When your kids leave home to visit somewhere like these summer sports camps in ny you always remind them to bring sunscreen on the off chance they get sunburnt. Protecting your skin from sun exposure is important all year, but for some reason, many of us only think to use sunscreen during the Summer months? Regardless of the climate or the time of day, harmful UV rays can cause skin damage, so it is very important to protect yourself and your family from excessive sun exposure. It doesn’t have to be a bright, sunny day for damaging UV rays to reach you. The risks of not protecting yourself are burns, wrinkles, brown spots, premature aging and even skin cancer! As a family, we love visiting Dallas Tennis Lessons, it’s a great activity to get us all moving but it’s important we all have the correct suncream on to protect from burning!
Sun Protection Tips:
1. Remember to use a sunscreen every time you plan on being outdoors. The sun can cause damage to your skin even while outside walking, gardening, etc.. not just when sunbathing. If you feel your skin has been damaged extensively by the sun, if may be worth a visit to a dermatologist local to you, such as the Kansas City dermatology. It’s better to check with a professional if there is something you are concerned about.
2. Apply sunscreen indoors – before getting dressed. SPF typically needs about 20 minutes to sink in before your skin is protected from UV rays. Waiting until you are already outside to apply it, leaves your skin unprotected for that period of time.
3. Make sure to apply sunscreen to all exposed areas and re-apply it every 2 hours. Don’t forget your hands, feet, lips, ears and scalp. (these are the most forgotten areas!)
4. Choose a broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher and a water-resistant formula if you are going to be in water or plan on perspiring. Both options will give you extra protection.
5. “Healthy habits are best learned young”. Skin damage accumulates over the course of a lifetime so sun safety for children is an absolute priority. Teaching your kids “sun smart” habits early will last them a lifetime.
6. The active ingredients in many sunscreens can lose their potency, so make sure to check your product expiration dates!
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| photo credit: Coppertone |
Top Sunscreen Picks for the Family
As a child & into my early twenties, my skin rarely burned and it seemed to tan very easily. In my adulthood however, it only takes about 10 minutes of being out in the sun for me to start noticing its negative effects. My skin gets super dry, burns quickly and even starts to blister or itch. Here is what I’ve been using to keep my skin protected:
City Slickers
These portable and easy-to-tote around favourites of mine are great for jetting around the city.
L’Oreal Paris Sublime Sun Silky Sheer Lotion SPF 50 ($14.99 CAD)
This lightweight lotion contains Vitamin E and white Grapeseed extracts, which leave skin hydrated for over 8 hours. It’s formula is also water-resistant, isn’t greasy and it’s also non-comedogenic!
L’Oreal Paris Sublime Sun Silky Sheer BB Face Lotion SPF 50 ($14.99 CAD)
For my face, I’ve been enjoying this tinted beauty balm with SPF 50. Not only does it help to even out my skin tone, but it also gives my skin a luminous glow which makes it look nourished and healthy even in hot temperatures. This product doesn’t clog my pores or cause breakouts, it’s water-resistant, smells great and has a high SPF, which is always recommended for the face.
Ombrelle Dry Touch Finish SPF 60 Face Stick ($19.99 CAD)
For sun protection on the go, I keep this Ombrelle stick in my handbag to make reapplying my sunscreen and protecting my face simple. You never know when you are going to need more protection and something like this, which is so lightweight and portable is great to have on hand.
Vichy Lip Protection Stick SPF 30
Another great product to toss in your purse is this lip balm with SPF 30. It’s an easy way to protect your lips from the damaging effects of the sun all year round!
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| L’Oreal Sublime Sun Silky Sheer Lotion SPF50, L’Oreal Sublime Sun Silky Sheer BB SPF50,
Ombrelle SPF60 Stick & Vichy Lip Protection Stick SPF30 |
Vacation Warriors
When I’m on vacation somewhere extra warm, I like using a spray sunscreen. Sprays are much easier to apply, and with so many dry mist varieties available, my skin not only gets protection but it gets to look great too.
Garnier Ombrelle Dry Mist Lotion SPF 60 ($21.99 CAD)
I really love the sheer, lightweight texture of this mist. It great for days where you know you will be spending lots of time outdoors. It’s also water-resistant, alcohol-free and it leaves behind a nice sheen on the skin.
