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In 37 days, summer will have officially arrived, but if you ask most moms, the season starts with the first day of no-school summer vacation. Since my 20-month-old is still a few years away from kindergarten, my seasonal clock is still tuned to end of June.
Regardless when summer starts for you, warm-weather skin care and sun protection (for you and your little ones) should be a top priority. Here are a few tips to make sure you stay UV-free this summer, while still maintaining that bronzed, youthful glow:
THREE LITTLE LETTERS: S-P-F
SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. When it comes to protecting your skin, the higher the better, but anything is better than nothing. Personally, I use an SPF 50 face lotion even when it’s cloudy and even in the fall and winter.
Choose a sunscreen with UVA/UVB protection (a.k.a. “broad spectrum”) to shield yourself from all potentially damaging rays. Also, just like most celebrity romances, sunscreen only lasts about a year, so use the start of summer as a cue to replace any SPF products you may have in your beach bag. While you’re in the bag, throw in a sun hat for you and the kids. Another layer never hurts.
THREE MORE LITTLE LETTERS: T-A-N
Now I know what you’re probably thinking: “If I slather on all that SPF, how am I supposed to get that summer tan I need before heading to the pool with the kids?” Good question. I’m fare skinned myself, so I can relate to your worries about not wanting to blind the lifeguard with your thighs.
Today, there are more sunless tanning products than ever, and they’ve come a long way from the products used by our parents (and Jersey Shore stars) to achieve that Oompa-Loompa-like orange glow. I use a lightly tinted skin moisturizer instead of heavy foundation on my face. There are also plenty of sunless tanning lotions to choose from. You might also consider tanning sprays (dries fast and lasts several days) or tanning towelettes.
So there you have it. A few tips to protect your skin and a few more to make it glow! I could go on and on about summertime beauty tips, but I more interested in your ideas. What skin care or beauty secrets will you be using this summer?
What an adorable daughter you have. I’m sure protecting that little cutie pie is a high priority. I am a stickler for putting sunscreen on myself and my children, along with hats and sunglasses with UV protection. I really love the sunscreen sprays. They spray on lightly and evenly. My favorite is Aveeno because it smells so nice.
That’s a sweet picture of the Diva. Also, great tips!
For my kids I really love the 2-piece swimsuits that are sun-shirts and bottoms. We are very fair skinned and I lather on the sunscreen. My dermatologist tells me to use Neutrogena and it works for us. I know others prefer something more organic. She also warned me about sprays…majority don’t use enough of it and don’t reapply enough so I stick with lotions.
Thanks for the tip on the sprays. We always use lotion too. I would think the sprays would be blowing all over the place!