Summer travel is so much fun, but you can’t get so caught up in the excitement that you forget the practical stuff. As a serious checklist writer, I completely believe in creating lists that help you figure out the important stuff that you’ll need for trips to the beach, cookouts, and casual days out and about in the sun. It is so nice to get some sunshine, but the dangers of sun are real deal. While preparing for vacations and weekend trips to the lake house, I hope you are thinking about protecting your skin with sunscreen lotion. A good friend of mine always sends me a reminder – so I’m paying it forward.

SP – What?

It may be tempting to just grab a hat and run errands in the summer, but taking a few extra moments to dab on some sunscreen has a few proven benefits that you might think are worth your time.  Broad spectrum sunscreen can prevent sunburn, reduce risk for skin cancer, and slow down aging. The FDA recommends SPF 15 or higher and has strict requirements about what claims companies can make to consumers. Check the labels, reapply every few hours, and block skin damage with top sunscreen brands.

Do I Have to Do Math?

SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. Apparently, the number tells you how long it will take UVB rays to burn your skin. Britannica defines SPF as, “a relative measurement for the amount of time the sunscreen will protect you from ultraviolet (UV) rays.” The longer you plan to be in the sun, the higher SPF you’ll need. And although they are waterproof, experts recommend reapplying after swimming or sweating. Proper application will improve efficiency, so be sure to ask for some assistance (wink).

I Just Can’t Decide

Okay, so now that we understand the basics – without having to know all about the dermis, epidermis, scary skin cancer risk factors, and photons – which SPF is the most popular right now? What are the top sunscreen brands? According to Amazon, here are a few highly recommended brands.

Neutrogena pulled the highest number of ratings and reviews. The Neutrogena Ultra Sheer SPF 70 Dry-Touch Water Resistant Sunscreen Lotion has 4/5 stars and over 38,000 reviews.

EltaMD UV Clear SPF 46 Face Sunscreen is a best seller. If you have the budget, it may be worth the splurge. It costs $39.00 but has over 31,000 positive reviews.

CeraVe’s 100% Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 only has 11,000 + reviews, but I’ve always thought this was a good product.

There are so many options. My first choice was Neutrogena Sport Face Oil Free, but I ended up buying the Aveeno face sunscreen and Coppertone body sunscreen.

Sunglasses

Flip Flops

Beach Towel

Beach Bag

Sunscreen.

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