May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month
In case you didn’t know, this month is the month to get serious, once and for all, about protecting yourself from skin cancer - from this day forward. Only the best SPF should be applied to your face and body. No excuses people … consider yourself educated. If you are not familiar with my position on sunscreens/blocks, read this article. I am an advocate of three ingredients: zinc oxide, titanium dioxide and mexoryl (you will most likely see the first two ingredients combined). If a product doesn’t contain one or more of these ingredients, I will not test it (and you should thank me for that). Yes, I am picky - but seriously folks, this is our skin we are talking about.
This is near and dear to my heart for two reasons. One, both of my parents are surviving cancer (my dad had skin cancer on his face, too). And two, proper sun protection is the best anti-aging treatment you can do for yourself, aside from staying out of the sun completely. It’s a no-brainer. Love yourself by loving your skin. Protect it. So while I may enjoy my soap box on the topic from time to time, I am genuinely surprised to find that not everyone is aware of this. If you are new to the [my] style files community - welcome! Please take the time to read all the information provided on the site with regard to skin care. For you regulars, if you do not switch over to a real SPF in the next two weeks, I might have to pull my hair out (and I like my hair, so please don’t make me do it). You know what … I am going to give away one of my favorite bottles of sunscreen. It happens to contain 20% zinc (yeah). The consistency and texture will rock your world. To enter for the drawing, simply comment on this post (make it a good one). You can either agree with me or disagree … all entries count. Proper sun protection is that important to me.
Everyone wants to know my pics. So here you go: Theraderm Platinum Protection SPF 30, Leaf & Rusher Solar Screen SPF 30, Blue Lizard SPF 30, Anthelios SPF 60 XL, DHC Suncut Q10 30+, Badger SPF 30, N.V Perricone’s Solar Protection. For mineral powder foundation, you must use Susan Posnick’s ColorFLO SPF 26 - kudos to Susan for including zinc and titanium dioxide (and with good reason, read her article). I am also getting ready to test Become’s Tinted Moisturizer with 9.9% zinc and 9.8% titanium dioxide in addition to Canyon Ranch’s new skin care line, Canyon Ranch Your Transformation™, which includes an SPF with 6% zinc and almost 6% titanium dioxide.
I love when companies get it. It provides consumers with more choices. I encourage everyone to be sunscreen snobs. Quite simply … because you can.
Stumble it!
Identifying your personal style and delivering the appropriate guidance for a lifetime of confidence. 
Catherine,
I am always looking for the best SPFs so I really appreciate your recommendations. Looking forward to hearing more great pics in the future, as well.
Thank you,
Jennifer
I now consider myself educated. Thank you. You are straight to the point, no BS - I love that.
Thanks for all the great sunscreen information! I’m glad to hear that you like theraderm platinum protection SPF 30-I just ordered a tube last week. Ever since you turned me on to Theraderm’s Enriched Moisturizer, I can’t get enough of their products. For me consistently focusing on protecting my skin from the sun is relatively new. Even while putting sunscreen religiously on my kids, I would neglect to put any on my face so that I would get that “glow” that would mean that I didn’t have to worry too much about wearing makeup. That all changed when I had a precancerous mole removed from my back (you know, that place right above our bra line where we all forget to put sunscreen because we just can’t reach it). Every time I read your comments on the importance of sunscreen (especially in moisturizer) it really hits home. Keep all the great information coming!
Thank you,
Maria
I am a true believer in sunscreen too–Now I know “the rest of the story” here and what to look for when making purchases. So far have had 4 precancerous moles removed from my body. It’s nothing to mess around with! Can’t wait to try some products you recommended.
Can you recommend some sunscreens for children? And do the “spray” products work on them (and us for that matter)–they’re easier given the application, but I want it to be effective as well.
Hi Tammy,
So glad to hear you are a sunscreen believer! Yeah you!!! That makes my day. Blue Lizard all the way for children. They have special formulas for babies, as well. My children have never burned with Blue Lizard. You will have to order the big bottles ($20 each) at the pharmacy counter, though. Spray sunscreens typically don’t have zinc and titanium dioxide in their list of ingredients (because of the weight, I believe).
Thanks,
Catherine