Sponsored by Hamilton
You know my views on sunscreen, don’t you?
In my style and beauty book, it’s an essential. My everyday style starts with sunscreen.
It’s the base layer to any makeup I might be applying. It’s the protection for any skin that might be exposed in my outfits.
And it’s part of my future style insurance policy, helping prevent the ageing that can come through long-term sun exposure … and much worse, skin cancer.
So when trusted, award-winning Australian brand Hamilton approached me about working with them to road test and showcase its range of sunscreen (and skincare) products, I didn’t hesitate.
The big thing that you might not know about Hamilton is that it’s an Australian made and owned brand. It’s been around since 1932.
Hamilton sunscreen was awarded a winner of Canstar Blue’s Most Satisfied Sunscreen Customers award 2016, including a 5-star rating for overall satisfaction, efficacy, texture, consistency and ease of absorption.
Hamilton understands that everyone in your family may have different sunscreen needs. There is a sunscreen to suit everyone’s outdoor needs.
And Hamilton also caring for dry and sensitive skin needs covered with a range of skincare products (all soap, sulphate, fragrance, colour and propylene glycol free) designed to protect, soothe, calm and nourish skin.
Check out the video for a look at how I incorporate Hamilton sunscreens into our day. {There’s even a little cameo from Clementine the Schoodle!}
How I incorporate Hamilton products into my every day
I’ve longed talked about having a sunscreen wardrobe. I need a sunscreen I can wear under makeup; one that I can wear every day; and one that can be called upon for pool, beach or sport action.
I’m all about the SPF 50+ very high protection sunscreen and UVA/UVB broad spectrum protection. Hamilton ticks those boxes as well as keeping the comfort factor high thanks to its dry-touch technology.
Hamilton Sensitive Sunscreen SPF 50+ (265ml $17.95): I’ve long tended to gravitate to sensitive formulas in sunscreen because my skin is prone to redness and irritation. This one passes my sensitivity test. I also love that it feels incredibly light, absorbs beautifully and feels comfortable on your skin. This is great for young kids – body and face – as well as others like me with delicate skin. It’s also four hours’ water-resistant.
Hamilton Everyday Face Sunscreen SPF 50+ (75g $12.95): It’s great that many makeup products now include sun protection but I don’t just rely on that. I put on a sunscreen after moisturising and before starting the makeup application. This product is just all kinds of awesome for under makeup. The sheer tint has an invisible matt finish, which provides a great base for makeup.
Hamilton Active Family Lotion Sunscreen (110g $10.95; 250ml $16.95; 500ml $21.95): This is our family go-to. Having a pump pack of this sunscreen on hand near the pool or the back door means that you have everyone covered for any outdoor activity. It’s still lovely and light, easily absorbs and packs a protection punch with four hours’ water resistance.
Hamilton Active Family Spray Sunscreen SPF 50+ (200ml $15.95): This is a beach bag essential. The spray is non-greasy so sand won’t stick to it. We used this as our “re-application” sunscreen when at the beach earlier this month. It sprays on easily and dries quickly. I don’t spray direct to the face, instead spraying on to my hands and then applying to my son’s face.
When it comes to looking after my skin indoors, I’ve long ditched the soap in favour of body cleansers that are gentler, less likely to irritate sensitive skin and are full of things that can hydrate and keep your skin feeling fabulous.
These are my faves from the Hamilton range.
Hamilton Skin Therapy Gentle Wash (500ml $13.95; 1L $18.95): This is a perfect body cleanser for using in the shower – especially if you have dry or sensitive skin. It’s free from those common nasties that can irritate your skin so is suitable for everyone – including babies.
Hamilton Skin Therapy Bath & Shower Oil (500ml $13.95): I love how applying this after the gentle wash just locks in the moisture. You’ll find your skin feels hydrated – not greasy – all day.
Hamilton Skin Therapy Nourishing Lotion (500ml $14.95): I use this throughout the day if I feel that my legs or arms need a little more hydration. It’s non-greasy and also contains vitamin E.
