sunscreen

The Not-So-Secret Trick to Youthful Skin: SPF

May 30, 2017 By Lena 43 Comments

We live among a generation that is obsessed with finding the fountain of youth.

Social media. Celebrities. The cover of every fashion magazine. We’re constantly confronted with the notion that youth = happiness, and so we invest time, emotion, and of course, cold hard cash into fighting Mother Nature with a vengeance. We attempt to erase a variety of skin sins from our past: excessive sun exposure, smoking, poor diet, high stress, and a multitude of other grievances that have slowly but surely manifested into fine lines, spots and shadows.

We are constantly looking for a quick fix, a miracle cream, a secret trick to reverse the effects of time.

But what if I told you that there’s a simple way to protect, nourish and improve the look and feel of your skin? What if I told you that there’s proof that sunscreen reduces the signs of aging?

It’s the truth, of course. In addition to protection from skin cancer, regular use of sunscreen with a minimum SPF 30 protects against photoaging: the wrinkling, spotting and loss of elasticity caused by exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet radiation. In fact, simply adding a quality sunscreen to your daily skincare regime can help halt skin aging in its tracks.
Of course, all sunscreens are not created equal. NeoStrata Protective Lotion Mineral Sunscreen SPF 45 is a light, non-greasy lotion that protects skin from the harmful effects of the sun. Quickly absorbed and invisible, this daily lotion is non-comedogenic, so it’s suitable for even the most sensitive skin. And, when it’s paired with a quality moisturizer like Neostrata Wrinkle Repair Moisturizing Cream, you have the ultimate protection against the aging effects of the environment. …

Wear Sunscreen.

September 24, 2013 By Lena

The year was 1997, and Baz Luhrmann’s Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen) was the anthem of the summer. I can recall so many of the lyrics like I listened to them yesterday, and yet, it’s been over 15 years.

I am old.

Baz doled out advice to the emerging generations, often offering pearls of wisdom while chastising us at the same time. But the very beginning of the essay began with the following, well-meaning words:

“Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of ’97: Wear sunscreen.
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it.
The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists,
whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience…
I will dispense this advice now.”

Well friends, it’s officially Fall. And I want to ask you something… Are You Wearing Sunscreen?

Statistically, the answer is likely no. Because most Canadians associate sun protection with the summer months, and unless they have an SPF built into their daily moisturizer, will bypass the option to slather it on. But would you like to hear another statistic?

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, UVA contributes to and may even initiate the development of skin cancers. Most of us are exposed to large amounts of UVA throughout our lifetime because they are 30 to 50 times more prevalent than UVB rays. UVA rays are the same strength year round and penetrate clouds & glass.

Translation: You still need to wear sunscreen while driving to and from work on a rainy day. OUCH.

Another eye opener: In winter, UV rays still occur and can reflect off snow. The colder seasons mean the ozone layer is thinning out. So, there is less ozone in our atmosphere to absorb the sun’s UV radiation. Even though it feels colder outside, there’s actually more of the sun’s harmful rays hitting the earth’s surface and, yes, your skin.

All this information is making me terribly depressed. Because I’ll admit it; I only wear sunscreen when I’m outdoors for an extended period of time over the summer months. So it’s plainly obvious that I feel like a complete a**hole lecturing y’all on the finer points of sunscreen application when I have much to learn myself….

Is it a Moisturizer or Sunscreen? Answer: It’s BOTH! (Sampling Opportunity)

May 5, 2013 By Lena

Now that the warmer temps have finally arrived, it’s safe to talk about suncare without enduring Boo! and Hiss! from my collective audience.

(Technically, y’all should be applying sunscreen all year round. You do know that, don’t you?)

Still, there seems to be a consensus that once the jackets come off and the sunroofs come down, it’s time to break out the sunscreen. However, until recently, it was hard to find product that:

a) wasn’t thick and chalky
b) didn’t take eons to slather on, leaving a gross, sticky feel
c) gave the skin an odd, whitish appearance

Sounds like your sunscreen? Then you’re using the wrong sunscreen, mate.

There’s only one sunscreen for me – Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30. It’s the only sunscreen that has hydrating ribbons for continuous in-sun moisture, which means that it acts more like a high-end moisturizer than a drugstore sunscreen. When paired with the Silk Hydration After Sun Lotion, you are ready to rock and roll.

(I *may* have used Ryder’s Hot Wheels to prop up the product on my snazzy Hawaiian Tropic beach towel. Okay, I admit that I did. A girl’s gotta improvise, you know!)

So here’s the deal. The Silk Hydration Sunscreen incorporates UVA and UVB sun protection with hydrating ribbons infused with silk protein and shea butter. And on top of Hawaiian Tropic’s trusted formula, you’ll also receive 12-hour moisture, a silky, luxurious feel and waterproof protection. Did I forget to mention the signature coconut fragrance? Smells like summer!

And after you’re done enjoying the outdoors, relax with the Silk Hydration After Sun Lotion. The dual ribbon formula pampers and nourishes your skin after a day in the sun with ribbons of aloe, which provides rich, luxurious moisture with cooling effects. With mango, shea butter and 24-hours of hydration, it will be your go-to lotion all year round!…

POOL TIME! Banana Boat Natural Reflect Kids Sunscreen (Sampling Opportunity)

April 24, 2013 By Lena

I’m a blogger. A blogger who accepts product reviews. Hence, products appear on my doorstep every day. Often, my boys are mildly curious – between the pots of eyeshadow, scores of cereal and tubes of toothpaste… sometimes, a really cool toy appears.

And sometimes – a product so synonymous with outdoor fun, sun and family – lands squarely into Ryder’s hands.

Such was the case this morning; Ryder discovered a tube of Banana Boat Natural Reflect Kids Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 in our front hall. Before I knew what was happening, he had raced up the stairs with the lotion in hand. Huh.

Well, since I’m not one to leave a young child unattended, I followed him upstairs and quietly observed.

First, he stripped down to his undies, and then made a beeline for his dresser. There, he tossed around until he found his swim shorts, which he pulled on quickly, with determination. Finally, he ran to my bedroom (which overlooks our backyard), and after climbing on the couch, threw open the shutters!

“POOL TIME!” he announced with glee.

Sadly, there was no pool. And it certainly wasn’t “pool time”: he was confronted with a gloomy, chilly spring day. The faint drizzle mocked his dreams of fun in the sun; the draft from the cool window against his bare chest made him shiver ever so slightly. Even more crushing: I couldn’t resist the moment and insisted that he pose for a quick picture. Yes, I am a cruel mom. I like to caption the picture: “No pool for you.”

Seriously, though – how could I resist? (I may have strategically placed the product while he sank into despair.) He was so gung-ho on having an epic summer experience during this spring from hell – you can’t fault his innocence. Then and there I promised him that on the very first warm day, pool party! (Which will be SOON, I hope!) And then I ordered him to put some clothes on. …