Skincare Favorites: Best Sunscreen for Your Skin

~ the weather in Vancouver has been incredible the last week. the glorious sunshine has been basking us with its presence. given the temperament of Mother Nature, especially in BC, we would never complain about the sun {its been HOT though!}. rather, we thought to talk about how to protect the skin you're in while enjoying the beautiful sunshine ~

~ for us here at SBD HQ taking care of our skin is rule #1 year round. however, caring for your skin during summer months when the rays are stronger and free-radicals can wreak havoc on your skin is of utmost importance.  if you live in beautiful Vancouver, you know we take advantage of sunny days as often as we can and that means being outdoors, exposed to the gorgeous sunlight full of vitamin D. it also means that our skin can be sensitive to the powerful rays of the sun. while daily exposure to the sun is essential for our vitamin D intake, burnt, red looking skin is not. the solution? sunscreen ~

~  nowadays, sunscreen can be found in your daily moisturizer, in foundations and even in some primers. the likely-hood of re-application of either of these three products is not going to happen. therefore, it is essential to add an sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher to your face {and body parts exposed to the sun}  in those sparkling summer months. if only to prevent lobster face from occurring!  not to mention, over time, unprotected skin exposed to the sun can cause premature aging {fine lines, dull, rough skin and those brown spots, which we have just started to notice *sad face*} ~

~ if you are anything like, you don't like the feeling of a heavy sunscreen on your skin. one of the reasons why you may feel the heaviness of a sunscreen is likely due to the wrong sunscreen for your skin type. different climates and weather changes call for different skin type needs so we've broken down and recommended the best sunscreens for different skin types that will work all year round ~

~ DRY SKIN means your skin feels dry and tight everywhere, from your forehead, nose, cheeks, and chin. the size of your pores are quite small if at all visible and there may be some roughness to the texture of your skin due to a buildup of dead skin cells.  if you fall into this type during the summer months these are the sunscreens we recommend:

~ Aveeno Protect and Hydrate Lotion SPF 30 contains  ACTIVE NATURALS® Colloidal Oatmeal to deliver superior broad spectrum UVA/UVB sun protection while hydrating skin to keep it soft, smooth and feeling healthier than before you went in the sun. great soothing ingredients for dry or sensitive skin and can be used of both face and body
 Lakme Sun Expert is a bit of a thicker formula, hence why we recommend it for dry skin.  it provides skin with vitamin rich ingredients such as cucumber and lemongrass extracts meant to calm and hydrate skin. this product is harder to find, you can purchase it online here, or at www.indianproductsonline.com 

~ COMBINATION or COMBO DRY Skin means you feel tight and dry in one area {usually the U-zone: cheeks, temples, chin}  and the T-zone {forehead, nose and chin} is a bit oily. with this skin type, you want a balance between both skin zones. these are a few sunscreens that will give you that perfect balance:

~ Consonant The Perfect Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30 can be found on Eco Diva Beauty's website and is one of our favorite all natural sunscreens.  this broad spectrum spf 30 is formulated with micronized (non-nano particle) Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide mineral, along with aloe vera, grape seed and rice bran oil to hydrate the skin leaving no white residue behind
~ Tarte's Tarte Guard SPF 30 is another lotion-like sunscreen that can be used as a moisturizer and is a personal favorite of SBDgirl Oz Zandiyeh. it contains maracuja and vitamin c to firm and brighten the skin, soybean and honeysuckle extract to fight signs of aging and calm skin. find your Tarte Guard at your local Sephora or online.

~ NORMAL, COMBO OILY and OILY Skin.  none of these skin types are usually dry {lack of oil} but are actually dehydrated {lack of water} and can be a bit rough in areas even it's oily.  if your skin feels rough and/or tight but you still experience breakouts or an oily shine, most likely you have one of the 3 types above and sunscreen can feel heavy or greasy if it's the wrong texture.  here are a few guaranteed to whisk away oil, leave no heavy residue, all the while protecting your skin:

~ La Roche Posay Anthelios Mineral Tinted Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid SPF 50 may take forever to say but rest assured the product won't take as long to absorb on oilier skins.  it's fast absorbing formula is matte finish, fragrance free, paraben free and water resistant
~  Kiehl's Super Fluid UV Defense SPF 50 is an award winning sunblock. along with a light weight, oil free, matter finish it protects and prevents against up to 90% of skin aging. pick yours up online, or at a Kiehl's store in Metro Town, Robson St or Holt Renfrew and The Bay locations.