Hamilton Skin Therapy Nourishing Cream (225g $13.95): This is a more intense moisturiser for very dry skin – really fabulous after a beach morning of salt water therapy.
Summer is far from over. Tomorrow many of us will be spending the day outdoors for Australia Day.
Please protect your skin tomorrow – and EVERY day.
Hamilton is available from leading pharmacies Australia wide.
Win
Hamilton has one $250 Hamilton sunscreen and skincare pack to give away to one Styling You reader. To enter, leave a comment below answering this question:
Hamilton has been protecting Australian skin since 1932 … what is your earliest sunscreen memory?
Entries open Wednesday, January 25 at 4.30am (AEST) and close Wednesday, February 1 at 5pm (AEST). Australian entries only, sorry. The winner will be judged on originality and creativity (photos can be included and uploaded with the comment). The winner will be emailed and their name will be published here. Entrants must include an email address when filling in the commenting system below to be eligible to enter. Full terms and conditions here.
Always red the label. Use only as directed.
Comments 112
My parents use to swear by ParkDavidson sunscreen when we where kids camping at Nelson’s Bay during the Christmas School Holidays. I don’t think you can buy this product anymore.
Slip, Slop, Slap came about the same time as my first bub and as a little red head with fair skin it was very important to me to protect my precious little boy with sunscreen and hats, keeping him in the shade of an umbrella as much as possible.
Quite the opposite to my previous years, we were bought up at the beach or pool even spent 5 years in Malaysia. I have photos showing me at aged 7 with zinc on my nose but no real memory of it. Never did get sun burnt though so mum and dad must have had some awareness.
My earliest memory was when I was 17 and my girlfriend and I decided to take a sickie, we planned to go to Cronulla beach, it what a beautiful day lying back in our string bikini’s eating hot chips & washing them down with our milkshake’s and taking long dips in the ocean, what a fantastic day it was UNTIL that night I was soooooooo sunburnt (beetroot red), mum was horrified, I couldn’t walk let alone put a bra on not that back in those days I had much to put in one LOL. I did have to have another sickie and so did my girlfriend, somehow I don’t think our Boss believed us when we eventually went back to work still looking slightly burnt. Never did that again!
Being told as a kid to put on sunscreen and stupidly pretending to, which took just as long as the actual act would have. I then got so burnt I could barely move. I’ve worn sunscreen religiously ever since.
We grew up in the northwest of WA and never wore sunscreen. We were little brown berries. Then along came the slip, slop, slap message and a new mentality towards sun safety began.
Slip, Slop, Slap as a child looking totally like Caspar the ghost – but appreciated and learned to follow this safe procedure ever since!
My mum covering me all over in sunscreen then a rashie, hat, sunglasses and sitting me under an umbrella! I burn very easily so she was taking no chances!
My little brother helping to apply sunblock to my Dad’s back at the beach (Dad is a farmer and his back only comes out from under his shirt once or twice a year, so he’s very pale) and the next day seeing little white handprints among the horrible red burnt bits across his back!
I remember seeing kids at the pool putting sunscreen on and wondering what it was UNTIL the end of the day and I was red and they weren’t! Begged my Mum for some after that.
Getting severely sunburnt as an 8 year old because the strongest sunscreen just didn’t cut it. I was at a end of school party, I slipped, slopped, slapped and ended up in hospital regardless. So glad we now can offer SPF50 to our kids
I always used to slip, slop, slap
but my fondest memory
was watching the cricket
and seeing the boys zinced up
with those brightly coloured noses.
I can’t remember a time that Mum would let us off wearing it,
So my skin now is a hit.
Less damage than other people around,
But no memories I have found.
Sunscreen ad’s really brought attention
Protecting skin is the best prevention
Mum took notice and covered my face
I distinctly remember that sunscreen taste!
Smeared on ears and even lips
Meant no more burning off skin in nasty strips!
About 24 years ago when I first took my daughter to beach and covered her in sun screen. She is now grown up and has lovely skin.
