In all my years of life, I’ve never been a huge user of sunscreen. Whenever my mom would tell me to slather the white lotion on my face and body before jumping into a pool I would cringe in disgust. It always seemed like an unnecessary step to take to distract me from my ultimate goal: swimming. Slowly as I’ve grown up and become more involved in outdoor activities, I’ve tried to embrace a life full of SPF. In band, we’re constantly outdoors for up to 11+ hours in the sun (during camps and certain rehearsals), which demands globs of sunscreen every half and hour to try and avoid the dreaded sunburn.
I recently read an article on Refinery 29 that talked about the dangers of tanning and staying in the sun for too long. Although I’ve heard all about melanoma and skin cancers, I only recently realized the intense damage that excess sun exposure can cause. After getting extremely sunburned a few weeks ago (after two 9 hour long rehearsals), I immediately started researching what the best sunscreens and SPF loaded beauty products are. I also searched my stash to find any sun protectants to keep at the front of my bathroom vanity. The Diorsnow UV Shield SPF 50 PA +++ was the first I found. The face sunscreen has a good amount of SPF compared to a lot of sunscreens on the beauty market. Although it’s quite pricey, it lasts extremely long and doesn’t leave the skin with a greasy layer under makeup. The Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer SPF 15 has been a favorite of mine for a couple of years now. The amount of SPF is inadequate for daily use, but it does add a hint of sun protection to layer on top of a face sunscreen. It doesn’t leave my skin with a thick film on top and keeps my face quite matte throughout the day. A new favorite of mine for the summer time is the Laura Mercier Oil Free Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20. This tinted moisturizer adds the perfect amount of coverage along with a decent amount of SPF for everyday. After layering the tinted product on top of my Dior sunscreen, I’m left with the perfect sun coverage for the summer. Last but not least is an excellent sunscreen for the body. The Neutrogena Ultimate Sport Sunscreen SPF 100+ has the most SPF I’ve ever seen in a drugstore sunscreen. If you’re like me and are constantly out in the sun, this is the body sunscreen for you. 100+ SPF is amazing for those who need the extra protection, especially for the summer heat! One thing I’ve learned in the past few years is to protect your skin. It might seem like a menial task that’s completely unnecessary, but you only get one face and one body. Do your best to protect your skin from cancer and early aging by using as much SPF as possible!
