use sunscreen

[Vivianlin]

Dear all,
I know it's correct to say "use sunscreen," but is it correct to say "rub/ apply/ wear sunscreen"?

I really need to know the answer. Please tell me the answer. Thank you.

 

[5jj]

Dear all,
I know it's correct to say "use sunscreen," but is it correct to say "rub/ apply/ wear sunscreen"?

I really need to know the answer. Please tell me the answer. Thank you.

I use sunscreen (whenever the sun is shining).

I apply sunscreen, I rub it into my back or simply rub it in. The applying may be with a single smooth action, or may be with a spray of some sort. Rubbing involves repeated movements of my hands.

I don't wear sunscreen, but some might. Let's see what others have to say on this.

 

[riquecohen]

I use sunscreen. I have heard others say that they wear it. I don't find that very strange, as some people also wear make-up.

 

[Munch]

I agree with the helpful answers above but I just want to add this:

I might say that I put on sunscreen, or put sunscreen on. I also might call it "sun cream".

 

[BobK]

A couple of bits of related vocabulary. Most modern sun creams have a 'Sun Protection Factor' - usually abbreviated to SPF. A weather forecaster might say (rather than 'put on the sunscreen, SPF 16') 'put on the Factor 16'.

b

PS Some people continue to make a distinction between sunscreen (which blocks the sun's rays) and sun creams that just filter out the potentially harmful ones. I'm not a user, so don't know the precise technique, but I don't think you rub in sunscreen; it is the 'warpaint' used by people doing sports, especially during summer in the Southern Hemisphere.

 

[Munch]

SNIP

I'm not a user, so don't know the precise technique, but I don't think you rub in sunscreen; it is the 'warpaint' used by people doing sports, especially during summer in the Southern Hemisphere.

In Australia we call the type you don't rub in "zinc" or "zinc cream", because the active ingredient is zinc oxide. As you suggested, you can see it all over the faces of Australian cricketers. It comes in different colours, so you can paint yourself green and gold (Australian sporting colours) or just stick with white. As a white-skinned person living in a very sunny country, I found "zinc cream" very useful if I had to be out in the sun for a long time - even SPF 30 sunscreen did not fully protect me.

As far as I know, "sunscreen" is the more common term but most Australians would say "sun-cream" is no different to "sunscreen".