TN Recommends: Summer Essentials
NIKKI
As I’ve said a million times before I grew up in Arizona and pretty much lived outside or in the pool for most of the year. So naturally sunscreen was a big part of life… and aloe… and lotion… and sunglasses of course. It’s strange for me to go outside year ’round without any on. Beyond religiously wearing sunscreen growing up my Mom has been a big proponent of sunscreen every day… check this out:
Yes, I kept the note from my Mom (apparently she stole some of my company stationary) cause I’m corny like that but her directions are the truth and she gifts stuff like nice skincare products! Like she says, put sunscreen on your face, neck AND HANDS every day! I try Mom, I try!! This is Clinique’s City Block SPF 40 and it is AWESOME. They’re a skincare and makeup company so this stuff won’t clog up the pores, isn’t greasy and works great under my every day make up. For the body I love La Roche-Posay’s sunscreen, there’s no oil and it’s great on the skin, NO CLOGGED PORES EVER! I just noticed they now have a spray bottle version that I need to get for the summer.
As for protecting my eyes from the glaring sunlight and when I’ve had enough of everyone’s BS, I usually wear Ray Bans New Wayfarer… and surprise, surprise so does my Mom… and my Dad… and my Brother… seriously, no one knows who’s sunglasses they’re wearing at a family gathering. They’re effortlessly cool, timeless and protect your eyes. Beyond the Wayfarers a friend of mine gave me these:
The Prada Cinema glasses… pretty good friend, huh?! Now I’ll be ready for the coffee shop line in Silver Lake, like a real cool kid.
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LORENA
I drop everything… my phone, my wallet, my sunglasses… so, I don’t like to spend much on sunnies since they scratch all the time for me. I just go to the local drugstore (RiteAid, CVS, Walgreens, Duane Reade) and buy a pair when I need it. Last time it was BOGO! I got these, which look great and fit great. $20 for the both w/ the BOGO deal. (Hat was $3 at Target last summer)
For sunscreen I go to my trusty Neutrogena. My husband has sensitive skin, so we get this kind to avoid issues for him. We both burn then fade to tan, but I’d rather minimize skin cancer futures, so I slather this on for sure. I love how non greasy it is. It never causes me breakouts either, though I don’t use foundation type makeup — ever (I don’t even own it). We always buy over 50 spf, but lately they’ve just had 70 spf. I don’t know what the magic formula is, but over 50 always seems to work. It’s about $10.50 at the drugstore (buy your sunglasses at the same time!).
AMY
I like overpriced, designer sunglasses. Sue me. Okay, please don’t sue me because I can’t spend my money on a lawsuit. I need my money for sunglasses.
My sunglasses for this season? The Kim from Céline. Chunky, to match the chunky heels of summer. Covers plenty of your face for added mystery.
For sunscreen, I am a Hawaiian Tropic girl. All day, every day. This is the sunscreen I put on my face in the winter because it smells like summer. And this is the sunscreen I put on my body in the summer because I am 43, blonde, blue-eyed, with freckles. I am skin cancer’s favorite type of victim. Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch has great coverage, a fantastic coconut scent, and does not bother my sensitive skin. And it’s cheap.
Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch, $8 on Amazon
ANGELA
I am fair skinned, burn in 10 minutes outside, too, so I get a little picky about sunscreen. It has to be lotion, sprays outsmart me and I always end up with weirdly spotty coverage which is not fun to try to even out. I just discovered Sun Bum sunscreen, though I think I am late to the party. And by discovered I mean that I was standing in line at Ulta and decided that, no, I can not walk out with only 2 items, I need all the travel sized products. I was impressed the first time I used it: I put Sun Bum on at 9am, was running around outside, dripping sweat, until 3 when I realized I forgot to reapply! But the red went away once I cooled off and I had no burn.
As for my face, I love having multiple pairs of cheap sunglasses (I won’t pay more than $30) that I can choose from based on my mood, and I have been using CC creams en lieu of foundation all year round since they were all BB creams. I’m currently a fan of IT cosmetics’, which is SPF 50.
IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC Cream with SPF 50+, $38 at Ulta
Bekah
Forget what EVERYONE has said and go buy this Sunscreen/tinted moisturizer IMMEDIATELY: Coola Suncare Mineral Face. It has SPF 30 and a slight tint of color (It’s a BB cream) which is the perfect coverage for a summer weekend, or if you have perfect skin like me*, even a week day.
I got a sample of this product a year ago and fell in love IMMEDIATELY. When I went to buy a full size, I was a little turned off by the price ($36.00 on Amazon), but I sucked it up, bought it anyway and haven’t regretted it. I really only use this product in the nice season or when I run (because #spf), and the entire tube has lasted a year.
*I definitely do NOT have perfect skin and I have discussed my skin care struggles here and my adult acne here.
Find Coola on Amazon
Beth
I wear sunscreen year round. We only have winter in Memphis for about 3 weeks, so it’s a necessary evil. I used to wear drugstore brand sunscreens until I had a daughter with sensitive skin and eczema, and even the “better” store brands wouldn’t work for her. My dermatologist recommended Elta MD, and we love it. It has transparent zinc oxide (which is really the only thing protecting you from the sun) and hyaluronic acid so it’s making our skin look better every time you wear it.
Caveat: When buying any beauty product on Amazon, find out if the manufacturer has authorized Amazon to sell it. Otherwise, you might be getting a very different compound than what you are anticipating. EltaMD just authorized Amazon this May. Find it here.
Like Amy, I also use Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch almost year round as well … on my legs, arms, torso, etc. Face, neck, decolletage and hands still get the EltaMD treatment.
Okay, that is ours.
Now you share your favorite Sunglasses and Sunscreen in the comments!
