Summer Days, Harmful Rays…Protecting Your Skin with Sunscreen

by Kelly Petrone

Sunscreen is a wise investment in skincare that you can’t afford to skip if you want to keep your skin and that of your kids healthy, young and beautiful! So during your travels this summer, make sure you are protecting your skin with sunscreen.

Summer is almost here, and if you’re anything like me you’ve been dreaming of the warm weather for months! Sipping on a pina colada, relaxing in a lounge chair, and trying to become a bronzed goddess are just a few things on my mind. Is it just me, or does having a tan make you feel so much better? A little color makes us feel great, but what we don’t realize is how badly we are damaging our skin in the process. Our theme for the month of May is “Travel” and on this lovely Beauty Thursday, we are “traveling” straight into the topic of protecting your skin with Sunscreen!

Why You Need To Keep Protecting Your Skin With Sunscreen

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month. Skin Cancer is the most common cancer in the United States. With that being said, it is necessary for our mamas to know the importance of protecting our own skin, as well as protecting our kiddos! Sun protection is essential to prevent skin cancer, and we must know the proper ways to protect ourselves and stay safe.

So, what is Sunscreen? What does it do? Sunscreen is a product made up of ingredients that help prevent the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation from reaching your precious skin. SPF, stands for Sun Protection Factor- basically, a measurement of a product’s ability to prevent your skin from the harmful rays of the sun. Broad-Spectrum sunscreens protect against the harmful effects of both UVA (aging rays) and UVB (burning rays). Sunburn is never fun, what with all that discomfort, redness, and unslightly peeling, and even less so because it leads to premature skin aging and wrinkling… definitely not fun!

Cosmetologists, dermatologists, and beauty advisers pretty much universally agree that you should protect your skin with sunscreen each and every day that you step outside. It can easily become part of your daily regimen if your moisturizer or foundation includes sun protection, as some but not all of these types of products do. Two examples:

— Chanel Ultra Correction Lift Firming Sunscreen Day Cream provides Broad Spectrum SPF 15 in an excellent moisturizer for skin that gives lots of added benefits.

–Prescriptives Flawless Skin Total Protection Makeup is a foundation which protects with SPF 15 while giving your skin tone a smooth and natural looking finish.

When traveling, it is even more important to pack lots of sunscreen in that suitcase or beach bag! Even on a cloudy day, the sun is strong enough to burn you and ruin a good vacation. If you and your children are protected with sunscreen, you can enjoy outdoor activities together without risking your health.

Now that you understand why you should be protecting your skin with sunscreen, here is a sunscreen checklist for your travels this Summer:

1. Always pack a variety of SPF’s, the lowest should be SPF15.
2. Apply sunscreen at least 20 minutes prior to any sun exposure.
3. Make sure you are applying enough sunscreen to you and your child- dermatologists recommend 3 tablespoons for the whole body.
4. Don’t forget about the small spots- like ears, neck and feet!
5. Reapply every 2 hours- more frequently if swimming or sweating.
6. Pack hats, sunglasses, and protective clothing for you and your family.
7. As with so many things, children often resist sunscreen application. Try making a game of it or using a spray-on sunscreen which hastens the process!

The Giveaway

We have partnered with Blue Lizard Sunscreen and Australian Gold to offer you all an awesome prize pack of 3 awesome sunscreen options to keep you protected this summer! Enter below and the winner will be chosen on May 23rd! Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

So happy travels, lovely Mamas. Enjoy those rays shining on you and your family this summer, knowing you are all protected. Do you have any favorite sunscreens to share?

Fashionably Yours,
Kelly