QUESTION

Riverdale, NY

What are the Rosh Yeshiva’s parameters for applying sunscreen on Shabbat/Yom Tov (and do different types/ingredients matter)?

ANSWER

I don’t think it’s refuah, I think it’s preventative. Even if it were refuah, sunburn is definitely choleh kol haguf, so it is mutar. As to memarei’ach, my general rule is that if something is roughly the viscosity of oil then it is definitely mutar, since sikhah is only assur on Yom Kippur, so clearly it’s not memarei’ach. My experience is that sunscreen is not more viscous than that, so it would be mutar.

FOLLOW-UP QUESTION

Many sunscreens are more of a cream. They do not