This post was sponsored by Hawaiian Tropic as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. I received complimentary products to facilitate my review.
Aloha! I hope everyone have a fantastic 4th of July weekend. If you follow me on Snap or Insta, you may have noticed that I kept my busy hanging out by the water in Hull, MA doing absolutely nothing but taking snaps and 8000 photos of Sunday’s sunset. My boyfriend’s family recently purchased a new home in Hull, a beach town on the south shore of MA. They originally were considering beginning renovations on the house in June, but made the excellent decision to postpone the reno until the fall so they could utilize the house for the summer months. There’s no cable or internet at their house…yet, so it was really nice to unplug and unwind by the sea. I hardly ever took off my Baywatch-inspired red one piece, which sounds gross but you know what I mean. Of course, being outside meant that I packed a bag filled with all of my outdoor essentials. My #1? Sunscreen.
I’m going to tell you an old tale about little high school sophomore k.tab who, along with many of her peers, was obsessed with being tan. Like not the nice glowing tan, like the TAN tan that you get in a tanning bed. I started tanning because I genuinely felt better about my appearance when I had tanned skin, and didn’t want to lose my summer glow. I knew it was bad for me and expensive, but I started going more and more. Come December, many of the girls at my high school were a glowing shade of orange or like they’d been on vacation for the past 9 months. But I didn’t stop there. I kept going tanning until like, June, for fear that I might lose that beautiful tan that smelled like burning flesh. Yum. I literally used to slip out of the classroom of last period and make a beeline to my car so I could get to the tanning salon before anyone else. Isn’t that disgusting? That went on for about a year before I calmed down and only started going tanning a few times before big events like prom, because there’s no way I was gonna look pale for prom. Luckily, by the time senior year rolled around I think I was too broke to afford to go tanning anymore so I stopped, and I haven’t been back since. Moral of the story: do not follow in my footsteps. Tanning beds are bad, bad, bad, bad. Do not give them your money.
I’m fortunate enough to have not yet incurred any serious side effects from my unhealthy habit, but I know it’s coming. It really bums me out that I voluntarily did so much damage to my skin, so I’ve wised up over the years in how I take care of it. Below I’ve shared my go-to tips for keeping your skin safe from the sun – without having to stay cooped up inside all summer!
Let me know what you think of these tips and if you have any others to add onto the list!
Safe Sun Skin Care Tips
Wear SPF on a daily basis. The Melanoma Foundation of New England recommends wearing SPF of 30+ and applying daily to exposed areas of your body. Hawaiian Tropic has made this especially easy with their new Silk Hydration Weightless sunscreen in broad spectrum UVA and UVB SPF 30. This sunscreen could honestly be mistaken for a lotion. It’s breathable formula is so lightweight it barely feels like you’ve put anything on. It has hydrating ribbons of silk protein and shea butter that leave skin feeling moisturize and hydrated. Plus, it smells flipping amazing. I was reapplying it all weekend long and never once felt that sticky sunscreen feeling or smelled like chemical. The pump container also made it virtually mess-free to apply. #winner
Seek shade. Peek sun hours are between 10-2pm. Try to hang out in a hammock under the trees or an umbrella at the beach during these times.
Reapply every two hours. When applying lotion you should use at least 1 oz for your entire body, which is typically the same amount that fills up a shot glass. Honestly, just be a pyscho about it and re-apply as often as you can, and force everyone you’re with to do the same. You’ll also need to re-apply after you’ve been in the water or working up a sweat.
Utilize protective accessories. Perfect excuse to pick up a cute wide-brim beach hat and new sunnies!
Go for faux glow. Invest in a nice self-tanner or bronzer so you can still look sun-kissed, sans damage. I highly recommend the St. Tropez self-tanner for the body, Clinique face self-tanner and Benefit’s Hoola bronzer!
Moisturize. After a long day on the beach, hiking or whatever summer activity of your liking, it’s important to keep your skin nourished once you’re indoors. I’ve been using the companion to my sunscreen, the Sheer Touch Ultra Radiance After Sun lotion. It’s soothing formula of shea butter and mango extract made my skin feel ultra soft. It also has little reflecting pigments for a little bit of extra glow! And again, it smells flipping amazing.
Keep tabs on your moles. If you notice any changes in your moles or freckles, go see your doc right away. Here’s a great guide on the ABC’s of changing moles.
Go see your doc. Getting an annual skin exam with your dermatologist or primary care doctor could help prevent issues in the long run. You should also understand your family history around skin cancer. If a relative has ever had it, you’re going to be at a greater risk.
Embrace your skin! Last, but certainly not the least important of the tips. I don’t know if it’s because I have the mindset of a 75 year-old, but I just don’t give a damn about being tan anymore, and honestly, no one should get that worked up over it. You are you and there’s no one else like you, so embrace your appearance and don’t let anyone dictate what shade your complexion should be. I’m whiter than sour cream most months of the year, and I’m into it.
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