3 Things to Know About Reapplying Water-Resistant Sunscreen

Reapply after 80 minutes, not two hours Water-resistant sunscreen lasts 40 minutes (“water-resistant”) or 80 minutes (“very water-resistant”) in water. After that, protection drops fast, so reapply at that time, not the standard two-hour mark.

Water-resistant does not mean you can skip reapplying It only means it stays on longer during swimming or sweating. You still need to reapply every two hours total, regardless of water exposure.

Towel drying removes sunscreen entirely If you towel dry, you wipe off the sunscreen. Reapply immediately after drying, even if you haven’t hit the 80-minute mark.