My besty was 5 and his mum had bought him a hat with a flap- he was very pale. Turned out his dad died of skin cancer ): I remember always being aware of the sun after that!
Being in primary school and going to my first swimming carnival and my mother covering me in zinc, sunscreen and a big hat. It was so embarrassing.
Sadly I have more memories of being sunburnt when I was a child. I was born n-e-a-r-l-y 60 years ago and sunscreen was not even a word then, I’m sure. These days however I religiously smother my face with tinted sunscreen every morning. Spray tans are my best friend these days as I love the look of a gorgeous tan but no longer want to expose my fair skin to the sun.
Suzyq
growing up in the 70’s it was all bikinis and zinc cream
Mum applying sunscreen so thick I was shiny!
Dad taking us to the beach as kids and making us come out of the water every few hours to re-apply our sunscreen. As fair, redheaded children, my dad really drilled the slip, slop, slap method into our minds. Now as a mum I protect my baby with Hamilton sunscreen as it sensitive to her delicate little skin.
Mum sending me (fair-skinned redhead) to school in the 70’s with white zinc cream across my nose and a hat. I was the only one in my class with either and I hated it! I know now that she was ahead of the times with this and owe her a lot for it. My 15 yo daughter and I both use the Hamilton Everyday Face 50+ Sunscreen every single day, even in winter.
getting it rubbed all over my face by my mum, as my sisters and I were always eager to get outside and start swimming. I’m sure it was a battle for her every time.
I dont have clear memories of sunscreen when I was a kid in the 80’s, we used to get sunburned trying to get a tan. Fast forward to the early 90’s, I was 17 and that all changed when my Dad had a serious melanoma and has many more cut out since then. Thats when my awareness began to how important sunscreen is. Hamilton toddler is the only sunscreen that doesnt give my daughter a rash it’s the only brand I buy.
When I was about 7 I went out on a boat with my dad and his mate. I have brown skin and tan nicely of of course forgot the sunscreen. I sat on the front of the boat for about 6hrs. When we got home my legs were pretty darn burnt!! So burnt I couldn’t walk! I remember mum loaded me up with aloe vera gel and cool packs.
From that day on suncreen every day! I may have missed a few but i endeavour to wear it everyday!
Getting very burnt as a teenager and feeling very sore
and using sunscreen after that
I remember my Dad being so focused on us that he forgot himself resulting in so badly sunburnt feet he had to wear slippers to a wedding the next day!
My mother’s idea of summer skin care in the early 70s was olive oil and vinegar – olive oil to brown our skin, vinegar to take the sting of the sun out. Basically she was coating us with salad dressing.
Under the sublime sunshine down at the beach. Family and friends enjoying snags on the barbie bursting their skins , zinc on our noses wearing thin. Reapplying our sunscreen to keep us from burning.
I remember getting an itchy nose from zinc cream so you’d scratch it then have it everywhere.
Every year my mum used to take us three kids and my three cousins to be beach for two weeks. I distinctly remember the sunscreen production line, all standing in a circle applying to the back of the person in front!
As impatient children it always felt like it took forever!
The unforgettable Sunsmart campaign, ‘Slip, Slop, Slap! It sounds like a breeze when you say it like that Slip, Slop, Slap! In the sun we always say ‘Slip, Slop, Slap!’
Slip, Slop, Slap! Slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen and slap on a hat Slip, Slop, Slap! You can stop skin cancer – say: ‘Slip, Slop, Slap!’
This has stuck with me pretty much all my life and now I always remind my children with this cheerful song.
As a kid in the 70’s, we only knew about zinc cream, and slathered in on our noses during beach holidays, the rest of our bodies got burnt!!
When the first amazingly successful Slip, Slop Slap campaign started. I remember seeing it on black and white TV = and everyone took notice.
I remember going to the beach when we were little…it was the 70’s and my mother always had us in t-shirts over our bathers and we were slathered in thick sunscreen. Of course, we hated it! Nowadays, the sunscreens have come a long way. We love Hamiltons too, it’s our go to brand for skin care.
