I take a lot of photos . . . of myself. It's a shameless activity I choose to continue by telling myself it's for the sake of "learning better photography skills." Well, that is indeed partially true, because I have discovered many things about my camera, aperture, shutter speed, lighting, etc. None of what I'm writing right now is the point of this post.
What is? Through all this self-portraiture, I've started to notice sun spots on my face. It's not so much I care how they look -- I'm in my mid-20s, it's a bit too early to be worried about any of that. What it makes me take a moment to think about, however, is the sun.
Truth is, I'm bad about applying sunscreen on a daily basis. My moisturizer has SPF 15 in it (or maybe it's 20, obviously I don't care entirely much). I only slather it on my face, though. It's not that I'm trying to tan. I never even attempt to do that, as I most usually burn after only half an hour of trying. I learned to stop that habit long ago -- confine all baking activities to the kitchen.
Or so I thought. See, through my exposure to the sun -- just through running -- each day, I'm putting myself at risk. And what about last summer with all those 3-hour 20-milers I ran in the mid-morning sun? Yeah -- it was good for my body to prepare for the marathon. But it was like I was sitting out at the beach all morning, really. I simply wasn't careful. But in writing this post, I'm hoping to inspire you (and most certainly myself) to may more attention to protecting your largest organ. (That's what she said. But, no -- really! It's your skin, at least on MOST of us, I imagine...)
By now, we all know the risks associated with unprotected sun time. If you don't know why, check out this site for more information.
Here's my question to all of you. What do you do to protect yourself from those nasty rays? Most of us know the basics (stay in the shade, wear sunscreen, wear protective clothing, etc.), but what tips and tricks beyond those one can you share with us? I hate putting on thick sunscreen before running. Especially in the heat! And it often makes me break out. So, any suggestions on good sunscreens that withstand sweating (in the case of running) are most definitely appreciated! Just leave a comment or email us at neverhomemaker@gmail.com.
We'll post your suggestions next week for everyone to enjoy! Now, have a lovely weekend, folks. We'll be back at it Monday with our Lehigh Valley Half Marathon report!
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11 comments:
I HATE thick sunscreen too...no matter how little you put on you can still...FEEL it. I started using Neutrogena's Ultra Sheer Dry Touch and I think it does a really good job of not feeling like sunscreen. I also just got some of the spray kind from Costco that I'm going to try out too (I would think this would feel less icky and is really quick to apply). As you can probably tell, I burn very easily, lol. I'm a redhead and I just wasn't meant to be any other color than PALE so shielding myself from the sun is a very important thing to me (skin cancer just isn't worth the slight possibility that I may someday get a tan).
And because I'm so easy to burn, my hubby always makes a point of having us try to do our outdoor activities when the sun isn't at the highest point in the day (when we go to the pool or go for a bike ride we usually go before 11am or after 2:30 or so). That's about it! Other than that it's just apply sunscreen and re-apply throughout the day! I suppose that is just the norm. :)
Bre @ http://theredbungalow.blogspot.com
So, as you can tell, I constantly am reading your blog. hahaha. Yet I think I can help on this one! I am a beauty/skincare/makeup fanatic! I have a couple suggestions as I am noticing the same thing. Not so much sun spots, but I am definitely starting to get lines on my forehead and between my eyes from yes, squinting while running. The reality is, it doesn't matter what you use or how much it promises it will stay put, when running, some will sweat off. Here are some products I use and would recommend in varying price ranges.
La Roche-Posay Anthelios Products-
These products weren't available in the USA until about two years ago and I bought mine on Ebay. Thankfully, USDA has approved them for sale in the states. They range from $20-$60 depending on the SPF level and body specific product. I personally use the 60SPF on a daily basis in the summer. For running purposes I would suggest the 60 Melt in Sunscreen Milk as it's not face specific but can be used all over your body. They are all non-comedogenic so you are less likely to break out from it. The products are smaller, and I always have one in my bag where-ever I am going in the summer so I can reapply.
http://www.laroche-posay.us/_us/_en/consumer/catalog/anthelios.aspx?
For over-the-counter I would suggest Neutrogena Ultra SheerDry-Touch Sunblock SPF 100+ with Helioplex.
This one is super dry and soft to the touch. While it protects, it also works to reverse existing damage. A definite plus! It runs around $12. Good deal for the money.
For non-running, on the go, I carry with me Bare Minerals SPF 30 Natural Sunscreen. It comes in a neat little powder in the brush deal that gives you the SPF protection with a bit of natural powder coverage. I keep this in my bag and apply throughout the day on top of my liquid SPF. You can purchase this online or at sephora for around $30.
http://sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?categoryId=C9193&id=P232115
If anyone has any other questions let me know!
