A Non-Awkward Way to Apply Sunscreen to Your Own Back

We’re in the midst of summer, which means we’re all spending a fair share of our time swimming at the beach or a pool in an effort to cool down and beat that uncomfortable heat. So you better slip, slop, slap, seek and slide to protect yourself from harmful sun exposure. When it comes to slopping we could all put in a little more effort, as studies show that 85% Australians don’t apply enough sunscreen.

Throwing on a nice coat of sunscreen doesn’t take that much time or effort to do right, but there’s always one part of your body where applying sunscreen can get a bit difficult – the middle of your back.

If you’re at the beach with friends, it’s an easy problem to solve with a little “you sunscreen my back, I’ll sunscreen yours”. But if you’re swimming or sunbathing solo, putting enough sunscreen on your own back gets a bit tricky. There’s really no “easy” way to do it. You can bend your arms behind your back and apply sunscreen by hand, but it’s incredibly awkward to do and makes you look like a drunk contortionist. And there’s always that one spot on your upper back that you miss.

So how can you apply sunscreen to your back when you’re by yourself?

Well, let me introduce you to the Back Creamer ($35.64). I’ll be the first to admit that its name could have probably used some more workshopping, but you can’t argue with the results.

How does it apply sunscreen to your back?

The way the Back Creamer works is pretty simple. You just unscrew the head and fill it up with sunscreen. The head is full of rolling balls, like the ones you find in roll-on deodorant, which will start to apply cream to your back the more you roll them. When you’re done with it, you can just rinse it off. You’re even able to dismantle its handle, so you can easily slip it into your beach bag.

It’s not the only product like this on the market. There are cheaper options that can achieve the same results, but they lack portability as their handle is a single, solid piece of plastic that you can’t breakdown.

You don’t have to just use it for sunscreen either. If you do manage to get a nasty sunburn on your back, you can fill up the Back Creamer’s head with some aloe vera and apply it to the affected area. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.