How I protect my child from the sun...

We never leave the house without a full arsenal of natural SPF. I protect her as much if not more than I protect myself. And you all know I'm a vampire who loves a faux tan only!

I love  Colorescience Powder for her face and for touch ups thru out the day.  Especially if I don't want her to be greasy.  It's super easy to use. An she doesn't mind wearing it...or me applying it. 

This hat Sunday Afternoons Kids Play Hat has been a lifesaver! 

I love all of the Sunday afternoon hats. In fact I wear this one...Sunday Afternoons Cowboy hat. 

These are my go to products for her!! 

Colorescience Powder

Sunday Afternoons Kids Play Hat

Sunday Afternoons Kids Play Hat Youth Royal

Yes To Cucumbers Natural Sunscreen SPF 30 Lotion, 3 Ounce

Babyganics SPF
Babyganics Mineral-Based Baby Sunscreen Spray, SPF 30, 6oz Spray Bottle

Kiss My Face SPF

Solar Sense Clear Zinc SPF 50 Carded Stick, 0.45 Ounces Unit

Babyganics Pure Mineral Sunscreen Stick SPF 50, 0.47-Ounce (Pack of 2), Packaging May Vary

I also reapply every hour. Including her scalp. I know it's Derm recommended to reapply every two hours but I don't wait this long.

Healthy Skin resolution #2 Stop Tanning

I do not tan.

I do not lay in the sun unprotected ever. 

I do not go to the tanning bed.

While I used to do all of these things in my teens and ahem 20s. I have paid greatly for my past mistakes.

I have had over 100 skin tags and moles removed from my body. All thought to be precancerous...and some were dysphasia (abnormal cells). Thankfully none ever in my face but my chest and stomach are a different story...with many many scars. Read more about this Here.

So for these reasons and the fact that I have dealt with hyperpigmentation and I don't want fine lines or wrinkles.....is why I don't get in the sun EVER! Read Here about my hyperpigmentation issues! 

I am a sun avoider!

But I love to fake tan...self tan! Read Here about the way I self tan daily....been doing it for over 15 years now. Yep expert!! 

I wear a hat and sunglasses every time I step foot outside. 

And always always always SPF!! Read here about my fav SPF!

My First Skin Resolution Wear SPF Daily!

This goes for basically all people.

It is the number one thing I told every single client I ever worked on! (I did aesthetics for many years...still have a license and that's how I know what I know... Plus I've have dealt with acne since I was 12.... Which also makes me an acne expert)

All races...all ethnicities...all ages...all people need to wear Sunscreen Protection everyday of their lives.

Read Here and Here and Here for info about my skin and how I keep it in tip top shape! 

If you want your skin to stay smooth.

If you want your skin to not have hyperpigmentation aka brown spots.

If you want your acne scars to clear.

If you don't want skin cancer.

It's the cheapest and best wrinkle treatment hands down.

Find one you like and wear it daily FOREVER! 

Here are a few of my favs.

Eltamd UV Clear SPF 46 This is by far the holy grail for people with acne! Best ever...will not make you break out! 

Skinceuticals Physical fusion...a bit more hydrating but again won't break you out. Great for normal 
skinned people.
Colorescience ...great for touch ups thruout the day. Also excellent for kiddos. 

The absolute best sunscreen ever....all people with acne check it out!

This SPF! The best ever!

I have been searching for a sunscreen that will not cause any acne, pimples, blackheads, cysts...and my friend this is it!!

I have tried probably a hundred over the years and nothing compares too this one. I use it every single day on my entire face and neck. One and a half pumps total. 

I use it when it rains, in winter...every single day of my life this goes on my face and I have had zero issues! 

Hyperpigmentation....Sun Damaged Skin....

I never really have had to deal with hyperpigmentation until after having Pipiri 4.5 years ago.

Post pardum....I would walk for hours outside pushing her in this trying to get the weight I had gained off and gone for good.

I was extremely sleep deprived but very motivated...so she and I would walk ALOT. As I had a c-section so I could not run or lift weights for 8 weeks but I was cleared to walk. And walk I did. After I was released to run and lift I still used this but running...it is the absolute best jogging running stroller around!!  I loved it!

I would walk 3-4 times everyday. I wore this that calculated my steps and told me how many calories I was burning. My goal has always been around 400 per cardio session but this was different I needed to lose weight not just maintain. So I knew I needed to really burn some serious calories. And when you walk man it takes a loooong time to burn anything! Hours really. But it did work and I lost 12 pounds of fat with walking alone - for HOURS let me repeat hours....but i did lose it!

So that's what I did. Walk in the beating down sun everyday pushing this with baby Pip in tow.

I was extremely sleep deprived, exhausted, and clueless about motherhood. I had no clue about breast feeding, sleep training, formula, nothing! 

All I knew was I was tired...I hated being in my house allll day so I had to get out and walk. 

I have worn SPF everyday of my life for over 20 years....but during this post pardum time...I didn't even know what day it was....never even brushed my teeth or hair...or showered....so SPF was the last thing on my mind. 

