#you know how in fics it's often Stede with the collection of pampering skin care products?

[teeny-tiny-revenge]

So this is a random thing I know because I once spent a hyperfocus afternoon on researching it... Modern type sunscreen was invented early 20th century, when they could design compounds that specifically target UVB (some of those are still used in today's sunscreens). However, ancient people haven't been getting burned all those centuries; humans aren't dumb. The ancient Greeks have been documented to use oils. Seafaring people from Oceania and South Asia have been making sunscreens from various plants, including rice, algae and tree bark. (Don't know about Maori, but Indigenous seafarers had sunscreen for thousands of years, so Ed would absolutely know about that.)

A number of old-timey sunscreens have been shown to contain zinc oxide, which is still an ingredient in many modern sunscreens. Should work to keep his tattoos in good shape! (Although arguably some of them aren't worth the trouble. Who did the mermaid? I bet on Jack.)

Did they have sunscreen in 1717? How does Ed keep his tattoos looking so nice?