Ahoy mateys! I love summer. However, I don't love sunburns. We all need to protect our precious skin (and eyes...see yesterday's post on sunglasses) from the sun's damaging and harmful rays.
I won't lie—I've done my share of laying out/tanning in the summer. However, my vigilance with wearing sunglasses and slathering sunscreen repeatedly on my face, neck, and chest has paid off. I realized this last year when I compared the skin on these areas to my back, which definitely suffered sunscreen neglect in the past. The difference astounded me. Freckles and sunspots mottle my back, but my face, neck, and chest remain pristine (and baby soft) in comparison. Additionally, because I've protected the particularly delicate eye area with sunscreen AND UV-blocking shades (and used eye cream since I was a young teenager) I'm 33 and have absolutely ZERO crow's feet. Boom! Take that, wrinkles.
Today I'm sharing my favorite, most-trusted sun protection products. These are the ones I've purchased repeatedly and will use by the pool this summer. The great part is that they can be used anytime (skip the SPF at night, however, because your skin needs time to breathe) during the year. The even better part is that for us sensitive skin people, I guarantee these products won't irritate.
Purpose ($7.99 at Target) is the only moisturizer with SPF that I can use that doesn't make my skin get red, blotchy, and sting. The rest of the time I make sure that my moisturizer doesn't have any SPF, and I instead rely on the sun protection in my foundation. While you can use this at night, I recommend using a night-time treatment or moisturizer that doesn't contain SPF.
Shiseido UV Protective Liquid Foundation SPF 42 ($36.00 at Sephora or Nordstrom)This incredible came to my attention when I worked as a counter manager for Shiseido at Nordstrom. Honestly, once you use this, you might want to use it as a year-round foundation. Check out all the incredible reviews on Sephora.com Allow me to list just a few of the benefits:
1. SPF 42 (no additional sunscreen required!)
2. Water/oil/sweat resistant (it will NOT budge)
4. Beautiful medium to full coverage without feeling too thick
Shiseido Sun Protection Eye Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 34 ($32.50 at Sephora and Nordstrom) This gem of a product moisturizes and protects your eye area, without any irritation. Don't let the price dissuade you, because this tube will last you throughout the entire summer and beyond.
Natural Ice Medicated Lip Protectant/Sunscreen ($1.69 at Walgreens) Forgot Burt's Bees. Seriously. I bought this last year before a trip to Lake Powell, because my lips get burned the second they see the sun. I was in a rush and this was highly visible at the end of an aisle, so I grabbed it before checking out. I'm so grateful I bought this miracle in a tube! It protects my lips, but I also discovered that it eliminates flaking and chapping. When I apply it, my dry skin seems to melt away.
Happy shopping!
xoxo
