On May 27th each year, beach bums, dermatologists, and pale people of the world unite to celebrate a modern marvel of personal care: National Sunscreen Day. Whether you’re slathering, spraying, or slapping it on with reckless abandon, this day shines a spotlight on one of the most important (and underappreciated) health habits in modern history: protecting your skin from turning into bacon under the blazing sun.
Let’s dive into the glorious, slippery, and slightly greasy backstory of National Sunscreen Day—because nothing says summer quite like a face full of zinc oxide and the smell of coconut SPF 50.
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The Humble Origins of SPF Obsession
To understand National Sunscreen Day, we must travel back—way back—to a time when sunburn was just called “a nice day outside.” The ancient Egyptians mixed rice bran and jasmine for rudimentary sun protection, while the Greeks went with olive oil, which, scientifically speaking, probably just basted them like rotisserie chickens.
Fast forward to the 1930s, when a Swiss chemistry student named Franz Greiter got a sunburn while climbing Mount Piz Buin (yes, that’s a real mountain and a future sunscreen brand name). Motivated by the pain of sizzling like a bratwurst, he invented one of the first modern sunscreens. By the 1960s, SPF—short for “Sun Protection Factor”—entered our lives and changed everything. Sunscreen evolved from a niche product for mountain climbers to a must-have for surfers, sunbathers, and helicopter parents everywhere.
Pop Culture’s Love Affair with Sunblock
Let’s not ignore sunscreen’s fabulous pop culture arc. In 1999, Baz Luhrmann’s spoken-word hit “Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen)” became an unlikely anthem of graduation speeches and midlife crises. “If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it,” the narrator said, channeling every dermatologist’s fantasy of being cool and quotable.
Hollywood caught on, too. Movies like Baywatch, Blue Crush, and Jaws turned beach culture—and by association, sunscreen—into an aesthetic. Even the most reckless movie lifeguards could be seen glistening with sunblock, proof that even in shark-infested waters, your real enemy is UVB rays.
National Sunscreen Day: A Day to Reflect and Reapply
Established as a reminder to protect your largest organ (your skin, not your ego), National Sunscreen Day encourages everyone to reconsider their relationship with the sun. This isn’t just about avoiding a lobster-red complexion or impressing your dermatologist. It’s about long-term skin health, aging gracefully, and maintaining a life free of painful tan lines shaped like sunglasses.
But make no mistake—this day doesn’t call for fear. It calls for action. National Sunscreen Day dares you to armor up in SPF 30 or higher, to seek shade between 10 AM and 4 PM, and to resist the seductive lies of “base tans.” It’s the day we honor our foreheads, shoulders, and ears—the oft-forgotten frontiers of sun damage.
- ORIGINAL SPF 50 SUNSCREEN SPRAY . This is the stuff we use every day. The sunscreen that started it all and smells like summer. We wanted a sunscreen to protect those who live and love in the sun, so we made it.
- MOISTURIZING SUN PROTECTION. Dermatologist and Sonny approved, this non-comedogenic sunscreen delivers UVA/UVB protection and is packed with Vitamin E. Our oil-free, water-resistant and Hawaii 104 Reef Act Compliant SPF 50 Spray is great for all skin types.
- HOW TO USE. 15 minutes before sun exposure, apply liberally to all areas of the skin and avoid the eye area. For best results, reapply after 80 minutes of swimming or sweating. Sonny’s Tip: Apply every 2 hours for maximum sun protection.
- PROTECT YOUR SKIN. The key to practicing safe sun is to protect and moisturize your skin. Our Original Sunscreen line is Oxybenzone, Octinoxate, Gluten, Cruelty and Paraben Free to ensure a fun day in the sun.
- TRUST THE BUM. What does that mean? It means trust us, the ones who live on the beach and need products that work on the most intense days in the sun. The simple truth is, when you make products to protect the ones you love, you make ‘em better.
Last update on 2025-05-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Weird Sunscreen Facts You Didn’t Know You Needed
- The FDA didn’t officially regulate sunscreen until 1978. Before that, it was basically a DIY project with mystery results.
- Some sunscreens use crushed beetle shells to give that shimmering “glow.” (Bug-free versions exist for the squeamish.)
- Australian lifeguards were among the first to champion daily sunscreen use, making them both heroic and absurdly good-looking.
National Sunscreen Day Deserves a Spot in the Sun
National Sunscreen Day offers more than a reason to rummage through your beach bag—it’s a celebration of science, self-care, and not turning into beef jerky on your vacation. This powerful observance reminds us that a little lotion goes a long way in keeping our future bright, wrinkle-free, and melanoma-resistant.
So whether you’re hiking the Piz Buin or just gardening with a floppy hat, join the celebration. Raise your bottle of SPF 50 high and declare: “Not today, UV rays. Not today.”
And remember, on National Sunscreen Day, shine responsibly.
