By: Emily Oberg
I’ll say it— I love the sun. I know some people avoid it like the plague in order to keep their skin as perfect and spotless as possible, but there’s nothing I love more than a sun kissed face in the summertime. While I definitely spend less time laying out than I did in my teenage years, I can’t help but soaking it up sometime, especially when I’m on vacation. I also think it’s nonsense to go somewhere beautiful like Sicily or the south of Spain and not enjoy some time in the sun! With that being said, I always make sure to protect my skin with a good SPF. There’s a few brands and products in particular that I absolutely love and make sure to stock up on during the summer months.
First, I will say it’s important to use sunscreen that is clean— meaning it doesn’t contain harsh chemicals, parabens or fragrances that could potentially cause both short and long term damage. A lot of traditional sunscreen can be filled with toxic chemicals so it’s important to avoid that if you have the means to. In the past few years, clean sunscreen has become a craze and I couldn’t be happier about it.
Everyday I use sunscreen on my face, even if I’m not going to be in the sun for long. In Los Angeles, it’s sunny pretty much year round, so even if you’re driving, or running errands, you are destined to have some type of sun exposure throughout the day. My favorite is REN’s SPF 30 Mattifying Sunscreen. This formula contains “Non-nano zinc to protect, rice starch to help stop shine, and passionfruit seed extract for a boost of antioxidants that defend against free radical damage.” My skin is sensitive and I try not to use a lot of different products at a time. I’ve had no reactions to this and I also love the way it makes my skin look. Not shiny or oily, just perfectly matte, but not in a dull or drying way.
I always keep sunscreen in my car because our hands are constantly exposed to the sun and are one of the first things that age. I’ll apply sunscreen to my hands a few times a day and if the sun is extra strong, I’ll wear UV protective driving gloves. For this I use Coola’s Classic Face Sunscreen. Coola is another clean sunscreen brand that uses Plant Protection— a proprietary blend of naturally effective and antioxidant-rich nutrients.
My favorite sun care brand of all has to be Supergoop, another clean, non-toxic and reef safe brand. I am truly in love with their SPF 50 resetting mist. I spray this on my face a few times a day on my face, neck and chest. It’s a lightweight mist that adds an extra boost of protection when the sunscreen we applied earlier in the day starts to lose its power. I’m equally obsessed with their Glow Oil, a nourishing sunscreen oil. I used to apply both a cream sunscreen AND a body oil when I tan, but this is a 2 in 1 product that feels and smells amazing. I use this all summer long on my entire body and never burn.
So, enjoy the sun, afterall Vitamin D is something we all need and are deficient in. But just make sure to protect your skin while you’re at it.
