Hey guys! Can you believe summer is almost here?! No offense Christmas, but THIS is the most wonderful time of the year 🙂 Vacations, pool time, longer days, warm weather, fresh food from the farmers market, the list goes on. But also with summer comes the sunburns, (don’t forget, you can’t be waxed with a sunburn – ouch) and I’m here to help you pick out your sun protection and teach you how to use it. You have to switch up your skincare a little in summer. Being smart about your sun exposure is everything.
1. You really don’t need anything over an SPF 30. Above that number, you don’t get much more protection. The key is reapplying every 2 hours. Don’t forget the tops of your ears, and your neck. I’m not a fan of spray or powder sunscreens, and that’s personal preference.
2. Now, there’s a lot of controversy surrounding chemical vs. mineral sunscreens. My personal choice and professional recommendation is a mineral sunscreen and here’s why – chemical suncreens like oxybenzone, octinoxate, etc. absorb into your skin and absorb harmful rays from the sun. That’s how they work. They also end up in our lakes, rivers, and oceans where they have a negative impact on coral reefs and marine life. Mineral sunscreens like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are elements that are found in nature already. They sit on the surface of your skin and actually block harmful rays.
3. Find some shade. I know, you’re having fun in the sun, but at some point the best protection is to just get out of it. Wear a hat. Crawl under the umbrella. Tomorrow is another day, and your skin will thank you.
A few years ago on family vacation, we went deep sea fishing in Destin. We were all SUPER jazzed about a day on the water. I had this cute nautical outfit and a giant sunhat. After about 1 hour in, and we were STILL heading out sea ( 25 miles from land? I mean, really? Fish don’t come any close to the shore than that? ), the fun abruptly stopped. If you get motion sickness, you know what I mean. I had to decide if I was going to use my sunhat to protect my face or my legs, while I was prostrate on a bench in the blazing sun. Face won, but I had leg tan lines for a whole year from that one. Longest 6 hours of my life, y’all. Moral of the story, be prepared.