Vitamin D is a wonderful, healthy benefit of the warm summer sun rays. Sunburns are not. The minor repercussions of sun overexposure include dry skin, premature aging, and skin discoloration. The major risk, as we all know now, is skin cancer. As someone who is extremely fair skinned (and I mean I don’t turn a color besides red, after which I peel and turn fish belly white again) I can’t mess around and be all laissez-faire about my sun exposure.
The American Academy of Dermatology recommends the use of a broad-spectrum, SPF 30 sunblock to provide your skin with adequate protection against the sun’s harmful UV rays, but no less than a SPF 15 rating for minimal daily sun exposure. To protect myself and my little ones, I keep a PABA-free and paraben-free sunblock right there on the bathroom counter. That way it’s right in front of me and I can’t “forget.”
Despite the fact that my kids inherited Mr. Bombshell’s olive-toned skin, they are rubbed down with California Baby SPF 30 No Fragrance (which lessens the complaints) every morning before school, and their little noses and cheeks are protected with a swipe of California Baby SPF 30 Plus Sunblock Stick. If we’re going to be outdoors for a prolonged period, say at the zoo, the beach or the pool, I bring out the big guns. Babyganics Cover-Up Baby SPF 50 is a mineral-based sunblock that remains water/sweat proof for up to 80 minutes.
Though I’ve always used a daily facial moisturizer with sunblock, I’ve recently switched to Yes To Inc. Blueberries Daily Facial Moisturizer with SPF 30 and I’m loving it. The higher level of protection is really helping me protect my skin as I work to lighten the already-existing sun damage. As for the rest of my body, Alba Botanic Very Emollient Fragrance-Free SPF 30 Sunscreen does a wonderful job of protecting my skin without being greasy. I even use it on my poor, sad, bald Chihuahua to keep him from getting sunburned!
And make sure you keep a small bottle of emergency sunblock that will work for the whole family in your car or diaper bag, like Nature’s Gate Sport Block, for those spur of the moment family outings. Keep your family safe, keep your family healthy, and keep your family fun.