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Skin damage has begun, that’s what! The sun is rad in a lot of ways – it’s a star, it’s got a strong gravitational force that Earth orbits, it lets humans exist (nbd), and it makes us feel happy – but it can also be a pain (literally and figuratively), and just plain unsafe.

Humans are supposed to wear sunscreen everyday because UV rays are harmful, and the hole in the ozone layer isn’t getting any smaller, unfortunately, so UV damage just continues to get worse. Regardless of the weather, or even your skin’s melanin content, UVA rays (visible to the naked eye) and UVB rays (not visible to the naked eye) are doing some damage. People with lighter skin are more susceptible to sun damage and skin cancer, but dark skin isn’t immune. Aside from skin cancer, the sun can manipulate skin in other ways. The sun can cause:

• wrinkles
• discolouration
• moles/freckles (these can also be genetic, so don’t panic if you have them)

I’m genetically predisposed to moles and freckles – I have them everywhere, and both Isla and William are following suit. Having a large number of moles increases one’s susceptibility to skin cancer because UV rays can damage the skin cells in the moles, making them malignant, so I’m extra careful about sun protection.

Also: how many times can I say “damage” in this post? Stay tuned.

Because totally avoiding the sun isn’t possible – I kind of wish it was, since the sun makes me sneeze, I get nauseated from heat, I can’t see when it’s OVERCAST outside without sunglasses, and I burn in less than 10 minutes – we take some serious steps to make sure we stay sun-safe.

1. Sunscreen everyday
   • I  was so glad when Isla turned six months because I can now finally slather her in sunscreen like the rest of us (this was a serious anxiety trigger for me). We wear sunscreen everyday on our faces and anywhere else the sun’s rays can reach. For the kids, my go-to sunscreen is ThinkBaby*, but I recently found Alba* sunscreen at Costco (it was $16.99 for a 3-pack), so we’re gonna give that a try, too! I use Ombrelle* on my face everyday; it’s the lightest sunscreen I’ve ever used, and it doesn’t make my skin greasy! I love it. We also have a tonne of other sunscreens (no one should be surprised at this point), but we use an even mix of chemical and physical sunscreens – it mostly depends on what we’re doing (or age – Isla of course only wears physical).
   • It turns out that the amount of sunscreen that you’re supposed to use is just not happening; even when people use sunscreen, they’re often using too little or not applying it often enough, which still leads to sunburns and, you guessed it: sun damage. Adults should use about an ounce (a shot glass) of sunscreen every time it’s applied; an ounce is 30 ml, so it ends up being about a teaspoon per large body area (face, each arm, each leg, torso). Also, stick to creams instead of sprays to ensure you’re getting adequate coverage.
   • This is my face when I’m putting on my daily sunscreen; It’s actually less than I needed, even though it was about a teaspoon-worth, and I had to put more on after I took this (terrible) selfie. I know what you’re thinking: “Rhiannon, are you sure that’s not your foundation?” It’s like a shade or two too light, OK? (My foundation* is SPF 30, though)
2. Avoid peak sunlight 
   • The sun is most direct between the hours of 10 am and 2 pm, so it’s best to avoid the sun during this time period. Since we’re not exactly early risers, we’re often outside during this timeframe; so, if we’re outside, you can find us in the shade. When we go to the beach, we bring an umbrella, but we’re on the hunt for a great sun tent!
3. Clothing coverage 
   • As I mentioned, if I’m too hot I get nauseated, so I keep my layers comfortable,(aka “limited”) but with the kids, clothes that are both weather-appropriate and protect their skin are great. Isla has long-sleeved cotton onesies that are a go-to when we’re heading outside.
   • For swimming, kiddos are in full-coverage suits; I recently came across SwimZip, which is a company that sells UPF 50+ water attire for the whole family! I’m super loving on their rash guards, which zip up, so we avoid the whole wet-shirt-sticking-on-wet-head thing.
     

     Hat and swimsuit from SwimZip; heart glasses from Carter’s

4. Hats & sunglasses 
   • Each of us have a ridiculous amount of hats and sunglasses so that our sun protection doesn’t clash with our outfits (I am BASIC, I’m sorry).
   • I took my hat off when I was in the water because I have a big head and my hats like to fly away (it’s a problem), so I put extra sunscreen on my neck, ears, etc.

Have fun in the sun, but keep yourself safe, too! (Also, try to use less cliches than me.)