Skincare While Out in the Sun

I recently returned from a seaside beachy vacation that hit just the right spot.

While on vacation I found myself purchasing additional SPF products, because one of the two I brought had been a little old and granular when applying (not a good sight to see, trust me). I had also underestimated the quantity of product that I would need.

When at the store, I found myself at a crossroads of decisionmaking...I always prefer oil free, face-safe products with 25-ish spf...yet I found myself faced with mostly sport-oriented, long-lasting products (many in spray form) which aren't my exact cup of tea. Lots of tinkering and decision-making.

Throughout enjoying various outdoor activities and laying on the beach... I realized that the sun and heat were strong enough to cause a need to reapply these SPF lotions on a very regular basis. This just became automatic after the first day, and thank goodness too! Areas that were more strongly hit were the shoulders, top of chest, and knees--these are important areas that I need to pay special attention to on my next trip to a sunny location.

I had begun thinking that a 15 or 25 spf product would suffice, as I had packed them in the suitcase. Suddenly, onsite, I realized that the intensity of the sun's rays in the location we were in, merited a little more coverage, such as 45-50 spf. Sometimes you don't know how much product or coverage you will need until you are on-location, but at least the products I took with me helped me compensate until I was able to acquire the appropriate product.

So lessons learned for sunny climates?

• apply spf liberally, then check for reapplication or a need for a stronger spf
• check which areas of your body are more prone to sunburn or redness, and concentrate on those when you are applying product to your entire body
• make sure you protect your face to prevent photoaging and premature wrinkling
• bring a hat to help protect sensitive and spf unfriendly hair parts...scalp burn is not pretty when it starts peeling off!
• enjoy yourself in sand, sea, and surf, but remember to reapply, reapply, reapply!
  
  Wishes for an excellent summer!