Lip - Sunscreen Smarts

As I have mentioned in previous posts there are few things that will get me onto my beauty soap box faster than products that claim to have broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) protection but lack the right ingredients to do the job.

Lipgloss, lipbalm and lipstick are among the worst offenders when it comes to these bogus claims and it makes me want to stomp my feet in frustration! Most beauty shopping ladies believe the SPF rating listed on the box and they should be able to, but sadly you just can't.

Now don't get me wrong....I own all manner of lip products that do not contain SPF and I have no beef because they never claimed to. Also if your favorite gloss is intended for evening wear only then SPF is not an issue, but my quest is to find products that will protect lips from summer sun.

So in the interests of directing you to some options that can protect your pout I went online and to my favorite beauty stores and checked out the selection. The shock for me was just how many were losers in the SPF game with most products lacking the right UVA ingredients as an active. It is tempting to point to titanium dioxide or zinc oxide somewhere in the ingredient list, but it must be listed as an active ingredient to get the requisite protection.

Here are my finds:

• Aveda Lip Tint is a chapstick type lipbalm with color. I like Peony a baby pink.
• The Balm Balm Shelter gloss comes in 6 sheer colors and has fruity scents.
• TerraTints is another chapstick type lip balm but has some great colors like Blaze, a garnet red with shimmer.
• Bare Escentuals Lip Guard in Miami Beach. This is a cool pink shade that is sheer. There are a few other colors available but they can be a bit tough to track down in stores but are available online.

Sadly most of the fun summer lip products were lacking the right actives to give broad spectrum protection and finding good color choice was tough. Let me know if you have a favorite that I didn't find.

This whole SPF adventure has made me realize something......if ever I were to create a makeup line reliable SPF would be mandatory in ALL the daytime products.