As a Asian woman, I didn’t have much memories about sunscreen products. I always wearing thin sleeves shirts or a summer jacket to protect my skin . It is a cultural thing for avoiding dark skin because fair skin is symbolic of wealth and beauty. Australia has top quality of sunscreen products and Australia’s sun is very harsh . I love to use sunscreen products, a umbrella and wearing wide broad hat to avoid sun rays in Australia . Hamilton sunscreen products are one of my favourite brands , I encourage my family to use Hamilton skincare to protect harsh sun rays. It is truly wonderful prize for everyone.
I remember seeing my first sunscreen as a child in a pharmacy that was SPF 4 and thinking, wow, I can stay out in the sun four times longer. Seems so crazy now, no wonder there are so many melanoma’s around today.
I remember plenty of times not wearing it and the sunburn as a consequence.
Matching my fluoro pink zinc to my bike pants!
When I was about 4 or 5 my parents bought a pool, I remember being completely slathered in sunscreen and swimming in just my undies
From playing under the sprinkler to admiring night-time twinklers
‘Hamilton’ was by our mum’s side as she beamed with pride
We were in the best hands; able to experience all Aussie sunshine, outdoor fun and a great land.
Using a less than 30+ sunscreen and realizing it doesn’t cut it when I was a youngster, nothing worse than that feeling of burning skin that Hamilton sunscreen could of protected better!
The classic neon zinc stripes on the nose and face……thankfully a trend unique to the eighties……although it made us all too happy to wear sun protection!
My most memorable sunscreen failure was when I was 13 years old in Melbourne for Christmas with my family. I got so sunburned that I had blisters all over my back and couldn’t sleep on my back for over a week.
Spending 6 hours in an outdoor swimming pool when I was 8, and having to go to the doctors to get the blisters on my shoulders burst. Sure learnt that lesson. I still remember my poor Mums face when she picked my sister and I up, and discovered we’d turned into lobsters!
Getting horribly sunburnt at about age 12 at Amazons waterpark (remember that, Brissie People?) I’d put on SPF 8, which wasn’t waterproof, and I got so sunburnt my eyes nearly swelled shut. I remember having to sleep starfished on my back on top of the sheets with cold cream all over me.
Being sunburnt for the first and last time on my 21st Birthday on my honeymoon on the Gold Coast. Obviously I didn’t use enough (Hamilton) Sunscreen! [email protected]
always on our holidays in primary school getting covered in sunscreen
I can remember the smell of sunscreen vividly as a child. We grew up on flinders island so basically lived at the beach, wearing sunscreen has been second nature from before i can even remember.
my earliest memory is mum slathering sunscreen on us kids at day at the beach .
My first sunscreen memory is of the Slip. slop, Slap song that used to played during every recess and lunch at primary school. Not only is the song iconic but I now sing it to my family when w are applying sunscreen and getting read for a big day of fun in the sun!
My Mum lathering it over my face like icing on a cake, and this was back in the early 80’s when sunscreen wasn’t fashionable yet!
Swimming Lessons with Vacation swimming. Every holidays we were sent to our Nannas house in the Country and we did swimming lessons at the local pools. Nanna smothered us in sunscreen, I can still smell it now 🙂
My earliest sunscreen memory is my mum forgetting to sunscreen my back… so my memories are of my brothers peeling layers of skin off me as a consequence. Shudder.
Being coated in pink calamine lotion! It was supposed to treat sunburn and mosquito bites but my mother put it on beforehand as I was the kid that always got sunburned and bitten. When dry bits would flake off and any exposed skin would burn. I remember crying as a kid at school said I looked like a ‘rasher of bacon’. Thankfully parents are more aware now!!
