Living in Florida my entire life, we contend with summer weather and intense UV exposure almost year-round. That may not make me an expert on suncare, but I like to believe I have some experience in sun protection.
Whether we are headed to the beach, on the boat for the day, or even to the park, one thing we never go without is Zoey Naturals SPF 30. Sun protection is so important at all times. Growing up with naturally tan skin, I never thought I needed sunscreen. To the contrary, instead of sunscreen I would lather myself in oil seeking that deep, dark tan. Fortunately, I very rarely burned.
My entire family has tan skin and we enjoyed a lot of time outdoors growing up. My father was a big time fisherman and always on the water. He never used sunscreen and consequently ended up with melanoma not only once but twice!
I hope it’s not too late, but I learned from his mistakes and started using sunscreen anytime I was going to be in the sun. Now after having my own children, I never take them outdoors without keeping them protected. Like me they tan rather than burn but I want them to learn how important sun protection is from a young age. It’s shocking, but if you have a sunburn every two years by the age of 20, it triples your chances of getting skin cancer.
Proper application of sunscreen is also very important. Which a lot of people are not well educated on. A lot of people think they need to rub the lotion quickly (and deeply) into the skin. That couldn’t be further from the truth.
Rubbing the product quickly into the skin can leave you with less protection than you think. A study in Australia had 100 people apply an SPF 15 onto their arms. A reading of the SPF left immediately after application showed the average was just an SPF 3! The lotion had absorbed too quickly leaving the epidermis unprotected.
Instead of rubbing it into your skin, you should gently lay the lotion on the surface of your skin and smooth it gently and evenly. Then the best method is to wait at least 60 seconds before putting it into your skin. This allows the lotion to fully protect the epidermis.
Also, don’t forget to hydrate after sun exposure. Our Zoey Naturals lotions have large content of aloe as well as hydrating oils to help geal the skin and replace natural oils.
Have a great time in the outdoors … just use caution while you do it. And, for an extra smile, here's a picture of our sweet Zoey enjoying a sunny, beach day!
All the best,
Kelsey
