Meg Geisler is the founder of SPF Love, a non-profit organization devoted to protecting our skin. Meg knows putting sunscreen on herself and her family was the only way to prevent skin damage. But Meg does not want to stop at her family, she wants to help all of us. She’s on a crusade to change our addiction to the tan and through SPF Love she has started that crusade.
It’s right about now with Memorial Day and the warm weather that we step outside into the bright sun on a regular basis. Meg wanted remind us all that we need watch out for our skin so she supplied us with a few tips…
All sunscreen is not created equal.
Sunscreen should protect against both both UVA (rays that damage collagen and elastin and cause wrinkles) and UVB rays (cause redness and burning).
Look for brands that contain the mineral Zinc Oxide which blocks/reflects the suns rays. Titanium Dioxide has the same effect but apparently is a bit less effective due to higher absorbency. All natural sunscreens are also a great option!
Sunscreens that claim to be above 30 to 50 SPF are not that much more effective.
Apply your sunscreen at home, in the buff, not only are you less likely to miss a spot, this allows time to for the sunscreen to absorb.
I find the sprays to be the easiest to apply (but the aerosols are not good to breath and bad for the ozone!). Many natural versions have started to include a pump spray. Love it!
Sunscreen can not effectively be applied to the scalp (hats are a must) and don’t forget the ears! When swimming though, apply to the part in your hair.
No sunscreen is waterproof; some are more water resistant. Read the directions on the bottle, some say to reapply every 90 minutes but always reapply after a swim or a good sweat.
