My Summer Sun Essentials

I love summer and spending time by the pool…in the shade, lol! I do actually get in the water and lay out later in the afternoon when the sun’s burning rays aren’t quite as strong. However, I have very fair skin and burn easily, so I have to be vigilant when it comes to sun protection. I wear sunscreen on my face daily but if I’m going to be spending extended periods of time outside, I never leave the house without my sunscreen (face & body), sunglasses (to protect my eyes and the delicate skin around them) and hat (to protect my scalp and hair color).

If I plan on swimming, I make sure to coat my hair with a leave-in conditioner to help protect it from the chlorine. Plus, I recently learned that adding a bit of baking soda to your shampoo is a great, and inexpensive way, to gently remove chlorine and styling products from your strands.

I don’t necessarily have favorite products when it comes to sunscreen other than the one I use on my face. Neutrogena’s Age Shield Face Lotion with SPF 70 works really well for me and doesn’t irritate my sensitive skin – plus, it’s waterproof. The higher the SPF the better, especially if you use products that contain AHA’s (alpha hydroxy acid) or salicylic acid. Both products will make your skin extremely sensitive to the sun and a SPF of 50 or more should be used, and re-applied regularly, if you plan on being outside.

For body, I use a waterproof sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher and prefer the convenience of a spray. However, if you use sunless tanner like I do, you’ll want to switch to an oil-free lotion because spray sunscreen contains alcohol and most lotion formulas contain oil – both will cause the tanner to fade quickly and/or come off in blotches. Neutrogena has an oil-free line that’s inexpensive and works great. Shop my affiliate link here: Neutrogena Oil-Free Sunscreen