You are My Sunshine, My only Sunshine
As far as the song goes, I would like to change it to: you are my skin, my only skin! Doesn’t quite have the same charm though. Summer officially started. We are headed into some sunny, hot weather this week. The sun gives us (and the planet) life energy, uplifted moods, sun kissed skin, and vitamin D. (If you have a vitamin D deficiency, rather than relying on the sun, vitamin D supplementation is better). If you are fair skinned, the sun will burn you in no time. Wearing clothing to cover your skin and a wide brimmed hat is the best sunscreen. Here are some options for your skin if you want to wear a bit less. Look for a sunscreen that offers broad spectrum protection which block UVA and UVB rays from the sun. Some only provide protection from UVB only.
Body: My favorite broad spectrum sunscreen for the body is Blue Lizard. It’s mineral based so it eliminates chemicals. Its main ingredient, zinc oxide, is usually responsible for turning you into a white ghost. The benefits of zinc oxide is that it will actually block the sun. I have tried a couple of other zinc oxide based sunscreens, including Garden Goddess and Badger, but nope, too messy, hard to rub in, thick, and ghostly - it’s Blue Lizard hands down. The formula is super absorbent (so no ghost look) and smooth. Plus it’s gimmicky bottle is pretty cool when it turns blue in UV light.
Face: Although Blue Lizard has products for the face I have yet to try, I love Revision Skincare Intellishade line. It’s pricey, but it’s a tinted moisturizer AND a broad spectrum spf 45. Just a little goes a long way and it spreads really easily on the face, neck, and décolletage. If you want to make your own tinted sunscreen, put some your favorite sunscreen into a little travel pot, and mix it with a bit of your foundation makeup.
Lips: I don’t really have a great recommendation for lips. There are many dedicated lip balms with sunscreen. I have a beeswax/jojoba allergy so lip sunscreens are out, so I either rub regular sunscreen into my lips or just wear a favorite matte or opaque lipstick. Plus some lipstick with sunglasses and a hat is a glamorous look!
Powder: For an on the go, quick, messy free dusting, I carry Peter Thomas Roth powder sunscreen spf 45 in my purse. Powder is so convenient when you don’t want to get your hands sticky with lotion. It's an easy to grab purse size if you forget to put on sunscreen for some errands, or want to reapply over your sunscreen. I do like this brand, but I think I will try Colorscience powder sunscreen when I have finished. Both of these products are for broad spectrum protection and talc free.
Please share any awesome sunscreen products you have found with me. I am always on the lookout for good recommendations to share with others. Together we can love the sun without the sun spots and skin cancer.