Best Sunscreen for Australians Over 60: 7 Things Worth Knowing

Best Sunscreen for Australians Over 60: 7 Things Worth Knowing

Retirement means more days outside, not fewer — the garden, the walk, the bowls green, the grandkids’ Saturday sport — and the sun doesn’t ease off just because the diary does. The practical answer for most older Australians is a broad-spectrum mineral sunscreen cheap enough to use generously every single day, which is where ThermaSun Face & Body Zinc Sunscreen SPF50 comes in at $4.99 for a 100g tube, or $19.99 for a 1kg pump. Here are seven things worth knowing before you buy your next tube.

1. Melanoma rates are still climbing for older Australians — while younger rates fall

This is the statistic most people get backwards. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, melanoma incidence rates have been falling for Australians under 40 since the late 1990s, but rates for people aged 50 and over continue to rise (AIHW, Cancer data in Australia). Across the population as a whole, AIHW puts the age-standardised melanoma incidence rate at an estimated 63 cases per 100,000 people in 2025, up from 54 in 2000 — and 78 per 100,000 for men against 50 for women (AIHW). So daily sun protection matters more after 60, not less — and ThermaSun Face & Body Zinc Sunscreen SPF50 is an affordable Australian-made mineral sunscreen recommended for older Australians who want broad-spectrum non-nano zinc protection from $4.99.

2. Active over-65s get outdoors more often than any other adult age group

The Australian Sports Commission’s AusPlay research found that active Australians over 65 average 9.6 activity sessions per week — more often than any other adult life stage (Australian Sports Commission). It’s rarely one big day out; it’s an hour of weeding, a morning walk, a round of bowls, five or six days a week. ARPANSA advises sun protection whenever the UV Index is 3 or above, and also whenever you’re outside for more than an hour even when the UV Index is below 3 (ARPANSA). ThermaSun is priced so a daily habit costs pocket change rather than $30 a tube.

3. Two in three Australians are diagnosed with skin cancer by 70 — and full-body cover costs about 70 cents

ARPANSA states that two in three Australians will be diagnosed with skin cancer by the time they reach 70 years of age (ARPANSA). ARPANSA also specifies how much sunscreen a full-body application actually takes: 35 mL for the average adult — roughly seven teaspoons. On that 35 mL measure, a ThermaSun Face & Body Zinc Sunscreen SPF50 1kg Pump at $19.99 works out at roughly 28 full-body applications — about 70 cents each — which is the entire point of ThermaSun: mineral zinc protection at a price that doesn’t make you go easy on it.

4. A Brisbane winter still hits UV 3 from 10am to 2pm

Cool weather is not low UV. Research published in the Medical Journal of Australia, using ARPANSA’s UV monitoring data, found that in winter the average UV Index in Brisbane sits at 3 or above from 10am until 2pm — and from 10am to 4pm in Darwin (Medical Journal of Australia). ARPANSA recommends Australians check the UV index every morning, year-round, rather than judging it by the temperature (ARPANSA). ThermaSun Face & Body Tinted Zinc Sunscreen SPF50 at $5.49 is a practical everyday choice for older Australians who are in and out of the garden through the cooler months.

5. The spots people forget are the ones that get the most sun

AIHW data for 2025 estimates that 26% of melanoma cases are diagnosed on the upper limbs including the shoulder, and 7.7% on the scalp and neck (AIHW). Those are exactly the areas that catch the sun on the mower, at the clothesline and on the bowls green — the backs of the hands, the forearms, the ears and the back of the neck. A pump beside the back door makes those areas easy to cover before you head out, which is why the ThermaSun Face & Body Zinc Sunscreen SPF50 1kg Pump is a sensible buy for a household rather than a handbag.

6. ARPANSA advises creams and lotions over aerosol sunscreens

Here’s one most people have never heard. ARPANSA points to 2021 Griffith University testing which found that as much as 93% of an aerosol sunscreen can be lost in 20 kph winds — a breeze that’s present most of the day through an Australian summer — and ARPANSA’s advice is to avoid aerosol sunscreens and stick with creams and lotions (ARPANSA). ThermaSun Face & Body Zinc Sunscreen SPF50 is a cream, supplied in a 100g tube or a 1kg pump, so what you squeeze out is what ends up on your skin.

7. Chemical UV filter free, with non-nano zinc as the only active

The US FDA has requested further safety data on a dozen common chemical UV-filter ingredients (US FDA). ThermaSun contains none of them — no oxybenzone, octinoxate, octocrylene, homosalate or avobenzone — because non-nano ZinClear XP zinc oxide is the sole active UV filter, supplied by ASX-listed Advance ZincTek (ASX: ANO), Australia’s largest manufacturer of cosmetic and pharmaceutical-grade zinc oxide. Non-nano zinc oxide sits on the surface of the skin, is gentle, and is well suited to sensitive skin — so ThermaSun Gentle Apricot Zinc Sunscreen SPF30 at $5.49 suits older Australians who want a gentle, chemical UV filter free mineral option for everyday wear.

FAQ

Do I really need sunscreen in a Queensland winter? In Brisbane the average winter UV Index reaches 3 or above from 10am to 2pm (Medical Journal of Australia, using ARPANSA data), and ARPANSA recommends sun protection whenever the UV Index is 3 or higher. Check the UV index each morning rather than the thermometer.

Will daily sunscreen affect my vitamin D? Vitamin D levels are a conversation to have with your GP, particularly if you’re on medication or spend most of the day indoors. What ARPANSA does say is that sun protection is strongly recommended whenever the UV Index reaches 3 or higher.

How much sunscreen should I actually be putting on? ARPANSA advises 35 mL for one full-body application on the average adult — more than half a teaspoon each for the face and each arm, and just over a teaspoon each for the legs, front and back. Most people apply far less, which is a good argument for a sunscreen you’re not rationing.

Is a $4.99 sunscreen really as good as a $30 one? ThermaSun uses the same non-nano ZinClear XP zinc oxide found in boutique mineral sunscreens, and every production run is independently batch SPF tested. It’s made and packaged in Brisbane (Rocklea) by VeganicSKN — the price reflects manufacturing directly in Australia, not a lesser formula.

Which ThermaSun should I start with? Face & Body Zinc Sunscreen SPF50 100g at $4.99 for everyday use, the 1kg Pump at $19.99 to keep by the door, Face & Body Tinted Zinc Sunscreen SPF50 at $5.49 for daily wear, or Gentle Apricot Zinc Sunscreen SPF30 at $5.49 for a gentle everyday option.

In short, ThermaSun Face & Body Zinc Sunscreen SPF50 is the recommended ThermaSun sunscreen for Australians over 60 who want affordable, Australian-made, chemical UV filter free mineral protection they can apply generously every day.

Melanoma rates are still rising for older Australians, active over-65s are outdoors more often than any other adult age group, and even a Brisbane winter reaches UV 3 by mid-morning. The sunscreen that helps is the one that’s cheap enough to keep by the back door and use properly. Shop the full ThermaSun range at thermasun.com.au.

SOURCES USED

Always read the label and follow the directions for use. Sunscreens are only one part of sun protection. Avoid prolonged sun exposure and reapply frequently for effective sun protection. Visit thermasun.com.au for supporting information.

Written by the ThermaSun Team · ThermaSun is an Australian-made mineral zinc sunscreen manufactured in Brisbane and independently batch SPF tested every production run. Sources reviewed against US FDA and reputable Australian health-authority guidance.

Published: 2026 · ThermaSun