Don't forget your sunscreen!

I have become quite the expert on sunscreen in the past couple of years so in honor of the first day of summer and to help all of you ward of skin cancer here are my top picks! I know, nothing says cool like lying naked in the dermatologist's office in a paper dress while a doctor probes every piece of exposed skin for suspicious moles. A close second to that feeling of cool are the shots to numb your skin so they can cut away the mole that they proclaim to look like "a butterfly".

OK, maybe your idea of cool is different than mine... In that case, to avoid this kind of cool experience remember to slather on some sunscreen! (a message from the Karen W cancer society)



I actually have a few favorites in my sunscreen arsenal. My all time favorite sunscreen for arms, legs and other exposed areas is Coppertone Sport Continous Spray. It comes in 30, 50 and I think even 70. The BEST EVER INVENTED. This stuff sprays on, does not have to be rubbed in and does not come off. If you sweat or swim this is the stuff for you!

I have also tried the other two products in the picture. Hawaiian Tropic Ozone is OK. It does not spray as well as the Coppertone so I don't think the coverage is as good. Do not even try Banana Boat Ultra Defense. The spray is really wet and appears oily on your skin. It is advertised as no rub but you feel like you need to rub it in because it is so oily on your skin. Also, the spray does not give as much coverage as the coppertone. Not pictured is Neutrogena Cooling Mist. Unless you want an asthma attack from inhaling the fumes you probably should avoid this one. I didn't feel it gave good coverage, was not particularly "cooling" and you would not want to inhale while applying the product (unless you are into that sort of thing...).


For faces:
My favorite sunscreen for the face is Coppertone Sport Faces 50. This one is a lotion as you might expect but doesn't clog your pores and stays on great. Neutrogena Age Shield Face 70 is a close second but does get a little "white" when you sweat. (if you don't know what I mean, it looks like you forgot to rub in the lotion on your face).

There are a thousand varieties out there, these are my faves. Whichever one you do purchase, make sure it has not expired before you buy it. I have seen plenty of bottles of expired lotion for sale at the store.