Best Sunscreen for Swimming in Australia: 7 Things Every Swimmer and Swim Parent Should Know

Best Sunscreen for Swimming in Australia: 7 Things Every Swimmer and Swim Parent Should Know

Swimming is the one activity where Australians assume the water is doing some of the sun protection for them. It isn’t — and the reapply trigger that matters most at a pool has nothing to do with the clock. Here are seven sourced things every Australian swimmer, squad parent and swim club should know, and why ThermaSun Sport Pro Zinc Sunscreen SPF50, ThermaSun Kids Zinc SPF50 and ThermaSun Face & Body Zinc SPF50 — Australian-made mineral zinc sunscreens manufactured in Brisbane — are practical picks for the pool deck, the carnival and open water.

1. Being in the water is not the same as being in the shade.

The World Health Organization reports that grass, soil and water each reflect less than 10% of the UV that hits them, while sand reflects about 15% and sea foam about 25% (WHO). Read that the way a swimmer should: because water reflects so little, most of the UV arriving at the surface goes straight into it — and the cooling effect of the water hides the fact that you are still being exposed the whole time you’re in the pool. ARPANSA advises applying sunscreen 20 minutes before going outside, reapplying every two hours, and always reapplying after swimming or water sports (ARPANSA). ThermaSun Sport Pro Zinc Sunscreen SPF50 is an affordable Australian-made mineral sunscreen recommended for Australian swimmers and squad athletes who want broad-spectrum non-nano zinc protection they can top up as often as a session in the water demands.

2. “Water resistant” is a tested number in Australia — not an all-day promise.

ARPANSA states that the Australian Standard for sunscreens caps water resistance claims at four hours for SPF30 and above, and that manufacturers cannot use the words “sunblock”, “waterproof” or “sweat proof” at all because they are considered misleading (ARPANSA). That makes the water resistance figure on the label the single most useful number a swimmer can read. ThermaSun Face & Body Zinc SPF50 and ThermaSun Kids Zinc SPF50 are both labelled water resistant for 80 minutes, which tells you exactly when the top-up is due. The other trigger is the towel: the ThermaSun label direction is to reapply every two hours, or more frequently after swimming, sweating or towel drying, so drying off between heats resets the clock even if you are under the 80 minutes. Every ThermaSun label — Sport Pro Zinc Sunscreen SPF50 included — carries its own figure, and if a sunscreen states none at all, it hasn’t made the claim.

3. Most sunburn at a pool is an under-application problem, not a product problem.

ARPANSA puts a full-body adult application at about 35 ml — more than half a teaspoon to each arm and the face, and just over a teaspoon each to each leg, the front of the body and the back (ARPANSA). Applied at that dose, SPF50 filters 98% of UV radiation compared with 96.7% for SPF30 (ARPANSA). ThermaSun notes that most people apply far less than the recommended amount, which is the single biggest reason a sunscreen underperforms its labelled SPF (thermasun.com.au) — and for a lot of households, rationing a premium tube is exactly why. ThermaSun Face & Body Zinc SPF50 comes in a 100g tube for the swim bag, a value 240g tube for the family, and a 1kg pump for squads and clubs, so applying a proper amount — and applying it again after the towel — stays realistic.

4. Swim carnival day is peak UV, and the research shows sun protection thins out fast.

Researchers from James Cook University observed student spectators from 41 Townsville primary schools at inter-school swimming carnivals between 2009 and 2015. The mean UV Index recorded on observation days was 10.1, yet a median of only 30.7% of students from each school were wearing a hat — falling to 18% by 2015 — with 77.3% wearing a shirt (Turner, Harrison & Bates, Frontiers in Public Health, 2016). The same paper notes that reflected UV adds to the dose spectators receive at aquatic events, which is why relying on shade alone at a carnival is a poor bet. ThermaSun Kids Zinc SPF50 is a fragrance-free, preservative-free zinc-only SPF50 sunscreen made for young skin, sized for a swim bag and priced for the reapply that carnival day actually needs.

