't that good about reapplying sunscreen every 45 minutes. Also, it's the sunscreen to bring if you're going on a short vacation and bringing only a carry-on bag as the tube is exactly three ounces, which is allowable through security.

Bottom Line: Effective and easy to apply!.--N.S. (July '11)

Buy Online: 14.95, on sale for less at Amazon.

Manufacturer's Site: www.burtsbees.com

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