Not long ago, someone who hasn’t seen me in many years said, “How are you NOT aging?!”
The truth is, I know exactly how: I’m serious about sun protection.
But besides the anti-aging benefits of this, being sun smart is also important in the prevention of melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer.
May is Melanoma Awareness Month, and warm weather is upon us. It’s a great time to stock up on some summer skin essentials. Here are three simple, yet effective, things that I use daily and recommend.
1. Sunglasses
My eyes are very light-sensitive. In the sunlight, they will hurt and water unless I’m wearing sunglasses. So I wear them, year-round, even on overcast days. While I’ve never enjoyed having this condition, there has been a benefit of wearing sunglasses all these years: So far I haven’t developed crow’s feet and the other wrinkles and discoloration one gets from squinting and sun damage. Sunglasses are one of the best anti-aging products around.
Sunglasses are not only functional, they are inexpensive, fun and fashionable. So grab a cute pair with UVA/UVB protection, and go!
2. Sunscreen
When I was growing up, the tan, blonde, “California girl” look was in. And there I was, a pale brunette, feeling hopelessly unfashionable. My skin doesn’t tan. It burns quickly.
As a young adult, I started wearing makeup foundation that includes sunscreen, year-round. Like with the sunglasses, what I thought was a curse ended up being a blessing, as I didn’t develop premature wrinkles and sun damage.
In recent years, however, my skin has become sensitive to the ingredient in most sunscreens. It irritates my skin and causes breakouts, so I had to stop using foundation with sunscreen in it. And it wasn’t just the makeup; even the so-called “sensitive skin, breakout free” facial sunscreen formulas from the drugstore did the same thing.
This was worrisome until I found a great brand called SmartShield. With SmartShield’s oil-free facial sunscreen products, I’ve not had any irritation or breakouts.
I use SmartShield face lotion (SPF 30) every day under my makeup. It’s non-greasy and is the first facial sunscreen I’ve used that works great under foundation.
3. Cute Sun Hat
While I’ve been using sunglasses and sunscreen for years, last summer I also started wearing hats daily for sun protection. I’ve made it a habit to wear one every time I’m out walking. I even keep one in my office for when I go on lunchtime walks.
My favorite type of hats are those that are easily carried on-the-go; and in a neutral color and style that goes with whatever I’m wearing, whether it’s a summer dress or shorts. Pack A Hat from Cappelli Straworld is a great example of this. Pack A Hat is a cute foldable sun hat with a 4 1/2″ brim, and comes with a matching wristlet bag. The one-size-fits-all hat and bag are well-constructed and are available in five colors. I have the white one, and both the hat and the bag have gorgeous metallic silver stripes woven in, giving a delicate, pretty shimmer to the look. The hat is rated with a sun protection factor of UPF 50 because of the opaque material and the way that it is constructed.
Even if you haven’t been faithful with wearing sunscreen, sunglasses or hats, it’s never too late to start! Your beautiful skin will thank you.
Disclosure: I was provided a Pack-A-Hat and SmartShield Sunscreen to review. This post contains affiliate links.
©Michelle Rogers, Inc.