As teens with non beach going parents, we (my friends and I ) thought that coconut suntan oil was sunscreen and would somehow give us a nice golden tan without sunburn, how painfully wrong we were! The chemist put us on the right track and sold us proper sunscreen and we thought it was the best thing since Wham neon t-shirts! 🙂
My earliest memory was eating sunscreen when I was 3 and a half I thought I was helping mum by doing it myself haha
As a young child I had brown skin. Once I hit puberty, I started to get moles. More and more of them. I was diagnosed with dysplastic nevus (uneven moles that look like melanoma). I have had to be super careful in the sun. My friends have gotten sunburnt many times, I have always slathered myself in sunscreen, worn longsleeve rash vests and wide brimmed hats. My earliest sunscreen memory is always being sunsmart.
Wearing sunscreen at the beach and getting sand stuck on it.
In the 1980s when Dad had something cut out of his skin and I remember there were skin pamphlets on the kitchen table with horrible pictures.
Dad was ok, but the big scar and the pictures scared the daylights out of me.
I took sunscreen and suncare more seriously after that (I was in high school).
([email protected])
When I was four years old, my tears due to my sunburn convinced mum to apply sunscreen on me afterwards.
When I was a kid there wasnt much in the way of sunscreen products. As my skin just tanned the small amount of sunscreen our family could afford was used on siblings with fairer skin. In my teens oil was used and we slathered it on and sunbaked on the beach. Oh if only we had realised then the damage we were doing to our skin!
(Can you tell me how to access the area to leave my email address – Thanks)
Excitement as we all piled into the car
Carsick kids after three hours heading to Rosebud
Green and orange beach umbrella with lethal metal point
Beach bags, beach balls, bathers, plastic sandals, floppy hats, beach towels, cricket bat and tennis ball
Hamilton’s sunburn cream (that’s what we called it) in a red and white metal tube
Ritual lining up for sunburn cream before we were allowed to leave the beach umbrella’s shelter
Sandy bathers, sandy sandwiches, sandy lemonade glasses, sandy everything really
Just one more swim
Sleeping in the car on the way home
Grumpy parents hurrying to feed the mob at home
Red, sore skin where we’d missed with the sunburn cream
Blisters in those spots days later
Threatening to make chop suey from the little kids’ blisters where the sunburn cream has been missed.
Trouble from mum for scaring the little kids
We didn’t worry much about sunscreen as kids, I have red hair and fair skin so I’m paying for that now! We didn’t have the “no hat, no play” rule back then either, so I don’t recall worrying about hats at school! I do remember the slip slop slap song from tv though and thinking how cool my cousins were for having tshirts from the ad!
As there were no sunscreen education (im 50plus!) it was when I saw the dermatologist at age 24 as I was worried about a large melasma on my forehead as I was a bunny in my youth and she told me if I did’t start to use sunscreen daily not only could I get skin cancer my I would age and get spots . I have never missed a day since than I do have a mass of spots but no skin cancers & very little sun ageing thank god. I am lucky as I used to roast with oil !
I was about 23 when I first realized that we needed to wear that new invention of “Sunscreen” my children were the first in the family to have it put on them from little toddlers playing in the sunshine. When I was young and I am just about 83 sunscreen was not around we used to put coconut oil on to attract the sun to brown. How stupid was that. Thank goodness times have changed.
The zinc trends of the 80s. Up until then we wore our sunburn like a badge of honour.. wincing whenever someone slapped us on the back.. I remember requesting hot pink zinc from Santa one year… and we still got burnt but we could get burnt and write words on ourselves! I promise no more sunburn in this house.
I thought my Mum was just being annoying when she insisted on applying my sunscreen again after several hours of play in the sea. I was six years old. I have very fair skin and dark hair, a recipe for impending disaster should skin protection not be applied! Now I realise, as an adult, that Mum was showing how much she loved me by protecting my vulnerable skin. I show this same care toward myself now, and insist on all young ones in my charge have sunscreen on.
As a young girl, with a red head
As soon as I would get out of bed,
I would put on some zinc,
– usually pink!
Although the clash
Would make all the boys dash!
In summers spent by the pool,
I wasn’t very cool;
With my big hats
Sitting on a covered mat.
Back then I was worried about freckles and peeling,
Now I’m worried about wrinkles and keeping that young feeling!
