Tips for Safer Sun Care and Best Clean Products are a plenty these days. But which ones are my tried and true and my absolute favorites!? 

I’ve always been a sun worshipper. Unfortunately, in the “old days”, we did very little in the way of SAFE sun exposure, and more in the way of tin foil and baby oil. CRINGE. 

Fortunately I did not partake much in the whole tanning bed craze, but I take full responsibility now for my poor decisions of my youth. They don’t just stop with sun exposure, trust me on that one… moooooving along….

As an adult (at least that’s what they claim I am), I make much better life choices and am trying REALLY hard to instill those in my children. That includes food, sun care, toxin exposure, and how to deal with trolls (<- my fave). 

I have a really interesting skin combo because my father’s side is mostly Irish (maiden name Bailey, know what I’m sayin’) and my mom’s side is Eastern European, primarily Latvian. So in the Winter I have very FAIR olive skin that is ghostly, and in the Summer I can produce a pretty mean olive TAN. 

NOTE: UNTIL 7/31/2018, USE PROMO CODE “PREDOMPALEO” AT CHECKOUT TO RECEIVE 15% OFF YOUR ORDER IF YOU PURCHASE HERE FOR THE RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS BELOW!

Spring

So each year as the sun finally makes it’s way back out again after a Winter that feels like it quite possibly will never end, I begin with SHORT INCREMENTS OF DIRECT SUN EXPOSURE, usually about 10 minutes at a time. Easing back into the land of the living takes time and practice for me after being a hermit during the colder months. And this girl loves her Vitamin D from the actual sun. 

During this time that my legs make contact with actual air molecules again, they are a little scary, and so my favorite thing to do is use a SAFE SELF TANNER that can ease these gams back into Summer livin’. I find that THIS self tanner not only gives me that golden color that makes me feel alive, but also is very moisturizing since heat can bring on dehydrated looking skin. And yes, drink that water y’all! It’s a must!

Peak Summer

When peak season hits, you’ll definitely find me enjoying the rays. I have a few methods to how I expose myself to the sun when the rays are strong and the heat is on. 

• First, I always protect the skin on my FACE  when in the sun for longer than 20 minutes. It was something I didn’t do for a long time and it was a bad choice! My favorite product for face protection is THIS sunstick. It’s small, portable, and smells like Tootsie Rolls without artificial fragrance or yucky stuff. I keep it in my purse at all times and it always heads down to the beach with us. My kids love it also and very willingly put it on each year! Additionally, Beauty by Earth has a brand new product which is a tinted sunscreen specifically for the face! It combines strong protection and bronzing power so you can add a bit of color while blocking harmful rays! I haven’t tried THIS yet but it’s on its way to my house and I can’t wait to use it ASAP! I have a strong suspicion it is going to be a new favorite! Alternatively, Beautycounter also has their Dew Skin product which is designed to be a tinted moisturizer and has SPF as well. You can find that HERE.

• Second, I always try to give extra attention to other areas where the sun hits hard (aside from the face)  like SHOULDERS, FEET AND SCALP!  For these areas, I prefer a cream product and THIS one is my favorite! No synthetic fragrances, it is SPF 25, made with the best ingredients and is safe for the kiddos! Don’t just take my word for it, check out their rave reviews!

• Third, I always wear SUNGLASSES AND A HAT when I am going to be outside during peak hours. And use an umbrella as well for extra protection. I ordered THIS hat this year because it’s super cute of course and will help give a little extra protection on the beach. Plus it’s Legit. 

• Fourth, don’t spare the hair! HAIR can be damaged and brittle from the sun and chlorine. I love THIS Argan oil to smooth into hair to keep it from getting too frazzled and damaged. I like to leave just a little in after I wash it, as a protective conditioner. 

• Fifth, after care is so important too! Think exfoliating, nourishing, and recovery (if you’ve accidentally overdone it). A good aloe vera gel WITHOUT all the perfume and weird crap, is a must for soothing overcooked skin. I love THIS one because I can trust the purity. Again, don’t skimp on hydration! Drink the water, eat the salads, and fresh fruit! Your body just soaks the nutrients and water right up! And exfoliating is such a game changer too, both before and after. A few great exfoliator products are THIS exfoliating facial scrub and THIS sugar body scrub. Of course if you want to save a bit, you can easily make THIS DIY sugar scrub from Zenbelly!

Here are some questions you might feel bubbling up…

1. Question: What’s wrong with being pale? Answer: Nothing at all.
2. Question: Why do you think being pale is unattractive? Answer: I don’t, calm down.
3. Question: The sun is bad, why are you promoting it? Answer: Based on my research and digging, I believe the sun is good, provides key nutrients like Vitamin D and can be enjoyed responsibly.

I know there are others that may pop up. Here’s the bottom line. My family and I enjoy the sun. We are beyond obsessed with the beach, and love water play. I personally love the way I feel and look when I have more color in the Summer. That doesn’t make pale skin is bad. Ultimately, you do you, I do me, we be happy. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some self tanner to apply!