Sun Rays For Days

Illustrated by Jacqueline Davis Moranti

I like to think I have a pretty good skincare routine. From washing, to exfoliating, deep treatments and moisturizing, but the one thing that I will never forget in my routine is proper sunscreen. Anyone can buy all the wrinkle creams in the world but without some spf in their regimen then it's quite worthless, even with the $90 tub of face cream. Sunscreen is the absolute, most effective skin care product there is, it helps prevent against premature aging, skin cancer and melanoma. I know a lot of people that tend to skip this step, mostly because they don't know why it's so pertinent or because it's texture doesn't coincide with their makeup. Sunscreen is not just for the beach, ladies and gentlemen and skin cancer sees no color.

I was probably about 12 years old when I got my first sunburn. I was away on vacation with my family, in sunny Dominican Republic. I was enjoying every minute on the beach, taking in all of the breath taking views of the clear blue water. Next day I woke up with some patchy red skin on my face and my body. From that point on, I vowed to always use sunscreen to protect my skin from future damage. 

Whenever I buy a moisturizer, I make sure to buy one with spf. Now that it's summer, I hike up my protection from 15 to 30 or even 50. I don't play around with mother nature! Lately I've been using coTZ's Flawless Complexion spf 50 (Click on product names for more info) for my face. It's a gentle formula that protects against uv rays without making you breakout or sting your eyes! In the past I have used sunscreen on my face that left me feeling greasy and clogged, coTZ definitely doesn't do that! When I apply this, I make sure to put on an even layer and start from the center of my face outwards. And I never forget to apply on my neck too. The neck is one of the most easiest and vulnerable spots to forget. This product also contains a bit of tint to provide you with sheer coverage. 

For my body, I like to use heavy duty equipment, high performance, sweat proof sunscreen such as Coppertone Sport Lotion. Breathable, waterproof, oil free, non greasy formula protects me from UVA and UVB rays. It's a great option especially for those morning jogs, afternoon bike rides or those outdoor work outs. Since it's so lightweight there's no need to worry about sweating in thick sunscreen. 

I'm pretty sure the last thing on most people's mind is their hair when it comes to sunscreen. Our hair strands can fall prey to the sun's strong rays and become weaker and drier, thus condemning us to frequent deep conditioning treatments. I protect my strands with Clarins Sunscreen Care Milk Lotion Spray. It hydrates our strands too and infuses it with anti aging nutrients. It also smells heavenly!

There you have it, my arsenal for sun protection! Don't let Mother Nature stop you from having fun this summer, protect yourself from skin cancer and other terrible skin conditions. Dear readers, what are your thoughts on sunscreen?