~ we had to include these two new products below as a "something for everyone" because these two can be used on all skin types. as makeup artists and diligent users of makeup, we've always wanted a company to come up with a sunscreen you could mist on throughout the day without disturbing your makeup.  Amore Pacific has answered our prayers! their new Resort Collection Sun Protection Mist in a broad spectrum { meaning it protects against UVA and UVB rays } SPF 30 is a super fine mist that leaves no white residue to rub in. just a perfect re-application of sun protection.
~ Lancome's new Miracle Cushion Compact provides wearer's with a liquid foundation in a compact form, a Korean skincare technology brought to North America by the legendary company this Spring.  use it with a foundation brush or the sponge provided for a sheer, exceptionally lightweight coverage and SPF 25. it comes in 6 shades ( at the Lancome counters) or 11 online.

Summer Essentials

~ happy friday!!! rumor has it, Vancity will be experiencing summer weather this weekend and it got us thinking about beach essentials! we always like to be prepared when lounging on the sand, basking {safely} in the sunshine, enjoying some downtime with our friends and family. we fill our beach bags with essentials that protect us, hydrate us and educate us {we must learn how to be Parisian}. we cannot wait for the longer days of summer and are already preparing our beach bags for summer bbq's and picnics. we've put together our must haves for everything beach and hope it inspires you to go to all your summer gatherings prepared! ~

~ we've been lusting after these 'livnow' sunnies from Shop Maccs, and at $49.95 we can totally be stylish without worrying we're going to sit on them {because getting another pair wouldn't be so bad....}

~ let's face it, when we're on the beach the last thing we want is a face full of heavy glam! now, we still want to look impossibly fresh looking so we love these Fresh Sugar Tinted Lip Balms with spf 15.  since the skin on our lips is 10 times thinner than that of our face, it's really important to make sure you have sunscreen on them when out in the sun. these lip balms take your pick from 10 different shades plus two clear treatments ~

~ speaking of sunscreen, you will definitely need some for your face and body this weekend if you're in Vancouver! this new one from Tarte, the Tarte Guard SPF 30 Sunscreen, is a non-chemical sunscreen in a lightweight, non-sticky formula meant to moisturize and protect for the perfect all in one moisturizer.  it also has tons of good for your skin ingredients, part of its Skinvigorating formula, such as maracuja, red algae, soybean, apple and honeysuckle extracts to nourish, tone and retain moisture while helping to combat signs of aging for a firmer, brighter, smoother appearance~

~  while at the beach or just in hot weather in general it's best to stay hydrated and what chicer way to do it than with this glass BKR Bottle. we all know glass is better for us and the environment and since these cute as can be bottles come in 2 sizes (500ml and 1L) and 33 different colors you can even match them to your ensemble....just sayin.  get yours at your local Holt Renfrew, or online ~

  ~the camera of the summer is here, Polaroid's Instamax Mini is perfect for the beach and small enough to fit in with your summer essentials. available in 4 colors, it features instant printing, analog camera, produces 2.1x3.4 color photos and it's compatible with PIF-300 Instant Film. get yours at your Photo Express, Best Buy or London Drugs ~

~ be original this summer and pick up a Roundie towel! we stumbled across these unique towels at Privilege Clothing Boutique but you can get them right from the source! the Beach People developed the Original Roundie towel  and it now comes in 4 different prints that are Aztec inspired. be the chic one one the beach this summer with your new Roundie!~

~ nothing says beach ready like a new beach tote! this eco-friendly woven tote by Mar y Sol ( the Caracas tote) is woven with responsibly sourced agave leaves. the sale of Mar y Sol tote bags enables families to gain economic independence and reserves the traditional craft while promoting environmental conservation.  that makes the $162 price tag seems reasonable when you're supporting a cause such as this one! we found ours at Nordstrom but you can also shop them online and at Shopbop ~

~ a relaxing day in the sun isn't complete {in an SBDGirl's eyes} without a great book.  nothing relaxes us more than sitting down with a good book and this one (from the title alone) intrigues us.  courtesy of our friends at Chapters Indigo, How To Be Parisian Wherever You Are by Anne Berest, Audrey Diwan, Caroline de Maigret, and Sophie Mas is a book from four stunning and accomplished French women giving a fresh and spirited take on what it really means to be a Parisienne: how they dress, entertain, have fun and attempt to behave… promising to be a great book on the beach this summer! ~

~ rounding off our summer must haves is this stunning swim suit by Ted Baker. the Ralinda swim suit balances coverage with shape definition and style.   this plunge front suit has an adjustable neckline and cut out detailing it's outer is made of nylon and elastane for the perfect fit ~

- from us at Style x Beauty Department we wish you a lovely and stylish summer filled with perfect reads, beautiful breezes and a few cocktails!