Weekly Gratitude

Before I start off this Weekly Gratitude post, I wanted to let everyone know that I'm guest blogging over today at Primitive & Proper about my favorite things about Louisiana. 

Thank you to my fabulous guest bloggers this week! It was so great to change it up on the ole blog and to have a little break from writing.  Thanks again to Tara, Cassie & Jenn. 

Thank you to @britishroyals on Twitter for providing me with endless gossip about the British royal family- namely the young royals.  I think my celebrity baby habit has been replaced with a British royals habit.  There was a time when I retained a useless and stupid amount of knowledge about celebrity babies and their names- I even still know the full names of all the Jolie-Pitt children. Kind of embarassing but kind of true.

Thank you to my friend Lauren, my cousin Megan and my brother Chris joining our beach trip at the last minute.  It makes me endlessly happy to be back in the deep south in driving distance of all the people I love the most.

Thank you to the Alabama Gulf Cost for a great week and a great trip to the Redneck Riviera.

Thank you to Neutrogena for making possibly the greatest sunscreen ever.  I am telling yall, the Neutrogena Age Shield Face with Helioplex SPF 110 is so effective for me.  

 

Thank you to Danielle & Alison for their wonderful idea to spread the word about safe sun habits through Sun Savvy Bloggers. 

Thank you to all the members of my family for a great week at the beach. 

Thank you to Joy at Fusion Salon in Orange Beach, Alabama for an awesome (and cheap!!!) haircut! 

My Beach Time Skin Care Regimen

My entire life, I have been "that girl" that always gets a sunburn that never turns tan. In Bobbi Brown makeup, I wear the second lightest shade they make.  I have fair skin, and I have learned to love it.  It may not be tan or "in vogue," but my fair skin is beautiful skin, and I have learned how to protect it and make it a priority to protect it. 

After reading this informative and courageous post today about melanoma, I was inspired to write this post about how I protect my skin when I go on beach vacations.  This might sound radical to you, and in fact, my friends make fun of me relentlessly for my complicated regimen.  But, you know what? I don't care.  In my short 22-year life span, I've already had a couple of questionable (but thankfully, benign) moles removed from my skin.  Although nobody in my immediate family has seriously battled skin cancer, my dad has had some pre-cancerous lesions removed from his face and neck. And regardless of the cancer risk, sunburns hurt! I've had enough in my lifetime to tell you that.  Here are my tips for doing the best I can to protect my skin, protect myself against cancer risks, and avoid the painful and unattractive sunburn.

1.  Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen.  

My preferred brand is Neutrogena Age Shield Face.  The Neutrogena Ultra Sheer is also really good.  I prefer the Age Shield Face because I can easily find it in SPF 110.  It is marketed for the face, but I use it for my body, too.  A little goes a long way, and you need it to go a long way because this stuff is not cheap. It is about $12 or $13 a bottle, but it works so well.  I've always been able to find these at Target, Walmart, Walgreens and even in the sunscreen section of the local beach grocery store. 

The key thing is to look for a sunscreen with "helioplex."  It protects against a larger spectrum of UV rays.  If you are one of those people who thinks sunscreen doesn't make a difference over a certain SPF, please don't tell me.  I hear that all the time, and maybe for certain people, it's true, but for me- I notice a difference.  I really do.  Since I started using SPF 100 & 110 a couple of years ago when I go to the beach, I have been sunburn-free.  They just work better for me.

Also, just like your mom told you as a kid, reapply often. 

2.  Go in between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.  

I know this is limiting, but think of it as lunch/ nap/ reading time.  You could even just go in between 11 and 1 or 12 and 2.  Just try to get out of the sun when the rays are strongest!

3.  Invest in an umbrella or umbrella service.

Source

The condos we usually rent for the week have these nifty little things or something similar.  There is usually a teenage boy who sets them up and you can get him to move the umbrella for you with the sun.  The ones we've had in the past usually cost $100 per week, but it is worth it to me.  Alternately, you can invest in a large umbrella and put it up over your own beach chair.  I sit under the umbrella whenever I go out and it really helps me.

