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.

PTR Uber-Dry SPF 30

As you may have figured out by now I am religious about sunscreen. I have always worn SPF 15 daily, rain or shine. But lately I have been reading that SPF 30 is really where its at. The reasons being that most people rarely apply the amount that is needed to get the full amount of protection and the SPF ingredients can be more volatile and not last as long as previously thought.

Lots of companies are marketing Helioplex or similar ingredients that are supposed to stabilize UVA ingredients but most dermatologists still recommend at least a SPF 30 if you will be outdoors for any length of time.

With that said, my oily skin doesn't make friends with most products over SPF 15. My derm said that the higher levels of SPF aren't as easy to produce light weightless lotions and gels with, hence my frustration.

Then I discovered Peter Thomas Roth's Uber-Dry SPF 30! Wow does this ever live up to its name! This lotion is not greasy at all and after it blends into skin you hardly know its there. It does a fine job under makeup and with antioxidants in there as well, this oily skinned gal thought she had died and gone to sunscreen heaven!

At $26 for a 4 ounce bottle this is a steal in my opinion. So if you have truly oily skin or find that your skin acts like it in the hotter months you should check out Uber-Dry.

Sunscreen Smarts

As you might have noticed from past posts, I tend to be pretty tough on products that claim to have sun protection and lack the right ingredients or foundations that don't have SPF altogether.

I admit that I do avoid prolonged sun exposure and do wear a SPF15 minimum everyday, rain or shine. I also am a little militant about the fact that I think everyone should be doing this as well. In this day and age when skin cancer is prevalent and being found on more young people than ever before, I just can't understand why wearing an effective SPF isn't a given and tanning beds aren't banned. Not to mention the aging and yucky hyperpigmentation that unprotected sun exposure visits upon your face.

If my soapbox attitude on this one bugs you, then I sincerely apologize, but must warn you that I will never relent where sun protection is concerned. As any friend of mine can tell you who has returned from a weekend or vacation sunburned, my scorn is swift and terrible.

Most sunscreens have UVB (burning rays) protection but fall short when it comes to UVA. So what are the ingredients you should be looking for to determine if a product has UVA (aging & cancer rays) protection?

Here they are:

Titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, avobenzone (Parsol 1789), Mexoryl SX, or Tinosorb.

These ingredients must be listed as an active ingredient and sunscreen should be applied liberally 30 minutes before you go outside. And just what does liberally mean.....well it means a shot glass amount of sunscreen for your entire body and a teaspoon amount for your face and neck. Don't forget your hands either....nobody wants granny hands!

A great way to try a variety of sunscreens is the Sephora Sun Safety Kit for $25. The kit includes 11 products and goes a long way towards making it easy to find a sunscreen you like. Plus all the profit is donated to The Skin Cancer Foundation.

If you prefer the drug store for your sunscreen needs I recommend Neutrogena in general. Nearly all of their products are well formulated and very reasonably priced.