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Reviews > Health & Safety > Sunscreens and Skin Protection > Dermatone Sunscreens and Skin Protection > Test Report by joe schaffer

Dermatone Sun Screens

Test Report by Joe Schaffer

INITIAL REPORT - February 7, 2022
LONG TERM REPORT - April 30, 2022

REVIEWER INFORMATION:
NAME: Joe Schaffer
EMAIL: never2muchstuff(at)yahoo(dot)com
AGE: 73
GENDER: Male
UV SENSITIVITY: High



     I enjoy California's central Sierras, camping every month with a goal to match my age in nights out each year. For comfort I lug tent, mattress, chair and such. Typical summer trips run 5-8 days; 40 lb (18 kg), about half food and water related; about 5 miles (8 km) per hiking day in the bright and sunny granite in and around Yosemite. I winter base camp most often at 6,000 to 7,000 ft (1,800 to 2,000 m); 2 to 3 nights; 50 lb (23 kg); snowshoeing a mile or so (1.6 km) towing a sled.


Product: Sunscreens, Lip Balm & Anti-chafe

Manufacturer:  Dermatone Labs, LLC.

    Website: http://www.dermatone.com
   
Features: lightly edited from website

MINERAL SUNSCREEN STICK SPF 50 0.49 oz (13.89 g)
    Great for sports where you need non-greasy hands
    Mineral Formula
    Reef Safe
    Broad Spectrum SPF50 Sun Protection
    Non-Greasy and Moisturizing
    Water Resistant (80 minutes)
    Paraben Free and Cruelty Free
    Made in the USA
US$9.99 MSRP


SPORT SUNSCREEN LOTION SPF 50 TSA-friendly 3.0 oz (85 g)
    Formulated to feel light on skin
    Smooth and Silky Sport Formula
    Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sun Protection
    Moisturizing and Non-Greasy
    Water Resistant (80 minutes) with Great Endurance Against Sweat.
    Oxybenzone and Octinoxate Free
    Paraben Free and Cruelty Free
    Made in the USA
US$18.99 MSRP

MINERAL SUNSCREEN LOTION SPF 30 TSA-friendly 2.0 oz squeeze tube.
    Mineral Formula
    Reef Safe and Natural
    Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sun Protection
    Moisturizing and Non-Greasy
    Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E) antioxidant that helps prevent signs of aging
    Oxybenzone and Octinoxate Free
    Paraben Free, Cruelty Free and Fragrance Free
    Made in the USA
US$22.99 MSRP

SPORT SUNSCREEN LOTION SPF 30 TSA-friendly 3.0 oz (85 g)
    Smooth and Silky Sport Formula
    Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sun Protection
    Moisturizing and Non-Greasy
    Water Resistant (80 minutes) with Great Endurance Against Sweat.
    Oxybenzone and Octinoxate Free
    Paraben Free and Cruelty Free
    Made in the USA
US$16.99 MSRP

ANTI-CHAFE BODY STICK,
.49 oz pkg (13.89 g)
    Anti-bacterial
    Sweat resistant

    Non-Greasy and Moisturizing
    Fragrance Free
    Paraben Free and Cruelty Free
    Natural Ingredients
    Small No-Touch twist stick fits easily anywhere
    Made in the USA
US$8.99 MSRP

MINERAL LIP BALM Natural Zinc Formula for UV protection; shea butter, vitamin E and jojoba seed oil for moisturizing; .15 oz (4.25 g) twist-up stick
    Reef Safe and Natural
    Broad Spectrum SPF 30 sunscreen protection
    Moisturizing and hydrating
    Shea Butter and Vitamin E
    Protects and heals lips
    Oxybenzone and Octinoxate Free
    Paraben free and Cruelty Free
    Made in the USA
US$4.79 MSRP for 1; also available in 2 or 3-pack

CARRY SACK 8 x 6 in (20 x 15 cm)
    All mesh back side
    1/3 mesh; 2/3 taffeta front side
    Zip top

I don't find the carry sack individually available.    


front
Warranty: 30-day refund or replacement of unopened product in condition as received.

Received: 2/3/22

My Description:
       This stash of six products and a carry bag offers a great deal of flexibility in outdoor skin care. Three are larger tubes of lotion; two are smaller dry-stick roll-ons; and one is standard lip care size. The carry bag makes a tidy way to keep all the products together and handy on the road.

 
Impressions:
   
Much as I don't care for potions to the skin, I burn easily. Sunburned nose can be especially annoying and, along with the tops of my hands, the exposed skin demands defense against the welcome though harsh high mountain sun.

    One of the things I don't particularly care for is the residue left on the hands after application of lotion. That makes my hands slip on the trekking pole, especially when working up a bit of sweat. Will be interesting to see if any of the lotions address that issue to any degree. How well the stick works to minimize 'grip
slip' deserves attention as well. Of course an always relevant matter regards the possibility of any non-solid making a mess in the pack, and that will be mitigated by using the lotion products at the car.

     Not often do I hike far enough to have friction issues. On those hot days when I have to go too far though, the 'strawberry sting' makes every step more miserable. Buttering up just doesn't suit me. Perhaps the anti-chafe stick will smooth things out.

