Planning a long holiday weekend in the sun? Be prepared with the right sunscreen, lotions and lip balms, and your skin will thank you later with fewer lines and wrinkles. And a lower risk of skin cancer.
To ensure that last part is true and to prevent any lasting damage, Dr. Joel Schlessinger recommends looking at the ingredients in products carefully.
"Too many people have literally been burned by sunscreens that don’t live up to their claims," he says. The board certified dermatologist, RealSelf contributor and CEO of LovelySkin.com says broad spectrum sunscreens are the best bet. And it's better to go for a lotion than a spray.
"Clearly they are easier to use so many people gravitate towards them. But we often see people who have had misadventures when they thought they had applied spray-on sunscreen and wind up getting burns in unique and challenging areas."
We like Clinique's Sun Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sunscreen Body Cream ($26) for its light texture and appeal for all skin types. Schlessinger says the sunscreen added to liquid and powder foundations is helpful as well, but shouldn't be the only line of defense if you have a full day of kayaking or reading at the beach planned. Lancome's Renergie Lift Multi-Action with broad spectrum SPF 15 ($30) and Benefit Specialist Dream Screen Invisible Silky-Matte Broad Spectrum SPF 45 Sunscreen For Face ($32), are also good under makeup for a baseball game or backyard BBQ.
Aloe is always a good remedy after the sun, as is another common product: aspirin.
"If you think you’ve had a burn, immediately go to your medicine chest and start taking aspirin," he says. "In the next day or two you’ll decrease the sunburn by about 50 to 70 percent.
But to combat signs of damage, try something stronger, like Jouviance's Antioxidant moisturizer ($45). We also love moisturizers from the Sephora Collection. The store's original line is surprisingly good -- we could practically bathe in the super soft and non-greasy Intensive Instant Moisturizer + Cream ($23), and may have to after this weekend.
See more products to pack in your pool or beach bag in the video below.