4. Cover up!

Invest in a couple of good swimsuit coverups- WITH SLEEVES!  I would do this anyway since I don't exactly have a beach-ready body, but this doubles as being helpful in protecting your skin.  Here are a couple I would recommend:

This one, from Old Navy, is great because it is a light-colored fabric, so you won't get as hot in it. Its also cheap enough that you won't have to get upset when you need to throw it out after it gets worn from a few beach trips.  Since this is so sheer, though, you'd still be better off wearing sunscreen under it. But it will still help you out. 

This shirt from Columbia is another great option.  It is made for men and women and comes in all sizes. Lots of women also wear the men's shirts so they are bigger/ longer.  The great thing about this shirt is that they are super durable AND have SPF 30 in the fabric.  Hooray! The long or short sleeve option is also great.

5. Wear a hat!

This is a great option from Banana Republic. 

Any kind of hat with a brim is great, but sunhats that protect your face and neck are best. My favorite hat has SPF in the fabric.  I found it at Dillards a couple of years ago for $8 and it has been very durable!  It also packs well since it's fabric.

Those are my tips for sun time skin care.  I know they might seem extreme, but they really do help me! 

Frugal Finds Friday: SPF 50 Moisturizer

I've blogged before about how much I love Bobbi Brown products, and I really do.  When this moisturizer first came out, I was so excited. I am very fair skinned and there is a history of skin cancer in my family, so wearing SPF on a daily basis is highly important to me. 

Bobbi Brown Brightening SPF 50 UV Protective Face Base

This moisturizer is great, but it is also $38 a bottle.  Now, the bottle lasts quite a while, but it is still pricey, and I don't see much of a "brightening" difference.

This is a great drug store alternative.  

Cetaphil UVA/UVB Defense SPF 50

This is only $13.99 and you can get it at any drug store.  I'm sure you could also find it at Target or Walmart.  I feel like this provides just as much moisture to my skin as the more expensive version, and it is much more affordable.

Favorite Skin Care Products

A couple of years ago, my skin got out-of-control.  This prompted me to find a dermatologist I loved and forge a good relationship with her.  I cannot speak enough about the importance of having a good relationship with your dermatologist, especially if you face certain issues with your skin, acne for example.  I am also an extremely fair-skinned person with a family history of skin cancer, so regular visits to the dermatologist are important to me, regardless of the cosmetic condition of my skin. 

Now, having said all that, I thought I would share some of my favorite products for skin care.  Everything I'm going to share here can be purchased over the counter at drugstores or department stores.  

As a side note, I do use two prescription topical medications for my skin that I found with my dermatologist's help. 

Behold the Clarisonic "Mia".  You can learn more about this product here.  I got my Mia about a year ago, and I love it!  I cannot say enough about this product. Apparently, they now come in fancy colors, but mine is the classic white.  The Mia sells for $149, so it is pricey, and I would suggest best-suited for Christmas/ Holiday lists.  There is also a full-sized version of this product.  The main difference is that the Mia has a small travel-size charger while the full-size version has a docking station.  I love my Mia and would definitely recommend to anyone who travels at all- even if it isn't often.  I'm glad I didn't buy the large one with the big docking station.

I use this with my Mia to wash my face every morning and evening.  The Clarisonic line includes cleansers, but you can use anything with the system.  I've had problems with the Cetaphil "Gentle Skin Clenser" and found that the "Daily Facial Cleanser" works best for me.  You can buy it at any drugstore for about $6 for a small bottle.

I have a bit of an unhealthy obsession with all Bobbi Brown Products, but this stuff I really love!  It is from her "brightening" skin care line, and it is a daily moisturizer with SPF 50. It is a bit pricey at $38, so on days when I know that I will spend the majority of the day inside, I switch out with a drugstore moisturizer with SPF 30.  Even if you are naturally inclined to tan, I  strongly believe it is important to use a moisturizer with at least SPF 15 every day.  There's nothing worse than seeing a really beautiful woman who has ruined her skin by not protecting it from the sun.  This product can be purchased here or at department stores that carry Bobbi Brown. 

My last good skin care tip is to drink a lot of water!  I can definitely tell by my skin if I am dehydrated, and it is not pretty.