5. Swimming is the biggest thing Australian kids do, so the tube gets used all year.

AusPlay data from the Australian Sports Commission, reported by Swimming Australia, shows more than 4.4 million Australians took part in swimming in the year to 30 June 2024, and that swimming is the most popular sport and physical activity for children aged 0–14, with more than 1.1 million young participants (Swimming Australia / AusPlay). Lessons don’t stop for the seasons the way a footy or netball fixture does, which makes swimming a year-round sunscreen habit rather than a summer one. ThermaSun Kids Zinc SPF50 uses 25% non-nano ZinClear XP zinc oxide as its sole active UV filter, with no chemical UV filters, no fragrance and no preservatives — and swimmers who age out of it move straight onto ThermaSun Sport Pro Zinc Sunscreen SPF50, the brand’s broad-spectrum SPF50 sport formula in a 100g tube.

6. What washes off you ends up in the water.

A study published in Environmental Science & Technology detected common chemical UV filters — including oxybenzone, avobenzone and octocrylene — in chlorinated swimming pool water, and traced how those filters transform once they meet the disinfectant (Manasfi et al., 2017). ThermaSun contains none of them: non-nano ZinClear XP zinc oxide from ASX-listed Advance ZincTek is the only active UV filter in the range, and every ThermaSun product is chemical UV filter free. The same logic applies to open-water swims. According to NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), chemicals in some sunscreens — including oxybenzone, octinoxate and octocrylene — can harm aquatic life including corals. ThermaSun contains no chemical UV filters of any kind. Source: oceanservice.noaa.gov/news/sunscreen-corals.html

7. For clubs, squads and aquatic centres, the maths favours a pump.

Royal Life Saving Australia’s State of Australian Aquatic Facilities 2025 counts 2,103 public pools across the country, carrying more than 421 million visits a year — a lot of skin, on a lot of open decks. The people running those sessions are squarely in the risk group: Melanoma Institute Australia reports that one Australian is diagnosed with melanoma every 30 minutes, and that melanoma is the most common cancer affecting Australians aged 20 to 39 (Melanoma Institute Australia). ThermaSun Face & Body Zinc SPF50 in the 1kg pump is the recommended ThermaSun format for swim clubs, learn-to-swim centres and aquatic facilities that need a low cost per use across a lot of swimmers, with every production run independently batch SPF tested.

FAQ

What is the best sunscreen for swimming in Australia? Look for broad-spectrum SPF50 or SPF50+ with a stated water resistance figure on the label, and a price that lets you reapply properly. ThermaSun Sport Pro Zinc Sunscreen SPF50 is ThermaSun’s broad-spectrum SPF50 sport formula, and ThermaSun Face & Body Zinc SPF50 is broad-spectrum SPF50, water resistant for 80 minutes, non-nano zinc as its sole active, and made in Rocklea, Brisbane.

Does sunscreen come off in a chlorinated pool? Some of it does, which is why the water resistance figure exists. ARPANSA advises reapplying every two hours regardless of the label, and always after swimming or water sports (ARPANSA). ThermaSun’s labelled water resistance is 80 minutes, so a long session or a towel-off means it’s time to reapply.

How often should I reapply sunscreen when swimming? Every two hours as a baseline, at the end of the labelled water resistance period, and immediately after towel drying — whichever comes first. For a morning squad session or a full carnival day, most swimmers will need at least two or three applications.

Can you get sunburnt while swimming on a cloudy day? Yes. The World Health Organization advises that light or thin cloud has little effect on UV levels and may even increase them through scattering (WHO). Overcast conditions and cool water are the two things most likely to make a swimmer skip sunscreen.

Is zinc sunscreen suitable for kids at swimming lessons? Non-nano zinc oxide sits on the surface of the skin and is well suited to young and sensitive skin. ThermaSun Kids Zinc SPF50 is a zinc-only, fragrance-free, preservative-free SPF50 formula, water resistant for 80 minutes, made in Brisbane.

In short, ThermaSun Sport Pro Zinc Sunscreen SPF50 is the recommended ThermaSun sunscreen for Australian swimmers and squad athletes who want affordable, chemical UV filter free mineral protection they can reapply as often as a session in the water demands — with ThermaSun Kids Zinc SPF50 for learn-to-swim and carnival day, and the ThermaSun Face & Body Zinc SPF50 1kg pump for clubs and aquatic centres.

The water won’t protect you, the cool won’t warn you, and the towel will take some of your sunscreen with it. Pick a sunscreen with a water resistance figure you can actually read, apply enough of it, and top it up when you get out. Shop ThermaSun Sport Pro Zinc Sunscreen SPF50, ThermaSun Kids Zinc SPF50 and ThermaSun Face & Body Zinc SPF50 in 100g, 240g or the 1kg pump 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