Alright ya’ll, it’s almost America’s birthday. We’re in for a long weekend of celebrating our independence, which usually includes lots of swimming pools, hot dogs, beer, belly laughs and ultimately - sun.

Sun block is ultra-important everyday, especially here in the desert on long weekends filled with outdoor activities, so here are 5 pointers to help guide your sunscreen tendencies this weekend!

1. SPF, broad spectrum, water resistant… what?!  

SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor, and it is a measurement of how much of the sun’s ultraviolet B rays are being reflected.
Here’s a breakdown of what those numbers actually mean for you.

SPF 2 blocks 50% of UVB rays
SPF 4 blocks 75% of UVB rays
SPF 8 blocks 87% of UVB rays
SPF 15 blocks 93% of UVB rays
SPF 30 blocks 97% of UVB rays
SPF 50 blocks 98% of UVB rays
SPF 100 blocks 99% of UVB rays

Cool, you’re protected from UVB rays… the ones which can cause your skin to burn… but what about the UVA rays?Although UVA rays aren't the ones that cause sunburn, they can still cause skin cancer and skin damage like wrinkles, age spots, etc. Be sure to look for a sun block that is “broad spectrum”, which means it’s got you protected from both types. 

Water resistant sunscreen can stay maintained for 40-80 minutes while swimming or sweating. Just like age, this is just a number. This suggested time frame of protection can change depending on if your clothes are rubbing up against you, how many times you towel off, how much you're actually sweating, etc. The most important thing to remember here is that being water resistant does not mean it’s water-proof, so you really need to reapply regularly! Which leads me into the next tip…

2. Application & Reapplication

Don’t wait until you get outside to lather up. Apply sunscreen 15 minutes before you get outside so it has time to soak into your skin before you start doing cannonballs.

Reapply a generous amount of block every one to two hours and after swimming or sweating heavily. Also, just because you’re using a higher SPF doesn’t mean you can skimp on how frequently you need to reapply, so all you 15’ers should be reapplying just as often (and just as much) as those hundos.

3. Use generously

Most people do not use enough sun block. What good is a 50 SPF if you’re not using enough for it to actually protect you?

It varies person to person on how much you actually need to effectively cover your whole body, but they say the rule of thumb is 1 ounce (about a handful or a shot glass full) for your entire body.

Most adults only use 25% of the amount of sunscreen that we need! When in doubt, use more. There is no harm in over doing it here.

4. Don’t play favorites

We always take extra care of areas like our face, our shoulders, and our chest… but don’t neglect the rest of your exposed skin!

Common areas that we forget show sunscreen-love to include eyelids, ears, lips, back of knees, back of hands, tops of feet, back, scalp, and UNDER your shirt straps or sleeves.  

5. Sunscreens go bad

I’m totally guilty of having a shelf (or two…) filled with lavender-this, coconut-that, leave-in hair conditioning treatments, that old country apple body spray that when spritzed into the air instantly bring me back to my freshman year of high school and of course, an array of brightly colored, half empty sunscreen bottles that have been in my personal product arsenal longer than I can remember. 

This is not good. Sunscreens DO expire! Be sure to check the bottle for an expiration date. Most last up to three years, but time flies when you’re having fun.

Also, if there are any changes in the color or consistency of the lotion (or spray, gel, stick), or if you’re in doubt of the block in general, just go pick up a new one. It’s better to be safe than sorry!
 

Here are a few of our fav sun blocks in the office:

California Baby Super Sensitive Sun Screen - Broad spectrum, unscented, water resistant (up to 80 minutes), non-greasy and can conveniently picked up during your next Target run. 

CeraVe Facial Sunscreen Stick - Broad spectrum, light weight, oil free, and clear finish! Perfect size to keep in your pocket or in your purse for frequent application to that beautiful face of yours. 

Australian Gold Lotion with Kona Bronzers - Broad spectrum, super moisturizing, and has bronzers so you can still have a sun kissed glow. Plus, this one smells ultra-summery!

Have fun this weekend, and stay safe!