To help you choose the best waterproof sunscreen for boaters, I have personally tested an array of different sun creams to find out which comes out on top
I’ve personally selected this list of the best waterproof sunscreen, tried them all out and given each of them a rating out of five. I should note that does not reflect how effective they are – the SPF rating already does that – rather how I rated them for ease of application, look, feel, smell, waterproofing and suitability for use as a suncreen for boaters.
It’s imperative that boaters and watersports enthusiasts pick up the best waterproof sunscreen (and best sun protection generally) they can as, unfortunately, we are more susceptible to the harmful effects of sunburn for two reasons. Firstly, because boating is primarily an outdoor sport so we are more exposed to the sun’s UV rays and secondly because water reflects the sun’s rays almost as well as a mirror, effectively doubling the exposure you get on dry land.
Best waterproof sunscreen
Ultrasun Sports SPF30 + SPF50
Ultrasun Sports SPF30 + SPF50 rating: 5/5
Ultrasun was founded 30 years ago by a Swiss chemist whose brother contracted skin cancer. Determined not to let others befall the same fate, he used his personal experience and motivation to create a new sunscreen formula that everybody would be comfortable using regardless of age, gender, skin tone or lifestyle.
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Watch the videoA chemical rather than physical sun screen, its big selling point is patented lamellar technology that binds to the skin below the surface, providing long-lasting broad spectrum protection and high level water resistance. In most cases a single application of SPF50 should provide all day protection but you’re still advised to consider a second application after “extensive sweating, swimming or towel drying”.
Despite being a chemical sunscreen, Ultrasun claims all its products are hypoallergenic with no added emulsifiers or perfume, making them suitable for use on sensitive skin, including babies. They are also reef-friendly, ocean safe and cruelty free.
I’m a big fan of Ultrasun Sport and for me it is the best waterproof sunscreen out there. You do need to apply it at least 15 minutes before going out in the sun but being a light, transparent spray or gel, it spreads easily and absorbs quickly into the skin.
I tend to apply it first thing in the morning so it has time to set over breakfast while I’m still in the shade. It does leave a slightly oily film on your hands but after a while you really wouldn’t know it’s there and crucially I have never burnt while wearing it, even after repeated swims in the tropics. It’s now my go to sunscreen for all occasions.
Nivea Protect & Moisture SPF30 + SPF50
Nivea Protect & Moisture SPF30 + SPF50 rating: 4/5
Nivea is part of the German multi-national Beiersdorf, best known for its wide range of skin care products, including moisturisers, deodorants and sunscreens. Founded over 100 years ago by Dr Isaac Lifschutz, Nivea is still one of the world’s top selling skincare brands and has the advantage of being widely available in most countries at mainstream prices.
It might not be the absolute best waterproof sunscreen in our test, but you will absolutely be able to find it almost wherever you are in the world.
The latest Protect & Moisture range is available in multiple SPF ratings from 15 to 50 and is rated as Water Resistant, meaning it has been tested on a person for two 20 minute immersions in a bath of water while retaining at least 50% of its original SPF rating (rather than the 4 x 20 minute test of the Very Water Resistant).
Unlike some chemical sunscreens, it is said to offer immediate protection against UVA and UVB rays, although it does advise you give it time to absorb fully into the skin. It also claims to give up to 48 hours of skin hydration.
Marketed as having a biodegradable Ocean Respect formula, it features a long list of chemical ingredients but crucially contains no Octinoxate, Oxybenzone or Octocylene and is free of microplastics.
This is the sunscreen I tend to use if I’ve failed to apply Ultrasun or P20 earlier in the day and need immediate protection. It’s a nice light cream that’s easy to apply and absorbs quickly into the skin, although not so well that sand doesn’t stick when sunbathing on a beach.
I find the smell a bit overpowering and you need to reapply it every few hours but it’s reliable, cost effective and available in most supermarkets and high street pharmacies.
Riemann P20 SPF20 + SPF50
Riemann P20 SPF20 + SPF50 rating: 4/5
One of the first so-called ‘once a day’ formulations, P20 was invented by Claus Riemann way back in 1979 to help a friend with sensitive skin stay protected from sunburn during a trip to Africa. Named after its original SPF20 rating, it developed something of a cult following among watersports fans due to its strong water resistance and long lasting protection and remains the best waterproof sunscreen for its many devoted fans – yes sunscreens do have devoted fans!
The fact is, though SPF20 is only considered as giving medium protection from the sun these days, so despite keeping the P20 name, it is now available with both SPF50 and the original SPF20 rating. Much like Ultrasun, it’s a clear chemical sunscreen that offers up to 10 hours protection from a single application (nobody seems to claim ‘once a day’ any more) with 5-star UVA rating in addition to the usual UVB protection. Highly water and sweat resistant, it is said to carry on protecting for up to 80 minutes in the water four 20 minute swims) with the usual provisos about towel drying etc.
