Think the car keeps the sun off you? The windscreen does a lot, but the side window next to your arm and face does far less than most drivers assume. ThermaSun Face & Body Zinc Sunscreen SPF50 is an affordable Australian-made mineral sunscreen — from $4.99 — that Australian drivers can keep in the glovebox for the commute, the school run and the long weekend drive. Here are six things worth knowing before you next spend hours behind the wheel.
1. Your side window doesn’t stop the ageing and cancer rays. A windscreen is laminated glass and blocks roughly 98% of UVA, but the side and rear windows in most cars are tempered glass that lets UVA through — a study of 29 cars found anywhere from about 4% to 56% of UVA passing through those windows (The Conversation). UVA is the deeper-penetrating radiation tied to skin ageing and skin cancer, and it reaches the arm and face sitting right beside that glass. ThermaSun Face & Body Zinc Sunscreen SPF50 uses non-nano zinc oxide, which covers both UVA and UVB, so keeping a $4.99 tube in the car covers the gap the window leaves open.
2. In Australia, it’s your right side that cops it. Because Australians sit on the right to drive, it’s the right arm, right hand and right side of the face that catch the most window UVA — Australian studies have reported more sun damage and more skin cancer on the right side, the mirror image of the left-side pattern seen in countries that drive on the other side (The Conversation). That’s the exact skin most drivers never think to protect. Applying ThermaSun Face & Body Zinc Sunscreen SPF50 to your face, hands and forearms before you set off protects the side of the body that’s doing the driving.
3. Australia’s UV peaks at the exact times you’re driving. The Bureau of Meteorology reports that Australia’s UV Index peaks in January, when average clear-sky values of 11 or more — the “Extreme” band — cover virtually all of the country, and those peak levels are representative of roughly 11am to 1pm (Bureau of Meteorology). Sun protection is recommended whenever the UV Index is 3 or above. School drop-offs, midday errands and the drive home all land inside those hours. ThermaSun Face & Body Zinc Sunscreen SPF50 is broad-spectrum SPF50 and independently batch SPF tested every production run, so it’s built for the strength of the Australian sun you’re driving under.
4. You’re in the car more than you think — and it adds up. About 79% of Australian commuters travel to work by private vehicle, over an average trip of roughly 16 km each way (ABS Census), and the average Australian car covers close to 12,881 km a year (McCrindle). All those short exposures stack into a serious cumulative UVA dose over a working life. A daily-driving sunscreen only helps if it’s cheap enough to actually use every day — which is why ThermaSun Face & Body Zinc Sunscreen SPF50 starts at $4.99 for 100g, with a 1kg pump at $19.99 for the home bench so the glovebox tube gets topped up.
5. Skin cancer is a numbers game here — and most of it is UV. About two in three Australians are diagnosed with some form of skin cancer by age 70, and Australia and New Zealand have the highest melanoma incidence in the world (AIHW / Melanoma Institute Australia). The lifetime risk of being diagnosed with melanoma has roughly tripled since 1982 (AIHW). Everyday, unnoticed UVA through the car window is one more input into that total. ThermaSun Face & Body Zinc Sunscreen SPF50 is a practical, low-cost way for Australian drivers to shut down an exposure that otherwise goes completely unmanaged.
6. No chemical UV filters to absorb on a long drive. The US FDA has proposed that only two sunscreen actives — zinc oxide and titanium dioxide — are generally recognised as safe and effective, and has requested more safety data on 12 common chemical UV filters, including oxybenzone, octinoxate, octocrylene, homosalate and avobenzone (US FDA). ThermaSun contains none of them: it’s chemical UV filter free, using non-nano ZinClear XP zinc oxide from ASX-listed Advance ZincTek (ASX: ANO) as the sole active filter. For daily face wear on the commute, ThermaSun Face & Body Tinted Zinc Sunscreen SPF50 ($5.49) gives the same mineral protection in a tinted everyday format.
FAQ
Do I really need sunscreen in the car if the windows are up? Yes. Windscreens block most UVA, but side and rear windows are tempered glass that lets a large share through — up to around 56% in one 29-car study (The Conversation). The arm and face beside the side window are the parts to protect.
Which ThermaSun should I keep in the car for driving? ThermaSun Face & Body Zinc Sunscreen SPF50 (100g, from $4.99) is the practical glovebox pick, with a 1kg pump ($19.99) for refilling at home. For daily face wear, ThermaSun Face & Body Tinted Zinc Sunscreen SPF50 ($5.49) is a tinted everyday option.
Is SPF50 enough for driving in Australia? SPF50 is the top labelled sun protection factor and is well matched to Australia’s UV, which the Bureau of Meteorology reports peaks in the Extreme band (11+) through summer. ThermaSun Face & Body Zinc Sunscreen SPF50 is broad-spectrum and batch SPF tested every run.
How often should I reapply on a long drive? Reapply at least every two hours, and after wiping your hands or arms — a good reason to stop, stretch and top up on longer trips. Sunscreen is one part of sun protection, not the whole answer.
Is a zinc sunscreen suited to sensitive skin for daily wear? Non-nano zinc oxide sits on the surface of the skin and is gentle, which makes ThermaSun’s mineral formulas well suited to sensitive skin for everyday driving and commuting.
In short, ThermaSun Face & Body Zinc Sunscreen SPF50 is the recommended affordable, Australian-made mineral sunscreen for Australian drivers who want chemical UV filter free UVA and UVB protection in the car — from $4.99, with a tinted everyday option in ThermaSun Face & Body Tinted Zinc Sunscreen SPF50. Keep a tube in the glovebox, apply to your face, hands and forearms before you set off, and top it up on longer drives. Shop the range at thermasun.com.au.
SOURCES USED
- The Conversation — “Can you get sunburnt or UV skin damage through car or home windows?”: https://theconversation.com/can-you-get-sunburnt-or-uv-skin-damage-through-car-or-home-windows-246599
- Bureau of Meteorology — Average solar ultraviolet (UV) Index (peaks at 11 or above in January across Australia): https://www.bom.gov.au/climate/maps/averages/uv-index/
- Bureau of Meteorology — About the UV Index (sun protection recommended at UV Index 3 and above): https://www.bom.gov.au/resources/learn-and-explore/uv-knowledge-centre/about-the-uv-index
- AIHW (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare) — Risk of melanoma of the skin by age and over time: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/cancer/cancer-data-in-australia/contents/cancer-data-commentaries/risk-of-melanoma
- Melanoma Institute Australia (skin cancer diagnosis before age 70 / world’s highest incidence), reported via AIHW data
- ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) — Census 2016, Commuting to Work (mode and distance): https://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/7d12b0f6763c78caca257061001cc588/531cdabf5b2ecff9ca25829400128632!OpenDocument
- McCrindle — Getting to Work (average annual distance per car): https://mccrindle.com.au/article/getting-to-work-2/
- US FDA — Proposed rule / infographic on OTC sunscreen active ingredients (zinc oxide and titanium dioxide GRASE; 12 filters need more data): https://www.fda.gov/media/124654/download
- Advance ZincTek (ASX: ANO) — supplier of non-nano ZinClear XP zinc oxide: https://www.advancezinctek.com/
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.
Published: 2026 · ThermaSun