    Lip chapping always requires attention, and avoiding the issue requires daily and frequent application of moisturizing sun screen. I really hate it when so much shredding skin hangs off my lips that it feels like the mustache needs a trim.

    I'm expecting to sample the three non-lotion products on the trail.


LONG TERM REPORT
Field Conditions:
   
1) Feb 27 - Mar 1, 2022: Pt. Reyes National Seashore. 3 days, 13 mi (21 km); 35 lb (16 kg); 0 - 1,400 ft (425 m); Clear, calm and warm days; 70-40 F (20 to 4 C); 2 camps.
   2)
Apr 4, 2022: Garin Regional Park, California, USA. 3 mi (5 km), 1 hr; 15 lb (7 kg); 345 - 920 ft (105 - 280 m); Clear, calm, 65 F (18 C); day hike.
   3) Various urban walkabouts, 2 - 6 mi (3-10k), 60-80 F (16-27 C).

Impressions:
    I sampled two products on the Pt. Reyes outing--sunscreen stick and lip balm.

    Lip balm felt gummy when first applied, but quickly absorbed into the skin. I applied it several times a day and excepting the first few moments, never noticed it. Without any lip balm I know the heat would have shredded my lips. The Dermatone worked very well to prevent that. I never had any feeling at night or before meals that the balm needed to be wiped away. I wouldn't say there is any objectionable whiff to the product and within moments I didn't notice any at all. I also didn't notice any gummy buildup. More often after slathering multiple applications I start biting at the buildup that seems to harden as the day goes on, but that didn't happen with the Dermatone. I can say I didn't like it quite as much at the start of the day, but very quickly liked it a lot more than what I'm used to.

    My intention was to use the liquids at the car. But the start of the hike was so warm the resistance to gooping up my hands could not be overcome. Evidently I prefer skin cancer over a slippery hand on the trekking pole. However, I did start each day with a stick application to the tops of hands and fingers, as well as to nose and cheeks.

    Probably because I've never used a sunscreen stick before and my only experience is with deodorant stick, I thought the sunscreen went on very heavy and gooey. I rubbed the backs of my hands together to spread the deposit around, as well as over nose and cheeks. I didn't like it at all, which is to say I found it same as all other potions I've ever applied to thwart the evils of harsh sun. Not too long afterward, though, I didn't notice it on me. There is very little odor to it and I didn't feel it. Skin treated with the Dermatone did not burn even after six hours the last day, most of that in direct sun.

    In addition to having no slimy feeling even while perspiring heavily on what is for me a hard hike, my eyes did not sting and water behind my sunglasses. This was most welcome, and became most apparent as my partner suffered the malady to the extent she kept removing her sunglasses to wipe her eyes. I don't know what her goop was, but hers was causing issues and mine didn't.

    Of course another substantial benefit to the stick is being solid enough that I don't feel I'm risking a leak in the pack.

    In various urban walkabouts I applied the anti-chafe body stick to the upper thigh region, where in higher temps when perspiration gets heavy, occasional friction burns can develop. On a warm 6 mi (10k) hike walking as fast as I can the opportunity for such inconvenience was afforded. I got plenty sweaty--pits, lower back, socks--but developed no irritation or any sign of impending irritation in the treated area. Skin was slightly damp when the potion was applied, but no mucky feeling. In fact, the area felt immediately powder-slick, meaning the lubrication felt more like talcum powder. However, I'm reminded of bar soap that is very smooth and slick when wet and almost as much when completely dry, but gets tacky at a certain point in between. I felt a slight bit of gumminess the hotter I got, but not in any of the hikes did burns occur. Of course whether any would have otherwise can only be conjecture.

     I sampled the three liquid sunscreen products over various urban outings, one per outing, applying the potion to only one (and each time the same) forearm and wearing a short sleeve tee shirt. Exposure times ranged from an hour to two hours. They felt thick and leave a whitish hue on the skin. Perspiration noticeably built up on the skin of the treated arm each time and whether actual or imagined, treated skin felt warmer and less breathable than the untreated arm. Exposure times were evidently not long enough for untreated skin to burn, so my effort to produce conclusive comparison was not fruitful. I always treated the right arm, leaving the left exposed. Thus if calamity befalls as a result of reckless UV exposure, the right arm will remain available for the trekking pole.

    Being able to read the ingredient labels but not gifted in the surmise of their chemical meaning, my impression of the UV products is that they must share a basic blocking tactic--they all smell pretty much the same and coverages seem the same. I don't like how they feel, but that's no different from any dermal application. The odor goes down substantially less of a miasma than other products I've tried; and certainly I like the idea of not smelling like a mango-coconut food tray while dozing in the domain of the porcine omnivores.

    Regrettably, seasonal conditions did not present sufficient exposure opportunity to remark on actual sunblocking effectiveness of the liquid products.

   
Sun stick did prove effective and it's in the pack. (So much better than having to put tape over a roasting proboscis.)

   
Lip balm is a winner. I've switched to it.

    Rub stick will get more of a test on longer, more difficult treks.

Total testing: 28 mi (45 k); 27 hours.


Thank you Dermatone, LLC., and BackpackGearTest.org for the opportunity to test this product. Test complete.



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Reviews > Health & Safety > Sunscreens and Skin Protection > Dermatone Sunscreens and Skin Protection > Test Report by joe schaffer



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