On a recent trip, I bought a bottle of Coppertone Sport Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 specifically for my outdoor workouts. True to its “Sport” claim, this sunscreen offered long-lasting coverage, even when I was sweating bullets (unfortunately, I sweat profusely when I work out). Although it’s a decent sunscreen that will do in a pinch, I think there are better mineral sunscreens out there, so I will probably not repurchase this after I’ve used up the bottle.

When given the option between a physical sunscreen and a chemical one, I’ll choose the physical one every time, because many chemical sunscreens irritate my face. But given the option between no sunscreen and a chemical sunscreen, I’ll likely choose the chemical sunscreen if I have to spend some time in the sun. Lately I found myself in that situation, which is why I had the opportunity to try out a chemical sunscreen I would normally never use or buy: Coppertone Water Babies…

I’ve definitely been on a zinc oxide sunscreen kick lately. It’s the best all-in-one sunscreen filter available in the U.S., and it’s reef-safe. When I first came across Coppertone Pure & Simple Sunscreen SPF 50 For Face in CVS, the high zinc oxide percentage caught my eye: a whopping 24.08% (the FDA allows up to 25 percent in sunscreens). Plus, it was labeled specifically for facial use, and I rarely see that in a drugstore. Usually you only see general-purpose sunscreens…