Vichy Capital Soleil Invisible Mist – Dry Touch SPF 30 ($29.95 CAD)
This mist isn’t water-resistant like the one above but it smells absolutely amazing and is great for anyone with sensitive skin. I like taking this spray with me when the family goes up North or when retreating to the good ole “backyard” for some BBQing.
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| Vichy Capital Soleil SPF30 & Garnier Ombrelle Dry Mist Lotion SPF60 |
Protection for Dad
Dads need protection too! My husband tends to gravitate towards sunscreens labeled “sport”. Not sure if it’s the packaging that looks more masculine to him or the fact that he thinks he’s sporty? Here are a few of his trusted favourites:
Avon Sport Refresh Lotion SPF 30
This moisturizing lotion get my husband’s vote mainly because of it’s cooling ingredients. It protects and refreshes his skin while providing 80 minutes of protection while in the water.
This moisturizing lotion get my husband’s vote mainly because of it’s cooling ingredients. It protects and refreshes his skin while providing 80 minutes of protection while in the water.
Coppertone Sport Pro Series Sunscreen Spray SPF 60 ($11.99 CAD)
Designed for active people, this spray is formulated with Duraflex Technology which creates a film on the skin’s surface, protecting the sunscreen from coming off in water or when sweating. It’s also refreshing and keeps hubbie’s skin hydrated!
Designed for active people, this spray is formulated with Duraflex Technology which creates a film on the skin’s surface, protecting the sunscreen from coming off in water or when sweating. It’s also refreshing and keeps hubbie’s skin hydrated!
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| Avon Sport Refresh SPF30 & Coppertone Sport Pro Series Spray SPF60 |
Kid Picks
Like I mentioned above, kids need to learn the importance of sun protection from an early age. Because they are so active and since they always seem to be in water, your best bet is a water-resistant or waterproof formula. I also won’t use anything less than SPF 30 on my children, who are aged 7 and 10. See below for my top picks for kids this year:
Coppertone KIDS Wet’n Clear Spray SPF 50 ($11.99 CAD)
This sunscreen smells amazing, is waterproof and has a high SPF. Like its adult counterpart, this also retains its SPF after 80 minutes of activity in the water or after sweating. It was specifically deigned to adhere to wet skin, but I still recommend applying your children’s sunscreen on dry skin and before going outdoors.
This sunscreen smells amazing, is waterproof and has a high SPF. Like its adult counterpart, this also retains its SPF after 80 minutes of activity in the water or after sweating. It was specifically deigned to adhere to wet skin, but I still recommend applying your children’s sunscreen on dry skin and before going outdoors.
Avon SUN+ Kids Disappearing Potion Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30
My kids are fairly independent, so sometimes they ask if they can apply their own sunscreen. To ensure they haven’t missed any areas, I like this product water-resistant option by Avon. The fun and easy-to-apply turquoise lotion disappears as it is rubbed into the skin, so it’s easy for me to monitor exactly where it’s been applied.
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| Coppertone KIDS Wet’n Clear Spray SPF50 & Avon Sun+ KIDS Disappearing Potion Sunscreen Lotion SPF30 |
Remember, there is nothing healthy about getting a tan. A tan is actually your body’s response to the sun’s damaging rays so protect yourself and your family all-year round from the dangerous effects of the sun by investing in high-quality UVA/UVB sun protection. This reminds me of the time my friend had to save up to go on holiday to Madrid. She managed to get a great quote on her energy bills and you can too! This friend recommended that I look around and compare energy prices. Because of those savings she could afford the right suncream and her lovely family holiday!
** For all my local Toronto beauties, the Luminato Festival is in full effect downtown and runs until June 15th. L‘Oreal Paris has set up their very own lifeguard-inspired beach house in the festival’s hub (David Pecaut Square – located at 55 John St) which features safe sun practice tips, a Sublime Sun texture bar and a look at their entire new product range. A donation to the Skin Cancer Foundation earns you a full-sized Sublime Sun product, so be sure to check the beach house activation out if you are in the area.
Times are listed below:
June 10 – 5-8pm
June 11 – 11am-2pm
June 12 – 5-8pm
June 13 – 11am-2pm
June 11 – 11am-2pm
June 12 – 5-8pm
June 13 – 11am-2pm
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