What happened to the days when slapping on some sunscreen at the beach once or twice was sufficient? When most of us were growing up, that was generally the attitude toward sun protection; a coating once a day or so was more than enough, and if you ended the day with slightly pink cheeks? No big deal — it’s summer, right? A “little bit of color” was generally considered to be fine.
Well, sadly, things have changed. No long is it simply the sunburn we have to avoid; many dermatologists maintain that any change in skin color counts as sun damage, which can contribute to skin cancer. And, the prevalence of skin cancer is only on the rise: according to The Skin Cancer Foundation, incidence of melanoma in females more than doubled between 1973 and 2004. And, skin cancer is very serious for young women: “Women aged 39 and under have a higher probability of developing melanoma than any other cancer except breast cancer.”
So, the time to take care of our skin is not in a few years when visible signs of sun damage start to crop up — the time is now, and thankfully, beauty companies are taking note and packing products from eye cream to primer to hair mist with major SPF. I’ve rounded up some of my favorite protective products for you today; whether you’re hitting the sidewalk or the beach, these luxurious products will make covering up downright beautiful!
featured image via anyonegirl
Lavanilla Sport Luxe SPF 30 Face and Body Cream
Lavanila has been a beauty cult favorite for its healthy, effective natural deodorants — and now they’ve outdone themselves by creating a natural sunscreen that’s designed to be long-lasting without relying on harsh chemicals to make it water-resistant.
Kate Somerville Prime Protection Dual Action Primer
As a pale lady in sunny, sweltering NYC, my daily sun-protection strategy is to layer on SPF at every stage of my beauty game. This primer is perfect to add an extra shot of coverage over my moisturizer.
Supergoop! Advanced SPF 37 Anti Aging Eye Cream
SPF eye cream may sound unnecessary, but let me tell you: when I recently got a little lazy with applying my daily sun protection, I started to see light sun spots around my eye area within days. This skin is thin, and extra-sensitive, so making sure that you have extra coverage here on the daily is essential.
Armani Maestro Liquid Bronzer
Of course, spending an entire summer looking as pale as you did in mid-February isn’t very fun — healthy though it may be — so I love a good bronzer. This luxurious liquid from Giorgio Armani comes in three shades, and boasts SPF 15.
Peter Thomas Roth Instant Mineral 45
We know, we know — we’re supposed to be slathering on new layers of SPF every couple of hours, rain or shine. The responsible lady in me knows this, but the beauty maven in me balks at the idea of ruining my makeup look to slather on sunscreen. The solution? This genius powder sunscreen — I think it should be a staple in every girls’ bag, all summer long.
Yes to Cucumbers Natural Sun Stick SPF 30
When it comes to natural, affordable skin care I love the Yes To Cucumbers line — I have been known to chase family and friends around with this fresh-smelling stick if they start to look at all pink!
Pre-Soleil Hair Mist
Protecting one’s hair (and, ahem, one’s expensive highlights) is always priority — but, I urge you to pick up a UV-protective hair mist mainly because the skin on the part in your hair is so vulnerable to sunburn. Spray your hair and scalp down and slick your hair back — you’ll be the chicest and the smartest lady at the beach!
