Hello Lovelys! Today I am going to talk about a few sun essentials while I was on my Mexico vacation last week. Everyone loves that beautiful golden sun kissed glow without the expense of damaging sun rays. I have fair skin so I burn and tan easily if I stay in the sun too long. It’s best to use sunscreen to stay protected or self tan for a fake glow, or in my case do both.
Let me just say right now, don’t bring new products that you’ve never tried while you are on vacation. You never know if your skin is going to have a reaction to it. A few years ago I broke out in red bumps on my neck and arms with a new sunscreen I was using while I was on vacation. It was my fault for not reading the ingredients first and secondly for not trying it out before I went on vacation. I’ve learned my lesson since then and test beforehand. I tend to have super sensitive skin when it comes to using sunscreen. I prefer using physical sunscreens vs chemical sunscreens.
What is the difference between physical and chemical? Physical sunscreens typically sit on skin and reflect the sun’s rays. The active ingredients are minerals, titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. Less irritating for those with sensitive skin and more moisturizing. Chemical sunscreens absorb into the skin and absorb UV rays. The rays convert into heat and are released from the body. The active ingredients are avobenzone, octinoxate and oxybenzone. If you have sensitive skin, stay away from these three ingredients. From my past experience, these ingredients have triggered horrible allergic reactions on my skin.
Two physical sunscreens that I am comfortable using are from Drunk Elephant and COOLA. Both use natural organic ingredients without the toxic chemicals. I use these for both face and body and have not experienced any reaction.
Drunk Elephant Umbra Sheer Physical Daily Defense Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 30 (Zinc Oxide 20%)| $34USD, 3oz
This sunscreen has a nice creamy texture. It may seem a bit thick but it is easy to blend into skin. Sometimes I mix a pump of Drunk Elephant B-hydra gel for extra moisture. I usually apply a very thin layer and make sure to rub it in well. It leaves my skin with a dewy finish, but not greasy. Upon application it may seem like I have a white cast but once it has all sunk into my skin the white cast is barely noticable. I definitely need to wait for it to completely dry before applying makeup otherwise it will pill up. This is not scented but it does have a typical sunscreen smell.
COOLA Mineral Face SPF 30 Cucumber Matte (Titanium Dioxide 3.2%, Zinc Oxide 1.8%) | $36USD, 1.7 oz
This one I have used several times. The texture is almost mousse like and feels lightweight on skin. It has a refreshing cucumber scent that is not overpowering. Probably one of the very few sunscreens that does not have the sunscreen scent. Blends well into skin almost like a primer. I make sure to apply thin layers and there is barely any white cast once everything is rubbed in. Has the right amount of hydration without feeling greasy. It dries down fairly quickly to a matte finish. This is great for daytime use and goes on well underneath makeup.
For my face, I typically hide my face from the sun with a large beach hat if I am not involved in some type of active outdoor activity. Even though I am wearing SPF my face isn’t getting any sun kissed glow so I use a faux face tan. I normally hate using self-tanners because they are so messy to deal with, unpredictable streaks, and have the most horrible self tan smell. However, Tan-Luxe changed all that.
Tan-Luxe The Face Illuminating Self-Tan Drops | $49USD, 1.01 oz
I started using these self tan drops last year and fell in love with it. Plus it was so easy to use. All I do is mix a few drops of this to my daily face moisturizer and apply all over to face and neck. Within 4-6 hours, a beautiful natural tan gradually develops. You can control how light or dark you want to go. It lasts for a about week and fades naturally. I generally do this at night and shower off in the morning. Love the light glow on my skin when I wake up. You can put this underneath your makeup and go about during the day but I’ve never tried that. It has the tiniest self tan smell which I’m okay with. This has never broken me out and I have used this on my body as well.
Well that rounds up my essentials. Because I’ve been slathering layers and layers of sunscreen on, at night I make sure to take an extra long shower to wash it all off. I hate having to sleep with any residual sunscreen on as it will block my body moisturizer from hydrating my skin. Whether you choose physical or chemical sunscreens, make sure you pick one that is broad specturm UVA/UVB, fragrance free, non comedogenic, paraben-free, and atleast SPF 30 or higher. And if you do not plan on being out in the sun, you can do a pre-tan or faux tan instead. That way you are not being exposed to the damaging sun rays but you still need to put on SPF.
What are your favorite sunscreens and self-tanning products?
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