Summertime means being smart and taking care of your skin
By Kelly Hockenberry, Columnist, UnionvilleTimes.com
You know what is NOT an attractive look?
A sizzling red sunburn.
You know how I know this? Because it has happened to me (GO FIGURE) many, many times.
You need proof?
Right now, my dermatologist is sitting on the deck of his ocean front beach house toasting my Irish heritage. I’m sure of it.
For the first twenty-five years of life, I was absolutely convinced that if I applied the right concoction of oils, I would magically brown like an Italian girl. The fact that I was using OIL at all should be frightening in and of itself.
I remember a boy telling me if I could somehow get my freckles to merge together, I would be the ultimate color….which, naturally, did wonders for my self-confidence.
I do not know what finally prompted me to embrace the SPF that I should have been using all along; but thankfully, I came to my senses.
I will not sit on the beach without wearing a hat (although, I must get better at remembering to do the same at the pool). Sunglasses are mandatory when outside…the bigger the frame, the better! They provide comfort as well as prevent wrinkles from deepening around the eye.
I LOVE tinted moisturizers that provide a healthy dose of sunscreen. My current obsession is “Too Faced Beauty Balm” with SPF 20 for everyday use. It evens out your skin tone and provides much needed coverage.
It may appear high maintenance to wear lipstick to the beach; but adding color with an SPF built in (or additional balm on top) will prevent lips from getting burnt. I have noticed that my lips are freckled from too much sun over the years. Yikes. That sounds sexy, doesn’t it?
Every six months when I disrobe at the dermatologist’s office for a full body scan (good times), it is almost inevitable that he will find some little blemish that “must be removed.” It is like scrapping the barnacles off an old ship. My poor weather-ravaged body that I have exposed (unwillingly) to the elements is finally rebelling.
Thankfully, my children will never experience the pain of a good 3rd degree burn. They are shellacked with sunscreen the minute they step out into the sunshine. Not that they make it easy for me. Not at all! Even at ages 11 and 14, I still have to chase them around like an idiot to apply.
Get out today and enjoy the summer rays! Just don’t forget to slather on the sun protection!
Lord knows, my dermatologist does not need any more luxury vehicles crowding his 6-car garage…
HAPPY WEEKEND!
