The best gadget for dodging a burnt back this summer
Between beach holidays each summer and regular haranguing from our parents, there aren't many Australians who grew up without a healthy fear of the sun.
But sometimes, no matter how hard we try, there's usually a single spot of skin that burns, whether it's hard to reach or just forgotten as we jump in and out of the water.
It's something that was noticed by Raphael McGowan, the founder of Bakslap – a company that produces our new favourite body lotion applicator, which was created in part to address this issue.
NOTE: Prices are accurate at time of publishing.
What is the Bakslap?
McGowan founded Bakslap in honour of his sister, Tess, whom he lost to melanoma when she was just 31. Tess' husband noticed a mole in the middle of her back while she was pregnant with their daughter, which they soon learned was stage three melanoma. However, it wasn't just the placement of the mole that alerted McGowan to the issue.
"After my sister passed, and during her treatment, I noticed that when she was by herself, when she was still able to, she had to apply certain lotions and creams to her back, and in the hospital she was unable to," McGowan tells 9Product Reviews.
"There were times when it would've helped her keep her independence.
"Over the next year or so, I started to learn more about skin cancer, that it affects a lot of people, especially 18-35-year-olds."
He explains how he would notice people at the beach, surfing, laying out in the sun, who didn't apply sunscreen to the middle of their backs because they couldn't reach it, and decided to create a product that could help everyone.
Once McGowan began to sell his final prototype, which he got to through a lot of trial, error, and feedback, he soon learned that only some of his customers were using it to apply sunscreen.
"The majority of people were using it for mobility problems. They were usually 45, 50 years old, all the way up to 90-year-olds … we would get reviews saying it allowed them to keep their independence," he says.
"Even teenage boys in particular are purchasing it to help with back acne – they don't want to ask their parents to come in and apply cream. They can do it themselves.
"It seems as if, thankfully, we've created something with all different uses."
Using the Bakslap
My first impression of the Bakslap was how compact it was. It comes boxed with the handle folded up, a position you can return it to for easy storage in your beach bag. The cap flips back to reveal the spongy pad, where the lotion, sunscreen, or self-tan (if you want to ensure a seamless colour across your back) goes. The handle also extends, with the second half rotating 180°, so you can extend it further down your back. It's ergonomic as well, with grooves for your fingers so you can grip it tightly and keep your sunscreen off the carpet.
When it comes to using the Bakslap for sunscreen application, I found putting a dollop of lotion on the pad and applying it led to a bit of mess. This was easily resolved by using my finger to spread it out across the sponge and then applying it to my back. While you can feel the sunscreen going on easily, it can be hard to know whether you've missed a spot, so I applied sunscreen twice with the Bakslap, just for extra safety. You can never be too cautious.
The length, and the curve of the handle, allows you to reach all areas of your back easily. It's quick and simple-to-use, and left me with no more excuses not to apply cream.
The only hiccup I can imagine is maybe using it for self-tan, as spreading the foam or cream out on the sponge could leave you with very tanned fingers. However, if you're quick and wash it off with soap, you should be fine and well on your way to a much more evenly tanned back.
The Bakslap is also really easy to clean, using only light Velcro to hold the pad in place, which peels off really easily. I rinsed it off with water and a bit of makeup cleanser to get the sunscreen out, and then just left it to dry. The Bakslap also comes with a second pad, so you have a backup if you choose to use it for multiple products. They also sell replacement packs, so you'll be able to get years of use out of the Bakslap itself.
While it already seemed like such a handy product, the backstory behind the Bakslap has made me love it all the more. It feels like a gentle reminder to look after my skin and protect myself from the sun all year round, especially during the warmest months of the year.
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