May 23, 2011

Our 5 Sunscreen for Face and Body Picks

Check out our five sunscreen for face and body picks from Cellceuticals Skin Care, Hissyfit, La Roche Posay, Nature’s Gate, and VMV Hypoallergenics.

Unfortunately, not everyone views using sunscreen as a year-round responsibility. In fact, some only think about protecting their skin during the summer months. If this is the case, then today is the official start of summer and it’s time to start protecting your skin from sun exposure. No matter your need, there’s a sunscreen for you:

For those of who want a fragrance-free sunblock with natural ingredients, try Nature’s Gate Face Block SPF 25 ($12, amazon.com). It’s a lightweight, non-greasy formula that contains (but not limited to) guava, almond and tomato extracts which all work together to heal skin, and act as an antioxidant to protect your skin from damage like skin cancer.

CellCeuticals PhotoDefense Anti-PhotoAging SPF 55+ ($45, cellceuticalskincare.com) is especially formulated with ingredients that provide anti-aging protection and contains Vitamin D which strengthens the skins natural defenses.

If you have sensitive skin, La Roche-Posay Anthelios 45 Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid ($27.90, laroche-posay.us.com) is a good option. This sunscreen is actually good for all skin types and when applied, leaves a matte finish. There’s nothing worse than looking greasy and feeling sticky after applying sunscreen.

Fragrance-lovers will enjoy HissyFit Body Double Anti-Aging Body Moisturizer SPF 30+($45, hissyfit.com) because as you massage it in you get a burst of vanilla, orange and grapefruit scent. You’ll also appreciate this two-in-one product because it not only protects, it moisturizes.

If you have a vacation planned to the tropics, then pack VMV Hypoallergenics Armada Face Cover 30 ($36.55, vmvhypoallergenics.com). This sunscreen is lightweight and evaporates into your skin quickly which makes it ideal for oily and acne-prone skin types. Another benefit of this face cover is that it treats melasma, also known as the pregnancy mask. To purchase, all HueKnewIt readers get a 10% discount at VMVHypoallergenics.com. See the code and details below:

Code: VMVHUEKIT. Valid until Dec 31, 2010, 12AM EST. Can be used 200 times. No minimum purchase required.

Tip 1: Always apply sunscreen at least fifteen minutes before going outside.

Tip 2: If you’ve been perspiring or have taken a dip in the pool, remember to reapply sunscreen.

——————-

Update on Monday, May 23, 2011

There’s a category of sun-worshipping folk out there who aren’t swayed easily by the phrase,”wear sunscreen daily.” Are you one of them? This sect should be aware of the down sides of not wearing sunscreen at all over a prolonged period of time – here are two more good reasons:

Reason #1

Sun exposure aggravates existing acne breakouts and slows down the healing of wounds, therefore, taking them longer to disappear and raising the chances of permanent scarring – as if black women need one more skin issue to contend with. So what begs the question is can people with acne wear sunscreen? Absolutely. In fact, UV Clear SPF 46 by Elta MD ($29, dermstore) helps to fight acne while it protects your skin from the sun.

Tip: People with acne-proned skin should look for sunscreen products that contain zinc oxide (blocks UVA & UVB rays).

Reason #2

Do yourself a favor and avoid one obvious pitfall – looking like this woman. Albeit an extreme example, it’s important to note that sun exposure over time with no sun protection of any kind dries and damages your skin, or worse, you could develop the mildest form of cancer – basal-cell carcinoma.

Now that you’ve been given even more information on the benefits of wearing sunscreen, maybe you’ll become an ambassador of the sunscreen movement! And if that message doesn’t move you, then think of it this way, preserve your sexy long into the future or pay the consequences.

Hue Knew It? I did.