SPF Products For The Summer & Beyond

I'm a firm believer of getting a minimum of 15 minutes of sun exposure daily or at least 3 times per week to as much skin as legally possible to get one's Vitamin D supplies stocked up.  Since Vitamin D is a hormone that the body produces when the skin is exposed to sun, the sun is by far your ideal source - not supplements.  And remember, Vitamin D is fat soluble, so stocking up on it throughout the spring, summer & fall will get you through the winter when getting your sun on isn't so pleasurable or feasible...at least in Ohio.

"Vitamin D supplements are not a substitute for sun exposure, and vitamin D supplements can cause serious side effects with little proven value for most people. Adequate sun exposure in the spring/summer/fall insures adequate stored vitamin D for winter months. Optimally healthy people are able to efficiently convert the storage form of vitamin D to its active form." - Dr. Pam Popper

That being said, sunscreen has its place in a healthy regime.

When I'm playing in the sun for any prolonged period of time, my go-to body sunscreen is Kiss My Face SPF #50 Sunscreen Cool Sport Continuous Spray.  I like that it has an adequate SPF*(anything beyond 30 is not really doing anymore for you), applies in a continuous spray that dries quickly and has a non-chemical scent (tropical coconut).  It's also water resistant for up to 40 minutes.

EWG Rating: 4
SPF 50
$11.99
6 oz.

Verdict: It works, it's convenient!  I always keep in on hand and never travel without it.







That being said, I have been ignoring my daily protection. The times when you're in and out throughout the day, so what's the point?  Well, two sun spots on my face later and I get the point!  I want to have great looking skin well into my twilight years, so I set out to find the perfect SPF protection for my face even beyond the summer months.  Here's what crossed my path...


I started with my go-to brand 100% Pure and tried their Green Tea Oil-free Hydration.  This product features a SPF of 30 and claims to "protect your skin from the sun's harmful UVA (ultra violet aging) and UVB (ultra violet burning) rays, skin cancer, fine lines, wrinkles, sun and age spots."  It's "organic green tea soothes and calms while purifying herbs keep complexion fresh."

EWG Rating: 1
SPF 30
$32.99
1.6 oz.

Verdict: Sigh, it left a white film on my face & therefore eliminated what tan I did have.  The search continued...


 



For my next try, I decided to see what else Kiss My Face had in terms of sun protection, but this time something made specifically for the face.  That brought me to Kiss My Face Face Factor Sun Screen for Face and Neck.

Key Features:

• No parabens
• No nanoparticles
• No artificial colors
• No animal ingredients or testing
• Fragrance free
• Phthalate free
• Gluten free
• Oxybenzone free

EWG Rating: 3
SPF 30
$23
3 - 2oz. bottles

Verdict: I like it.  It goes on light, rubs in easily and doesn't leave a white film, but for everyday wear, it didn't seem quite right.  Not really something you want to conduct a meeting in if you know what I mean.

I thought that my next try should be some type of tinted moisturizer with SPF added.

This brought me to Juice Beauty's Stem Cellular CC Cream.

Besides providing sun protection it also:

• Reduces appearance of fine lines & wrinkles
• Broad spectrum sun protection
• Evens skin tone
• Smooths uneven texture
• Creates a radiant, glowing complexion
• Rich in antioxidants
• Protects with mineral SPF 30
• Ultimate moisturizer
• Skin perfecting color
• Mineral tinted coverage
• No chemical sunscreen
• Non-nano natural sunscreen

At first, I was perplexed about the bottle or the tip rather, then I checked out the company's product information video and everything became clear.  Now I think the applicator tip is a pretty cool feature.

EWG Rating: 1
SPF 30
$39.99
1.7 oz.

Verdict: This is the winner! For now... :)  Despite its awful chemical smell (which goes away quickly), it blends in well, has a barely there feeling and fingers crossed is doing all that other stuff listed above.  I went with Dessert Glow, which not only didn't mask my tan, but also enhanced it!

So get your sun on, but don't forget to protect yourself for the long haul.

Keep it healthy!

*"...According to Spencer, an SPF 15 product blocks about 94% of UVB rays; an SPF 30 product blocks 97% of UVB rays; and an SPF 45 product blocks about 98% of rays. "After that, it just gets silly," he says.  Sunscreens with higher SPF ratings block slightly more UVB rays, but none offers 100% protection." - Dermatologist James M. Spencer, MD


Sources:
http://www.wellnessforum.com/Messager/Newsletters/1367832251624.html
http://www.webmd.com/beauty/sun/high-spf-sunscreens-are-they-better