Last week I indulged in a summer vacation full of fun, sun, and lots of water; a houseboat trip to Lake Powell to be exact. Located in Southern Utah, this large body of water is an ideal destination for those who love splashing around. However, the downside of such activities — the dreaded sunburn.

Luckily, I was covered…in Blue Lizard Australian Sunscreen. This stuff is amazing. I admit that I have always been ridiculously lazy when it comes to applying sun block. In fact, I usually don’t use any at all, even when I am at the lake where 120 degree temperature is the norm. I have always had the foolish approach that my burn turns into a tan, so why worry about it? Well, skin cancer is a good reason to worry about it!

For my latest trip to the lake, I wanted to try Blue Lizard out so I made a commitment to lather the lotion on everyday while on vacation. I used the Face and Sport sunscreens, applying both products once each morning. The lotion did go on a bit thick, but wasn’t bad at all. And there is no noticeable scent, a nice change from the typical smell of sunscreen. Another cool fact: Blue Lizard’s patented Smart Bottle ™ technology. When exposed to harmful UVA rays, the bottle changes colors, serving as a reminder to use the product.

I figured that by the third or forth day out in the sun my naturally pasty skin would be rather pinkish, as always. I was extremely surprised that my hue wasn’t an embarrassing shade of burnt, but rather a beautiful bronze. After seven days spent on the water (swimming, wakeboarding, taking boat trips, and even hiking to the famous national monument Rainbow Bridge) I had no sunburn at all! It’s hard to believe, but Blue Lizard worked despite the fact that I only applied one coat daily.

My impressive results are due to the strict standards that Australia enforces on their sunscreens; much higher than the FDA demands here in the U.S. Down under they make sure that their sun blocks protect against UVA and UVB rays, ensuring better protection against skin damage.

Be sure to pick up a bottle, or several, on Blue Lizard’s Web site, or at your local Rite Aid or CVS Pharmacy. Your skin will thank you!

Photos credits: Blue Lizard and my camera