Sunblock Sunday: Neutrogena Wet Skin sunblock spray

Today's Sunblock Sunday is a review of Neutrogena Wet Skin sunblock spray, SPF 85.

It claims to provide "full strength protection even on wet skin." It also says that it "applies on wet or dry skin. waterproof/sweatproof." I think that it's no longer legal to claim that your product is waterproof, only "highly water resistant," but I bought this last year when it was ok to say that sunblock was waterproof.

This is also not even pretending to be a natural product, though the inclusion of one botanical ingredient is really mystifying to me. It's chemical soup. I think there's even a phthalate in there. The sunscreens in it are of the chemical/organic (in that the molecules contain carbon, like life forms) variety, and if there's a kind of plastic that can be put in cosmetics, this product probably has it.

I knew this all when I bought it. I wanted an affordable product for those times when large areas of my body were going to be exposed to the sunlight, and bought this specifically for things like swimming and running. And guess what? It works.

On Labor Day, I went to the beach. I wore a swimsuit, got sand all over me, and immersed myself in Lake Michigan. I had a great time! I applied all over my arms, legs, shoulders, and torso. It's a little too plasticky for me to want to put it on my face, so I used something else. I reapplied twice, after getting out of the water, as per the directions. Once, I forgot to recoat my neck and upper chest, so that burned, but none of the rest of me did, and I was in full sunlight from two to six pm.

This is not an everyday product, and you will feel greasy and look shiny with this on. I also find it odd how it sprays better if you use it upside down. I like that you can spray it right on wet skin and it will still work. But if you want to go to the beach, or sweat buckets, and not pay for it with sunburned skin, then this is not a bad deal. But again, it only works if you rub it in after you spray, just like all spray sunblocks.

SPF: 85+
Size: 5 oz.
Price: $11.49
Price per ounce: $2.30 

Active ingredients: Avobenzone (3%), Homosalate (15%), Octisalate (5%), Octocrylene (10%), Oxybenzone (6%).

Inactive ingredients: Alcohol denat, dimethyl ether, octododecyl citrate crosspolymer, butyloctyl salicylate, acrylates/octylacrylamide copolymer, ethyl methicone, cetyl dimethicone, dimethicone, acrylates/dimethicone copolymer, fragrance, tocopheryl acetate, vinyl dimethicone crosspolymer, nelumbo nucifera flower powder, diethylhexyl 2,6 naphthalate, ascorbyl palmitate, retinyl palmitate.