1. Since Hawaii made global headlines with its ban on sunscreens containing reef-harming chemicals, it was great timing that I discovered Kokua Sun Care SPF 50.
This new sunscreen, manufactured by a local company in an FDA-certified facility under strict controls, contains 25 percent zinc oxide, the most effective broad-spectrum protection available at the highest concentration allowed. Other skin-loving ingredients include Hawaii-grown antioxidant botanicals such as KonaRed coffee cherry extract, noni juice, honey, spirulina, plumeria extract and macadamia and kukui nut oils.
While the rich lotion goes on white, it takes only a few minutes for it to disappear on your skin. Other benefits: It’s kid-safe and water-resistant for 80 minutes; lacks those bad chemicals and phthalates and parabens; comes in a recyclable, TSA-friendly 3-ounce tube; and has a light, natural coconut-vanilla scent.
Buy Kokua Sun Care (suggested retail price $24.95) at Down to Earth stores, Banana Bay in Waikiki and other shops. (Find a list of retailers at kokuasuncare.com.)
— Christie Wilson, Star-Advertiser
2. Not all sunscreens are created equal. What you want is one that has full-spectrum protection, my dermatologist says, meaning it guards against long-wave (UVA) and short-wave (UVB) ultraviolet rays.
The two do different kinds of damage to different skin layers. UVB is responsible for those brown spots that are the bane of those of us of a certain age.
(Random fact: If you’ve noticed brown spots congregating on the side of your face, the culprit could be sun coming in the side window of your car. My doctor told me this, too. Which is one reason you’re supposed to wear sunscreen all the time.)
My doctor advised UVB protection through the active ingredient of zinc oxide. Through obsessive reading of labels at Longs Drugs, I found a combo sunscreen-facial moisturizer with 7.8 percent zinc oxide, Cetaphil Daily Facial Moisturizer with SPF 20 — 1.7 ounces for $22.99 at Longs on North Nimitz Highway. It’s also available through cetaphil.com and other websites.
This product is tinted for reducing redness, which is a bonus, but really I’m more concerned about the brown.
— Betty Shimabukuro, Star-Advertiser
3. Mineral-based sunscreens of old coated the face like a sticky white mask, but I never minded, even if my husband called me Kabuki ghost — hey, if I look scary, people might give me waves. Others prefer a more natural look, which is easy to get with the new sunscreen crop.
To protect my face every day, I love sheer, lightly tinted Badger Damascus Rose SPF 25 Mineral Sunscreen ($19.99) with a hint of rose, lavender and chamomile fragrance. For water wear, Badger Sport SPF 35 Natural Mineral Sunscreen Cream ($16.79) goes on smoothly, thanks to organic botanical oils. The zinc-oxide based lotion is white at first, but turns clear as you rub it in.
Labeled water-resistant for 80 minutes, on me, it prevents burning for at least an hour’s surfing. At Down to Earth stores; downtoearth.org.
— Mindy Pennybacker, Star-Advertiser
4. If I’m likely to surf for more than an hour, I take along a sunscreen stick in my board shorts pocket for frequent refreshers. MyChelle Dermaceuticals’ Sun Shield Clear Stick SPF 50 ($13.19), water-resistant for 80 minutes, glides on and blends in quickly.
The sunscreen is zinc-oxide based, broad-spectrum (screens both UVB and UVA rays) and top-rated by Environmental Working Group.
At Down to Earth stores; downtoearth.org.
— Mindy Pennybacker, Star-Advertiser
5. I tend to shy away from sunscreen. My version of getting ready for a day in the sun generally consists of bundling up like a mummy in sun-protective clothing.
However, I’ve come across a product that might allow me to shed a layer or two.
On a recent staycation at the Halekulani hotel in Waikiki, I scored an upgrade to a suite. Among the room’s luxurious amenities was a complimentary tube of Coola’s Mineral Sport SPF 30 Citrus Mimosa Moisturizer. Organic kukui nut, coconut and avocado oils help moisturize the skin, while titanium dioxide and zinc oxide provide broad-spectrum sun protection.
It’s got a lovely scent, isn’t at all greasy and absorbs completely transparent.
This is a sunscreen I can get behind. The 3-ounce tube has a suggested retail price of $36. A full range of Coola products, including this one, are available at the hotel’s SpaHalekulani; prices range from $19 to $50. Also available at coolasuncare.com.
— E. Clarke Reilly, Star-Advertiser
“5 Things We Love” is a shortlist of newly discovered stuff you have got to see, hear, wear, use or eat. Please keep in mind that featured products may be in short supply and may not be available at all store locations; prices may vary. Tell us what you are loving by emailing features@staradvertiser.com.
