Break out the beach balls, bikinis and barbeque sauce – summer is upon us! And so is the sweltering sun, of course. If you’re planning to step outside and enjoy the beautiful weather, be sure to protect yourself with a safe, natural and effective sunscreen.
This quick, handy guide will make it easy to choose the sunscreen that’s right for you:
Sunscreen tips:
- Go natural. Conventional sunscreens rely on chemicals to block UV rays – they work well, but they’re also easily absorbed into your skin (eww). Choose a natural sunscreen without parabens, propylene glycol, diazalidonyl urea and oxybenzone.
- Think broad. Look for a broad-spectrum sunscreen that blocks both burn-causing UV-A and damaging UV-B rays.
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- Resist! If you’ll be swimming or sweating, opt for a “sport” sunscreen that’s sweat and water-resistant.
- Start early. Don’t wait until you get to the beach, pool or park – apply a liberal amount least 30 minutes before you plan to be outside. (Don’t forget to cover ears, hands and feet!
- Reapply. How often you should reapply depends on your activity level, how easily you burn and the product’s SPF factor — but at a minimum, you should slather on that sunscreen every 2 hours.
- Protect other parts. Sunscreen protects your skin, but what about other places? Wear a hat to shield your scalp – and use a swipe of SPF-enhanced lip balm to prevent burning or cracking.