I’ve been searching for a sunscreen for my face,
That doesn’t leave oil all over the place!
I think Hamilton will be the one,
So I can have my day in the sun!!!!
([email protected])
My first ‘sunscreen’ memory didn’t end well! We were in mid New South Wales in the heat of summer in the late 70’s. It was Sunday and the only shop open was a convenience store. Mum asked for sunscreen but was sold coconut oil! Needless to say my poor fair skin suffered third degree burns. Today I never leave home without sunscreen after several close calls with skin cancer. Great article Nikki, I will try Hamilton products now that I know they’re Australian.
My first strong memory about wearing sunscreen was for a school swimming carnival. My mother bought sunscreen in sticks (think lipstick style here) of different colours. My sister and I ‘painted’ our faces in our school house colours.
This stuff was so water proof, we did lay it on very thick, I was still trying to remove traces of it the next day.
We certainly didn’t get sun-burnt.
Sadly, it is as a high school student and slathering baby oil on my legs so that they would go brown. Needless to say, they went red and sore! A terrible lesson to learn! I love that my kids now know that sunscreen is essential. BTW, my 3 year old daughter is a Clementine!
I remember the early years as my 3 siblings and I Where picking tomatoes for pocket money over the school holidays , such hot and hard work , mum was reminding us that we had to put on hats sunscreen Before she would drop us at the farm ! And instructions in the car that will read to reply at lunchtime … l was the oldest at 15 and youngest 12 …. we so loved making money!
I remember the smell of sunscreen when I done swimmming lessons as a child I love the smell, the smell of protection! People are not realising that the sun has a lot more bite to it now that our ozone layer is depleting just being out there for 30 seconds you can feel your skin sizzling, sunscreen is more important now than it was in earlier days everyone going outdoors should have it on.
My earliest memory of the importance of wearing sunscreen is in yr6 (1989) our teacher (he was about 60) made everyone with fair skin stand up ( which was nearly the whole class) and firmly reminded us that wearing sunscreen is not an option or wearing a hat. He told us that he had melonomas cut out because he didn’t wear sunscreen or a hat. I have never forgot his stern talk to the class. My family never leave the house without sunscreen on and a hat!
Like others my memory was more about the lack of and learning the importance of. Laying poolside in my early teens and being burnt to a crisp, later not being able to sleep and having Mum put cold tea on my back for relief. A harsh lesson but a valuable one. I havent seen this brand in WA, can you advise where I might purchase it ?
My earliest sunscreen memory is being at the beach and having mum lather ‘Bullfrog?’ cream on – i can still recall the scent and the feel (like vaseline). Was the most horrible stuff as a kid and just ensured you looked like a sandman after playing on the beach as you had an absolute coating of sand stuck to where even that stuff was applied. Thank goodness suncream has changed since then.
Sadly, my earliest sunscreen memory is actually memorable for its lack of sunscreen. I was eleven. Mum and dad were sun worshippers and I wanted a brown tummy, so I sun baked one day at the beach, sans sunscreen, and boy did I pay the price. My tummy was scorched and peeled in big chunks of skin. I’ve always regretted that day. At 28 I had a melanoma removed and my tummy is still dotted with moles and feckless. Now, I never leave home without applying sunscreen. I love it and I’m teaching my girls to love it too.
With my father dying when my brother and I were only 6 years old, my earliest memories and most treasured are those of my mum taking us to the pool as it was something we loved and it was a cheap activity. (Mum was working hard to pay a mortgage on her own. We didn’t know this at the time of course as money didn’t really have any value to us as kids). We always ‘sunscreened up’ before me left the house and zinc cream would then be applied to our noses when we got there. We had these HUGE inflatable balls that always made us new friends for the day. 🙂
Growing up at Coogee Beach was both wonderful and agonising. My mother had very fair skin and never liked to go in the sun. I however, loved the water, still do! My earliest sunscreen story is of my mum supplying zinc and other ‘makeup’ protection and threatening’ no sunscreen, no beach!’ So whilst my friends were lathering on the coconut oil I was under a hat with sunscreen. Still had fun and still have good skin with nothing being cut out! Fast forward to my own children. Same thing only this time we created the sunscreen train. Everyone lined up and slathered cream on their cousins backs, turned and covered the arms and face. Fun in the sun with sunscreen. And a hat!