Perfume free and hypoallergenic, it has recently been awarded the same reef-friendly BASF EcoSunPass approval as Ultrasun now that the original formulation has been changed so that it no longer contains Octocrylene, a known risk to aquatic life.
These days there is little to choose between Ultrasun and P20. I found the old P20 formula used to leave a slightly orange hue around the neckline of white tee shirts but that hasn’t been the case for a while now and both now seem to have equally good eco-credentials and broad spectrum sun protection. It might be my imagination but I don’t think it absorbs into the skin quite as well as Ultrasun, other than I have found it to be equally effective for long days on the water.
Lifejacket SPF50 Sun Protection Spray
Lifejacket SPF50 rating: 4/5
Lifejacket sunscreen company was set up by three young men after several friends and one of the founders developed cancer in their thirties.
Realising that men were both more at risk of skin cancer (often because they leave skin abnormalities too long before getting them checked and are less inclined to wear sunscreen in the first place), they set up Lifejacket as a more male oriented alternative to the usual offerings. The packaging, marketing and even the smell is deliberately neutral in tone.
Available in both SPF30 and SPF50 and in a variety of different formats including gels, sprays and moisturisers, it is a broad spectrum sunscreen that protects against UVA and UVB rays using hybrid chemical and physical screening (but no oxybenzone or octinoxate) to prevent sun damage.
Despite the Sun Gel name (I think of gels as being clear watery substances rather than white creamy ones) and its claims of being ‘light feel, non-sticky and non-greasy’, I found it relatively greasy to apply, taking quite a while to absorb.
The SPF50 Sun Protection Spray, on the other hand, is a largely colourless oil with good water resistance that is easy to apply and after a while feels almost dry to the touch. It’s easily the best waterproof scunscreen in their range. The smell of both is unusually mild and inoffensive.
Intego Pro SPF50 Sports Sunscreen
Intego Pro SPF50 rating: 3/5
Billed as the ultimate sports sunscreen for serious athletes, Intego Pro is used by a number of professional sailors among others due to its long lasting nature and impressive water resistance. With such impressive backing I had high hopes coming into the test that this would prove the best waterproof sunscreen.
Labelled as being ‘very water resistant’, this is the only wording allowed to describe the official UK and EU procedure of testing it on a person in an agitated bath of water for 80 minutes while retaining at least 50% of its SPF rating. Intego Pro easily achieved this standard.
Like Lifejacket, it uses a hybrid blend of mineral and chemical filters to protect against both UVA and UVB rays. It’s also fragrance free, hypoallergenic and doesn’t contain any oxybenzone or octinoxate.
As with almost every other sunscreen it claims to be non-greasy, easily absorbed and sweat resistant so it won’t run into your eyes or leave you with slippery hands.
I found the product to be unusually dry, thick and chalky (the formula contains both zinc and titanium oxide), making it quite awkward to apply and taking a long time to absorb, leaving a noticeable white tint on the skin in the meantime. I was advised by the UK distributor that a little goes a long way and that the colour does eventually fade as it dries and absorbs into the skin. I’m sure he’s correct, and undoubtedly it provides excellent protection from the sun, but I have to admit to finding it a little too much like the ‘war paint’ Australian cricketers enjoy smearing on their cheeks and noses.
Saltee Sea & Sun Formula SPF30 & SPF50
Saltee Sea & Sun Formula SPF30 & SPF50 rating: 3/5
With the emphasis on luxury travel and skin care rather than an active watersports lifestyle, Saltee takes a slightly different approach to sun protection while still actively targeting the yachting market. The name is deliberately intended to evoke the holiday vibe with its website claiming, “we stand for those holiday makers who long for the crisp, cool tang of salty ocean breeze, white sands underfoot, and the radiant glow of sunkissed skin.”
Perhaps that also explains why its products are sold as hybrid skin and suncare treatments rather than mere sunscreens. That is reflected in the pricing, with even a small tube of its daily protection SPF50 formula costing £32 for a small 50ml bottle (a larger 150ml bottle of its SPF30 Sun & Sea lotion is available for £35).
All Saltee products provide broad spectrum protection against UVA and UVB rays and are suitable for sensitive skin. They are manufactured here in the UK and contain neither oxybenzone nor octinoxate but octocrylene is still listed among the ingredients.
A slightly yellow tinted cream, rather than a clear oil or gel, I did like the way it rubbed into the skin without leaving any white residue and although it is perfumed, it’s a pleasant enough fragrance that doesn’t leave you smelling like a cheap tropical cocktail.
I couldn’t see any reference to its sweat or water resistance on the packaging (just a note to re-apply every two hours) and on one particularly hot humid day I did find the sweat running into my eyes caused them to sting quite badly. The travel friendly 50ml packaging is handy but personally I’d opt for one of the more sport oriented water resistant products.
