Health and vanity: Two reasons to wear sunscreen on your face

This year I'll be 48 years old. I'm sure genetics have a lot to do with why most people think I look younger than my real age but I also think using sunscreen on my face for the past 29 years has helped. A lot.

Why does it matter? Because today I want to talk about sunscreen and I couldn't think of a more honest example of why to use it than to share my age with you. I've been using facial sunscreen on a daily basis since I was 19 years old which was long before it was common to do so and way back when most sunscreens were super thick and greasy. I wore it in an effort to prevent skin cancer, which I blogged about once before, and to keep from tanning because I hate getting too dark, which my skin has a natural tendency to do.

My new facial sunscreen is MyChelle's Replenishing Solar Defense SPF 30

The thing is, last year I learned not all sunscreens are equally effective or user safe. And I learned the moisturizing sunscreen I'd been using for years was one to be concerned about according to the EWG (Environmental Working Group). Since then I've replaced it with Replenishing Solar Defense SPF 30 by MyChelle. While neither company conducts testing on animals, the MyChelle has UVA protection and doesn't contain questionable ingredients like the Ceteareth-20, PEG-40 Castor Oil, and DMDM Hydantoin that my old brand did.

I also wanted to point out it's important to read the application instructions. The MyChelle sunscreen instructs to:

"Liberally apply to clean skin 15 -30 minutes before sun exposure. Reapply every 30 minutes to 1 hour throughout the day while exposed to the sun and each time after swimming, towel drying or sweating. For daily use, allow the product to absorb completely before applying make-up. For use on children 6 months and older. For face and body."

It's rich but ultra-light, non greasy, and soaks right into my skin. In fact I have to use it in tandem with a moisturizing lotion. And since I'll need to reapply it every 30-60 minutes while out in the sun I guess I'll be carrying it in my camera bag when I'm off doing my blogging adventure photos shoots from now on. And wearing a hat.

Skin cancer sucks so wear a hat to block the sun

I don't remember exactly when I started wearing hats but I think it was sometime in the early 90's. Wide brimmed hats are good for blocking the sun. I also wear a lot of baseball caps because they're lightweight, easy, and better than no hat. The whole idea is to keep my face out of direct sunlight. In tandem with the sunscreen (and long sleeved shirts) that's about as good as it gets for me when it comes to sun protection.

Skin cancer is nothing to mess around with so go out in the sun, have fun, and be safe. If not for health reasons using sunscreen for vanity will produce the same end result and years from now you'll be glad you did.

I will say that revealing my age causes a bit of concern. Right now my Twitter handle is @TheFlirtyGirl. Lately I've been wondering if there an age when I should change it to @TheFlirtyLIttleOldLady? But that doesn't have quite the same ring to it as "The Flirty Girl." LOL