My parents didn’t use sunscreen on us so I was unfortunately burnt every summer but I soon bought the beautifully fragranced and poorly named Reef Tan in the 80’s with my meagre pocket money which saved my skin. I then quickly graduated to a string Coppertone ( again, a bad name!) which protected me much more. Now I am religious about putting a 50+ sunscreen on my 4 children.
My earliest “sunscreen” memory was slapping on loads of Reef coconut oil to try and get a tan on a family holiday to the Gold Coast. It was the very early 80’s and sunburn was a yearly menace as we tried everything to get a tan – including olive oil and baby oil. Fortunately by the mid 80’s people were more sun aware and the slip slop slap campaign was a well known slogan – fortunately it sank in for my mum and it became a conscious part of our summer routine. It’s only since having a fa if skinned, ginger haired child that I have become a year round sunscreen advocate.
My earliest sunscreen memory is my aunt chasing me, my brother and my two cousins around on the beach trying to put zinc on our faces. We’d never let her. “You’ll be sorry when you’re older”. You are right, auntie. I wish you were here so I could tell you how I think of you when I look at the sun spots on my face. She was ahead of her time, this was the 1970s when most people would bake themselves to a crisp. Even my mother thought it was better to let us get burnt once at the beginning of summer so we wouldn’t get burnt again!
Earliest sunscreen memory is zinc on the nose and sunscreen smell on our shoulders swimming at Red Cliffs pool VIC. Fun times!
Earliest sunscreen memory is of us five kids on holiday in basic beach house at Mermaid Beach, Gold Coast (now Millionaires Row of mansions) and lining up in front of Dad to wait our turn to be plastered in zinc cream before traipsing to the beach with our massively heavy striped canvass mat and umbrella. In later years as we entered our teens and thought we were too cool for sunscreen – Reef Oil anyone? – we would inevitably find ourselves once again lined up in front of each other but this time peeling skin off each other’s backs after burns and blisters. Thank goodness we know better now.
Earliest sunscreen memories are covered in white zinc, it was definitely the first sunscreen that I used! Definitely all over the beaches of my childhood. I grew up on the beaches of Sydney – swimming at the beach was, and still is, an every weekend thing, driving just down the road for a quick dip!
My earliest sunscreen memory truly is about Hamilton sunscreen and would have been from about 1970. I was a teenager staying with my grandmother. I remember her telling me her doctor had recommended Hamilton as a brand that you could trust and which had all the right ingredients in it to protect you. Of course, all I cared about back then was getting a tan so I completely ignored this for myself! I paid for this in the end and was diagnosed with melanoma 2 and a half years ago. I am OK but still have to have more minor sin cancers cut off regularly.
Fast forward to the 80’s when I started my own family and was more responsible and I remembered that brand for some reason. I started using it for our family and stuck with it literally until now. There is some in my cupboard right now in 2017.
The main reason for this, apart from the efficacy, is the scent! I absolutely love it! I don’t know if all products are the same scent but the big bottle of lotion I have been using for years has never changed.
Thanks to Hamilton and rashies, I hope my children will never have to worry about skin cancer and I imagine that they will associate this scent with their own childhood happy memories and beach holidays forever.
Wearing t-shirts under our bathers (as no rashies back then!) and mum slopping on the sunscreen so thick we were all painted white!
Early 1970’s sunscreen memories: Pile the cousins into the backseat of the station wagon, turn the corner and all the kids concertina onto each other up against the door – seatbelts? what were they?, drive to the beach, line up, be slathered in thick, gluey sunscreen and hit the sand. Alas by the time we reached the water we had fallen over in the sand several times and look like crumbed sausages as the sand stuck to the sunscreen. Today, after a lotof trial and error Hamilton Everyday Face Sunscreen is my go to first product each day when preparing for the day 🙂
I will never forget wearing ‘pink’ zinc as a kid. It seemed to stay on for days!
