Do sunscreen sticks work? The science

How much of a sunscreen stick do you need to apply? I did some experiments to find out, and I was pretty shocked at the results.

In this video:
0:00 Background
1:53 Amount applied, SPF and application time
4:31 Number of passes on the face
5:09 Number of passes on the arm
5:50 Main form of sunscreen?
6:38 Missed spots
7:58 Conclusions

🙋🏻 I'm Michelle, a chemistry PhD, cosmetic chemist and science educator, here to explain how beauty products work, debunk myths, and help you make smarter decisions about your skincare, hair and makeup!

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[LabMuffinBeautyScience]

Yes it's possible that a stick could have more concentrated ingredients that would allow it to give higher SPF with less swipes, but I don't think that's the case:
* For these sticks to give SPF 50 with the first layer (on average), they would have to achieve SPF 132 in the standard SPF test.
* These sticks are SPF 50+ so it's possible they have higher than SPF 50, but I don't think it's that much higher - if a brand spent extra time and effort and money to make an SPF 132 stick, surely they would allude to it in their marketing, to give people a reason to buy it instead of their competitor's SPF 50 stick? Like show their actual SPF results (many Korean brands do this for lotions, but I haven't come across it for sticks), or say something like "SPF 50 with 8 swipes"...

In theory it's possible to formulate an SPF 400 stick that spreads nicely enough to give SPF 50 protection with 4 swipes... but I don't think there's much incentive to do that at the moment, since so few people know how hard it is to apply sticks efficiently. Maybe this video will help? 😅


I'm sorry to anyone I recommended 4 passes to, I assumed the AAD would have a good reason for their recommendation but I should've known from their track record on sunscreens 🤦🏻‍♀ Maybe they used a super squishy old-school zinc stick that was very different from the one they showed in their video? But I suspect it might just be one of those misinterpretations that passed down over time.

[devgh]

I am not a religious viewer of your channel but every video I watch is so in depth and so informative. I really appreciate the content you create!

[Pandulse]

Honestly having to constantly use sunscreen has become such a chore which is crazy to say. Even though it seems sticks aren't the best, I'm going to stick with them. It's just so much more convenient especially with my job.

[semantick]

At this point I'm willing to take what I can get. If I have to reapply a couple teaspoons of product every few hours, I'm simply not going to do it or stay home. Sunscreen feels like such a losing battle, either I get to enjoy myself ignoring doing it properly while instead worrying about sun damage and illness, or l spend an entire day running around finding places to touch up and still knowing I look greasy and smudgey all day. I'm so over it, slather me with the sticks

[kralia]

I got tired of this spf obsession. I've been using spf for over 10 years now, and I've never felt so much anxiety and pressure about it before. I have very oily skin, and despite trying many brands, including the most popular ones, I couldn't find one that really suited my skin. So I'm fed up with being obsessed with this stuff. I'm going to use a comfortable amount and just stop stressing out about this. It's just my experience and opinion, though. Can't deny the importance of spf, maybe it works better for someone with dry skin.

[faceonnailsdonehairdid]

Thanks for this thorough explanation Michelle, most people just wouldn't know this. It's honestly eye-opening to see how much of a sunscreen stick you'd actually need to apply to get the stated SPF, it's ridiculous! Sticking to using it as a top up from now on.

[karatalksaboutstuff]

Not only are they great for putting sunscreen on kids, but also fantastic for teaching kids to put sunscreen on themselves! My 5yo puts her own sunscreen on every morning before school. Considering the UV index has been low for several months, and she's spending very little time outside, this is more about building habits than getting the "best" protection at this point.

If we're going to be out long enough to worry about burns (which is 20 minutes in the summer for us😆) we start the day with a lotion sunscreen. I definitely still take charge or at least closely monitor in that scenario, but on a normal morning I know the stick will let her get a "good enough" layer.

She uses a mineral one from Babo Botanicals because she likes the bunny on the package.😆

Edit: I should add that the reason it's been so helpful is because she makes less of a mess this way AND she doesn't complain about how much she hates the feel of lotion on her hands.

[Account-xmvj]

This is so objective, analytical, and scientific; i LOVE IT. So many other reviewers say:

"It makes me look sooo ashy!"
"The packaging is really cute"
"It fits in my pocket"

Ok, but how much should I apply? How much protection is it really giving me? Is it effective, OBJECTIVELY and SCIENTIFICALLY speaking?

Your breakdown was unparalleled and phenomenal!

[Oelmiene]

I use a stick around my eyes because every lotion stings in the eyes. However I realized now that I never applied it so rigorously to even the corners there and also only ever did a few passes without much thought how much product I was actually only using there.
Thank for this useful information I'll certainly pay more attention to my eye area from now on 🙏

[TsubataLately]

This has been my suspicion for quite a while, and the reason I haven't tried any sunscreen sticks to this point. Just like with sunscreen powders, it seems like most sticks are essentially incapable of providing the listed SPF with normal consumer use. I honestly feel like they shouldn't be allowed to claim these much higher SPF protection numbers when the average consumer is never going to use them that way. The amount of product a typical consumer is expected to use needs to be a part of how the SPF rating is measured.

[kjalight]

I can’t use them over makeup without ruining it, but these sticks are soooo easy to use on days when you are just out and about or doing activities. I like to use them then set it with translucent powder. That way I have a less shiny/greasy finish, and I can reapply on top without visibly moving any pigment around (as long as you aren’t using a heavy silicone based powder- I’m looking at you Urban Decay All Nighter pressed setting power).

[tdrmn]

I only have an SPF stick in my bag to rub on the backs of my hands during the day since I wash my hands a lot but I never realized how much you actually need for decent coverage! I'm glad I never relied on sticks for the face.

[Sarah-recg]

How rigorous your methodology is and how you lay it out in the video is so satisfying lol I have such an appreciation for this

[TsubataLately]

I only just realized rewatching this that you tested all 3 sticks on the same day! Poor thing! ❤ I hope all that didn't irritate your face too badly. We appreciate the sacrifices you make for us in the name of science. 🔬

[satutoivonen]

Wow, this was definitely surprising to me. Basically, you can't get full uv protection with sticks. I've only ever used sticks for reapplication (they're so handy, small and non-messy to carry around in a pocket or handbag) but I'm reconsidering even that now.

[sovrappensiero]

I’m speechless at the quality of your experimentation and visualizations/presentation of results. Incredible.

[gracied.]

This is such a quality video! Michelle is the real MVP of science/beauty educators online. Breath of fresh air ✨

[elizabethtangora]

Really interesting! I work outdoors a lot, and prefer a first coat of lotion before I get my hands dirty then sprays or sticks after. This *definitely* makes me more suspicious of my spray-on sunscreens though, would love to see a similar breakdown.

[JYNaRafly]

I came from insta and did not expect such a detailed and broken down video! I'm very impressed!
I had my eyes on stick sunscreens for a while because I go through a whole ritual when using lotion sunscreen to not break out and a second layer is an absolute nightmare, but after seeing this I'm not gonna risk it because I live in an area where the sun is really harsh.

[mollyapteros]

My main issue with sticks has always been that repeatedly swiping a product over your face seems unhygienic and would lead to breakouts, but this was really enlightening to some serious shortfalls I hadn't even considered. As a super pale redhead I do not take risks with my sun protection. I'm glad I didn't jump on the hype train over sunscreen sticks!