The best hot-weather sunscreens and skin care products for summer in Canada

We asked three Canadians who often work outdoors – an Olympic sprint kayaker, a flower farmer and a hair and makeup artist who works on weddings and photo shoots – to share their top tips and picks.

Simon McTavish, Team Canada sprint kayaker

The Oakville, Ont.-born paddler, who will be competing for Team Canada at the Paris Olympics in 2024, spends hours every day on the water and in the sun. McTavish uses a mineral face and body sunscreen from Rocky Mountain Soap Company that’s made in Canmore, Alta. “It’s the right consistency, and it’s vanilla coconut and it smells really good,” says McTavish.

He’s also a fan of Nova Scotia Fisherman’s skincare products. “Being out in the sun, especially on the water, you get all the reflection from the sun as well as the direct sunlight, and it really dries you if you’re training three hours a day, which we do,” says McTavish. “I use their moisturizers and lip balms after a lot.”

Nova Scotia Fisherman lip balm, $9.95 for two pack through novascotiafisherman.com.

Nova Scotia Fisherman hand and body lotion, $16.95 through novascotiafisherman.com.

Ivy Lam, hair and makeup artist

Ivy Lam uses a Korean sunscreen every day at home, but when she’s on the go, the Toronto-based hair and makeup artist always has Shiseido’s Clear Sunscreen Stick on hand. “It’s clear and you don’t have any white residue,” says Lam. “I put it on my face, my body, my kids’ bodies – it’s just in my purse.”

For her racialized clients, Lam will often use Black Girl Sunscreen SPF 30. “It doesn’t leave a white residue at all, even for camera,” says Lam. She also recommends Supergoop’s Unseen Sunscreen, which can be worn under makeup and doubles as a face primer.

Lam uses deodorants by Caudalie and Native, specifically because they are aluminum-free. “I like the different scents that Native offers.”

Shiseido clear sunscreen stick SPF 50+, $40 through shiseido.com.

Black Girl Sunscreen SPF 30, $25 through blackgirlsunscreen.com.

Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40, $49 through sephora.com.

Native deodorant, $20.99 through shoppersdrugmart.ca.

Caudalie Vinofresh deodorant, $20.50 through caudalie.com.

Jen Salvador, flower farmer

Flower Supernova founder Jen Salvador tends a small dahlia field, and also works part time at Branch + Blossom, a flower farm in Fort Ellis, N.S. She’s outside a lot, and uses Shiseido’s water- and sweat-resistant Ultra Sun Protector Lotion on her body. “It has a nice texture, it’s silky, smooth and doesn’t have a strong fragrance,” says Salvador. “It doesn’t look chalky when I put it on.”

Salvador, who has eczema and sensitive skin, also recommends Neutrogena’s Clear Face sunscreen. “I don’t break out when I use that one.”

When it’s really hot out, Salvador suggests a quick spray of Fresh’s Rose hydration mist on the face and neck. “I find it really refreshing and cooling when you come in from outside,” she says.

To keep insects and ticks at bay, Salvador relies on AtlanTick’s Tick Attack repellent. “Out here, we have tons of ticks and I don’t like using DEET – I’m weirded out by all the chemicals in it,” says Salvador. This spray has “a lot of natural ingredients, it’s Indigenous women-owned, which I also like, and I find the fragrance actually nice.”