So in my sleep deprived....baby crazed world...I made my skin look like this..

Notice the two large hyperpigmented butterfly looking areas on my forehead...all from those first few months after having a baby. My face had so much sun damage it was awful!

All from walking in direct sunlight for hour upon hour everyday with no hat or SPF on. 

I never really noticed anything at all until many months later when I was actually sleeping some and saw this photo.

At this point I had stopped breast feeding so I knew I was ok to start some serious Skin Boot Camp on myself.

So here's what I did...

I used this cleansing routine.

And I added a few extra items
1.  I used this nightly post cleansing for about 6 months...the BEST at home peel available!! Once I got my skin to where I wanted it to be - I use the peel 2x a week for maintenance.
2. then I used this on the darker hyperpigmented areas nightly as well for about 6 months...I continue to use it maybe 1-2x a week to maintain clear.

3.  then I use this any time I step outside....sun, rain, clouds...I never leave the house without sunscreen ever!
4.  I mix my spf and this together for the very best protection and to help against any free radicals!
5.  then i use this, sometimes this, or this...I like them all!
6.  when I'm on the go I sprinkle my mineral foundation into this so I can take it with me...very convenient. 

In about 6 months my skin looked like this! 

BUT.....

Hyperpigmentation can and WILL come back!  So I always wear a hat... when I take Pipiri to the pool or I'm at the beach I wear this or this or I wear this kind when I'm running errands or this fedora.

Pipiri always wears hats - ALWAYS!  This is her favorite at the pool and beach - protects face, neck, and ears.  This one has an awesome chin strap so it doesn't blow off in the wind.

On her face I put this on her when we are at the park, pool, or beach,,,,and I reapply every single hour!!!!  On a daily basis she wears this...which can be used down the neck, chest as well as face. Easy to apply - no mess.

Here's my skin today..4.5 years later. No filters:)

How I Self Tan

After I spent an entire decade in the suntanning bed and laid out every summer for countless years...I am left with some serious sun damaged skin...(neck down that is....)

I have tons of sun spots, hyper pigmented splotches, scars...etc.

It ain't pretty!

So I self tan to help make it all less noticeable.

I use  This Self Tanner  Or This as your once a week tanning product...I use it twice a week.

My routine is the following:

1. First I  shower and exfoliate with This Exfoliator.

2. Then I towel dry (being wet will make the tanner run everywhere and make splotches).

3. You will need to wear gloves.  You will need about two quarter sizes of gel tanner or a larger amount of the mousse if your are using that type....for each leg maybe a bit more. One quarter size for your chest, one for tummy, one for each arm...Then I use the provided mitt to rub the makeup/tanner all over. Work quickly!!

4. Don't worry if it's not completely perfect because in the morning when you shower the places you mess up will wash off in the shower. 

You will be very tan! 

So don't freak out! 

This is just a makeup showing up...it will not last..

Don't go running, don't get into a sauna, and try not to sweat or it will drip.

You must NOT shower for at least 8 hours or is won't be a very long lasting tan. 

That's the reason I do it in the evening post showering.

Yes it is messy but it will not stain. It will get on your clothes so wear an old shirt or pajamas...and yes it will get on your sheets. In all of the years I have been using it I have never had it not come out of my clothes or sheets.

I always put a towel down on my couch just in case a bit comes off...it never has but I'm careful.

Then the following day after the allotted 8 hours hopefully longer...I shower. You will notice a ton of
tanner going down the drain. Don't worry again as I know you are thinking it's all washing off. But it is not...just the makeup portion. 

You will still be left with the most beeeeeauuuuutiful color!

(And no I don't put it on my face...just from the neck down...more on how to make your face match later on:)

Then I applyFake Bake Sport Self-Tanning Lotion to make the tan stay as long as possible....I use this as my daily body lotion.

Above shows no tanner at all VS. Post shower with Fake bake and Jergens dark

Read at the very bottom of this post about what I now use as my daily tanning lotion.

Before During After

No tanner VS post shower with Fake Bake and Jergens natural glow dark.

Bonus fake tanning always makes you look more ripped! Always! 

It's like an instant 5 pounds thinner!

Here's the list of items I use:

Fake Bake Body Polish 6oz - exfoliator

Fake Bake Original Self Tan Lotion 6oz - 1-2x a week

                          OR
Fake Bake Instant Self Tanning Spray 7oz - 1-2x week

Fake Bake Flawless Darker - I use this one if I don't feel like using my daily tanner and just want to be super tan very quickly.

Fake Bake Sport Self-Tanning Lotion  Is the current daily tanner I use as a daily moisturizer. 

In the photos above I used the fake bake spray and Jergens natural glow. In the past few months I have stopped using any products with parabens and sulfates....thus I have switched to the fake bake sport as my daily tanning lotion instead of the Jergens. I find that the fake bake sport provides just as good of a daily dark tan as I like. I think the scent is actually better than the Jergens.