Is Our Sun Cream Waterproof?

Can you go swimming with the Suncover or Suncare? Or: is our sun cream waterproof? The answer is no. In fact: not one product retains its full effectiveness after a dip in the water. Why is that? 

Waterproof doesn’t exist

You shouldn’t really come across the term waterproof on sun creams anymore. The term is no longer allowed to be used on these products. The allegation waterproof suggests that the product remains fully functioning after exposure to water. That is misleading and gives a false sense of security. As it is impossible. The protection factor of a sun cream always decreases after contact with water. Therefore, after swimming you always need to re-apply your sun protection.

What does water resistant mean?

But what about when we talk about water resistant? This more understated claim has, in fact, replaced the term waterproof on sun cream products. A water resistant cream contains ingredients such as wax, oil or polymers such as dimethicone, which reduce the degradation of the product in water. If you spend a lot of time in the water or you know that you are bad at putting on the sun cream, then it is safer to choose such a cream than a product which is not water resistant. But these creams also lose their protection factor so you need to re-apply them.

Drawbacks of water resistant sun cream

One drawback of a water resistant product is that these can be less pleasant to apply. Oil based creams are more sticky and that can be annoying on the beach. Furthermore, the risk of skin problems such as spots increases with these products. In this case, you could choose to apply a normal sun cream for everyday use and just apply a product which is water resistant on occasions when you are spending a lot of time in the water.

Swimming with Suncare or Suncover

The sun cream products Suncover and the Suncare SPF15 and SPF30 are water based. The active ingredients and sun filters used to combat UVA and UVB rays provide the skin with optimal protection in the sun. However, as with all sun protection products this applies: apply them generously, every couple of hours on sunny days. And have you been for a dip in the sea or swimming pool and dried yourself off with a towel afterwards? Re-apply the sun cream and you can safely enjoy it. Also read: What to Look for in a Sun Cream