Growing up in the 80’s on the Murray river in country Victoria we spent every holiday on the river or by the sea. The only parent inflicted rule we had was to return to base camp every few hours to reapply sunscreen. Thanks Mum for instilling the importance of sunscreen!!! In the 90’s I began to have skin reactions and sensitivities – a dermatologist recommended Hamilton products. I never looked back! Now, I don’t leave the house without applying Hamilton active family sunscreen 50+ and having some packed in my bag. Good on you Nikki for helping get the word out and Thanks Hamilton for providing such reliable sunscreen!!! ❤️
Oh that’s wonderful to hear that you have the habit and that Hamilton products have helped with your sensitivities!
Today’s bag & contents
(excluding the cat….lol)
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/6ec84cef4ae1d7893600a221682687a427dff985101651296823631baf685e0c.jpg
Got to love the fluoro war paint!
My earliest memory of sunscreen is the smell…it was smelly, thick and greasy. We would get covered in it to go swimming while camping at Wilson’s Prom in the early 80s, the sand would get stuck to it. It also wasn’t as effective as it is now, I would get a sunburnt nose then get called Rudolph by the kids at school after the holidays.
Those early formulas were not nice on the skin!
When I first went to school camp in the 60s sunscreen was on the list of things to take. My mother had no idea what it was, so she went and asked the chemist. It was so much better than accepting that sunburn was a fact of Summer and I’ve been using it ever since!
WOW! what a story!
My earliest memory is being lathered in factor 6 sunscreen in the early 80s – better than nothing I guess!! Having spent a lot of my childhood at the beach in Queensland, I have a ton of spots that need watching.
It was crazy how low the SPF was on some products!
I too really like Hamilton products, quality at a great price. I have one question – I
like to wear a primer, either alone with a mattifying product on top, or under BB cream or foundation. Does it go on after the sunscreen?
Glad you like! Wear the sunscreen product first.
My earliest memory about sunscreen is probably the day we all applied sunscreen before snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef with my parents, but dad and I got so distracted by the fun & beauty that we forgot to reapply it and we both ended up with very very badly burnt backs of our legs. The pain & discomfort has never left me, I rarely forget to wear sunscreen now but I’m still trying to find a great everyday face sunscreen that doesn’t make my skin oily and prone to breakouts. Keen to try Hamilton.
Oh dear! That would do it. And yes do give the Everyday Face sunscreen a go!
My earliest sunscreen memory is going to my great grandparents house and being lectured about sunscreen (pop has serve sin Cancer). I remember being 4 and going to the pools everyday with Pop and him lather me in it. I hated it, oily, smelly and oh so white. But now being 23 I don’t leave the house without. How times change. I guess Nan and Pop drumming it in early has worked.
Yay for Pop!
My earliest sunscreen memory would have to be when there was only factor 4! Yep I’m old but very wise now I just had two moles removed luckily they were nothing nasty. I walk in the pool everyday so must wear sunscreen to protect my skin,I have also tried to install wearing sunscreen to my own children.Great message Nikki Xx
I’m getting a non-nasty one removed next week too. x
Painful too Nikki x
Great video Nikki, congratulations. My Dad was a surf life saver and when I was a young child I just remember our white zinc noses and knowing I didn’t like the pink brownish zinc as much.
Thanks Jeni! Such a quintessential Australian image that one of zinc on noses.
I was thinking about sunscreen just before I read this. I wear a LOT, I’m outside for a big part of the day at work. And make sure the children in my group and protected too. There’s been a lot in the media about not using enough of the products. My earliest memory of sunscreen – would have been when I was a young Mum worrying about my own kids getting burnt. So that would be the early 80’s ahem showing my age just a bit! x
I’m glad you were a young mum worrying about the kids getting burnt and that you still pass that on to a new generation of children through your work! x