I have mostly Eastern European with some Mediterranean ancestry. I'm pale without sun exposure but tan very well (skin type 4, maybe 3.5). I moved to California a year ago for the sunshine because I'm usually vitamin D deficient and got depressed in New York winters. Now I drive a convertible and have a patio that gets direct sunlight most of the year, so I need sunscreen. I generally use SPF 4 or 6, but I use this sunscreen on very sunny days or long drives, or the day after a lot of sun exposure. It's also usually sufficient for the less pigmentally-gifted who find themselves in my car with the top down, so I keep a bottle of this in my car. For background, I've used Hawaiian Tropic SPF 4 Tanning Lotion Sunscreen, Broad Spectrum SPF 6 Sheer Touch Lotion Sunscreen, Broad Spectrum SPF 8 Lotion Sunscreen, and Broad Spectrum SPF 15 Ultra Radiance Sheer Touch Lotion Sunscreen. The SPF 4, 6, and 8 come in the same dark brown bottle, whereas the the SPF 15 Ultra Radiance comes in a beige bottle and the flower illustration is shiny. The SPF 4, 6, and 8 also have the same rich cocoa butter/coconut oil smell, whereas the Ultra Radiance has a very floral, feminine smell. The SPF 4 is the thickest and has a slightly stronger smell, with the SPF 6 and 8 the same medium thickness/smell, and the SPF 15 the runniest. Because of the smell and consistency, I'm not a fan of the SPF 15 at all. The only difference between the SPF 6 and SPF 8 Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch sunscreens is a slightly higher concentration of active ingredient octocrylene (1.0% vs. 0.7%). Every other ingredient is the same. There are a few differences between this and the SPF 4 Tanning Lotion. Notably, the SPF 4 has retinyl palmitate, which has been shown (in large quantities) to actually increase the risk of skin cancer. The SPF 4 also contains oxybenzone, which has also been shown (also in large quantities) to mimic estrogen and disrupt endocrine function (but the concentration is so low compared to high-SPF sunscreens it probably doesn't matter). The SPF 4 the only one of these not labeled as "broad spectrum." It's possible the SPF 6 didn't meet the requirements for this label, so Hawaiian Tropic just discontinued it and figured the SPF 4 was fine for those who don't care about sun-induced premature aging. (Maybe I should.) Active ingredient comparison: SPF 4: 1.0% octocrylene, 0.5% oxybenzone SPF 6: 0.7% octocrylene, 0.5% avobenzone (this product) SPF 8: 1.0% octocrylene, 0.5% avobenzone. SPF 15: 3.0% octocrylene, 1.5% avobenzone, 3.0% homosalate, 4.5% octisalate For me, the SPF 8 is a good "daily driver."