I agree with everything you said about sunscreen and protecting our skin. I would add my two cents about vitamin D. The more we protect ourselves from the sun, the less vitamin D we get, so be sure to stock up in other ways. Vitamin D is sooo important to overall health!
I always wear a baseball hat or a visor when I run. I have a bunch from work but I've been thinking about getting a proper Nike Running Hat because I think it will be easier to wash. I completely agree with you that sunscreen feel gross on my skin especially when I'm exercising and sweating. Unfortunately the hat doesn't always cover my whole face (depending the the time of day and position of the sun), but overall I think it's much better than sunscreen.
One more thing about sunscreen: it's worth checking out the Environmental Working Group's study on the toxicity and effectiveness of various sunscreens. http://www.ewg.org/cosmetics/report/sunscreen09/investigation/summary-of-findings I was really sad to find out that my favorite sunscreen, Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch, is effective but also contains hazardous chemicals (including neurotoxins!). The best brands according to the study: Loving Natural, Heiko Kids, and Badger.
Just FYI:
"Currently, there are no studies showing a direct relationship between oxybenzone in sunscreen and negative health consequences. However, there is evidence that benzophenones can cause damage to cells and affect hormones in a lab setting. This means that if you expose animal cells to oxybenzone in a lab, you may see toxic effects. The caveat is that this does not always translate into cellular damage in the real world, usually because the concentration of the substance is much higher in lab studies."
Interesting, anonymous commenter, that you mentioned health the potential negative health effects of sunscreen. A friend of mine who is an elite marathon runner never wears sunscreen on his long runs because he finds that when he DOES wear sunscreen his ability to sweat normally is compromised. According to him, he finds that when he wears sunscreen, he struggles through his summer runs quite a bit more than he does if he doesn't bother putting on sunscreen at all.
That being said, his skin looks like leather already, and he is my age (28).
I personally try to wear a hat, but I find I overheat if I wear a hat when it gets really hot, so I opt for a visor - of course, when I do this, I need to remember to either sunscreen my part if I have one. I have SPF 20 in my moisturizer, so I don't worry about my face so much. The sunscreen/hat brim combo is rather effective to prevent sun damage to my face.
I try to run in the mornings during the summer, because the sun isn't as strong, and it isn't as warm. I will always use a spray sport-specific sunscreen for my legs, and the tops of my shoulders. If it is warm enough, I'll wear a long-sleeved shirt for running (the lululemon Run: Swiftly LS Tee is a great option).
For day to day? I obsessively slather on SPF 30 or more multiple times during the day from about May until September, especially when I am spending more than 20 minutes outside. I am a music festival whore, so I go through excessive amounts of sunscreen in July. If I plan on spending any time outside, I'll wear a wide-brimmed hat, large sunglasses, and always have some kind of a light weight cover-up for my shoulders.
I am seriously anal about my skin, though. I burn really easily, and my god-mother is a dermatologist. One serious burn in my childhood was enough to teach me to be obsessive, so...
That Neutrogena Dry Touch stuff is amazing! I have been using it for 2 years. It comes in a small blue and white tube/bottle and it really does feel dry and my skin never gets oily. Avoid the Aveeno face stuff, it is not as good.
I wear sunscreen on my face every day, and even most days in the winter. For the rest of me I use Ocean Potion for sensitive skin (pink bottle). It is non scented! And not thick and greasy either.
I really need to get into putting on sun screen. I forget all the time.
PS I am really glad I found your blog, I'm enjoying it so much.
Thanks, everyone, for your thoughtful and helpful comments! These suggestions are great -- and I will certainly post them in our sunscreen-o-rama post later in the week! :)
And thanks, Caitlin! I enjoy your blog incredibly much, too <3
Ugh. I hate this issue. I'm very fair as well with light eyes so at the ripe old age of 28 I'm getting sunspots and squint lines. As I've been in India I've started applying sunscreen to my face everyday, but have the breaking out problem as well.
I also try to wear a cap whenever possible even though I don't like how it looks...I figure it's better than leather skin and cancer....I think it's also important to protect the scalp from the sun.
I'm so glad you've brought this topic up though...so many people could stay younger looking longer if they took better care of staying out of the sun. In Korea they are really fanatical about staying out of the sun (as fair skin is beautiful in Asia) and they look so good as they age. They don't like to wear sunscreen though and opt for hats/visors/long sleeves and parasols/umbrellas. I would love it if parasols came into fashion in the west, how fun!
P.S. My doctor told me the sunscreen that comes in everyday moisturizers aren't effective!
I used Coppertone Waterbabies SPF 50 for a two-week trip in Belize this January. I'm a fair, red head who lives in Vermont and didn't burn, which I considered a small miracle. I've also found that it is creamier than other sunscreens (so it doesn't go on like glue), waterproof, and affordable.
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