sun protection


MDSolarSciences sunscreen review

The San Francisco Bay Area has enviable weather; and let’s face it, we have a lot of sunshine outside of San Francisco. Our mild weather and sunny skies lead the majority of us to live outdoor lifestyles. We dine on the patio, we swim or splash around in swimming pools, we play outdoor sports, we visit playgrounds and parks, we hang out at the beach and we have the sun beating down on us when we watch our favorite sports teams compete; and that is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to being outdoors for Northern Californians.

We may not actually sit down and think about how often we are in the sun. Of course when we go to the beach, play tennis, go for a jog or hop in the pool we are diligent about applying sunscreen. But what happens when you go to a sports stadium and watch a game for four hours? Are you applying sunscreen? Admittedly, this is a time when I don’t think about applying sunscreen and it is most likely a time when I come home with a pink nose. The same is true for going to the park, walking down the street, going to an outdoor shopping center; the scenarios are limitless.

All of this unexpected sun exposure can lead to pre-mature aging and worse; skin cancer. So when I was introduced to MDSolarSciences and their line of amazing sun protection products, I was excited to give it a try.

MDSolarSciences sent me three products to test out; the “Natural Mineral Sunscreen Stick,” a “Mineral Screen” which is a tinted gel that is perfect to use in lieu of foundation or underneath as base layer, and also the “Quick Dry Body Spray.”

Natural Mineral Sunscreen Stick: This is a cute little sunscreen stick which fits nicely in your pocket or purse. The fabulous thing about the sunscreen stick is that you can take it anywhere and if you end up outdoors and in the sun unexpectedly, you can quickly apply sunscreen. Love that!

It also happens to be water resistant and worked like a charm when I sat outside on a patio for an hour enjoying my lunch in the direct sun. SPF 40 UVA-UVB broad spectrum. $12.95

Mineral Screen tinted gel: The Mineral Screen was great for a day of shopping outside at Santana Row in San Jose! I wore the tinted gel in lieu of foundation and it left a smooth finish as well as kept my face protected. Loved it! SPF 30 UVA-UVB broad spectrum. $23.95

Quick Dry Body Spray: This light and non-greasy sunscreen was easy to spray on. I wore it when I played tennis in the direct sun and it did not come off when I perspired. It was fabulous to be able to play tennis in the warm autumn sun without getting any sunburn whatsoever. Loved it! SPF 40 with SolSciX, broad spectrum, UVA-UVB. $20.95

Bottom line: MDSolarSciences worked like a charm to keep me protected from the sun when I was outside. The fabulous part about MDSolarSciences products is that they are made from ingredients which are gentle and beneficial to the skin. They do not have an odor and can easily be worn without competing or changing the fragrance experience of your favorite perfumes.
MDSolarSciences are also not sticky, nor do they dry out your skin. Love this!

To learn more about MDSolarSciences products, please visit mdsolarsciences.com

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*We received samples of MDSolarSciences products. We were not required to review the products nor did receipt of the samples influence our opinion of the products. Everything contained in this article is the opinion of the writer and should be treated as such. For more information, please read our disclaimer.


Top three facial sunscreens for summer as chosen by expert editors

Summer is here and the sun is beating down on everyone. One of the most important parts of our skincare regime for the summer months includes applying sunscreen. Experts and skincare professionals are constantly telling us that we need to apply sunscreen on our face on a daily basis; whether or not we plan to be in the sun. Apparently the sun can hurt our skin just walking to and from the car! Who knew?!

Applying sunscreen on our bodies is fairly straightforward. We don’t have to worry about acne breakouts, rashes and the like. Our faces are different. Facial skin is sensitive and prone to acne, rashes, dry patches, oily patches and problems we may not even be aware of!

So here at Bay Area Fashionista we have decided to take on the long, cumbersome task of testing several sunscreens for the face; so that you don’t have to. Love that!

Here are our editor’s picks and a special treat: Trish’s pick from Dish By Trish:

Rita’s pick:

For my face I only use Colorscience Pro Sunforgettable Mineral Power Brush SPF 30 in Almost Clear (Tan). I love it! It’s a mineral sunscreen powder and brush in one small compact cylinder tha I carry around in my purse during the summer. It goes on very lightweight since it’s in powder form, so no greasy sunscreen lotions on my face. It’s also tinted so it provides some coverage as well. There’s no need to put on makeup on top of it – and who wants to that when on vacation anyway? The one I use has PSF 30 but I believe it comes in SPF 50 also. It’s also waterproof, but I reapply after I get out of the water anyway J” Colorscience can be found online at Dermstore.com

Trish’s pick:

“I fell in love with Kiehl’s products many years ago because it was one of the few brands that didn’t irritate my sensitive skin. My everyday favorite sunscreen is Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Moisturizer SPF 15. This is a super lightweight formula yet it gives my skin a nice glow while providing protection. But for those really hot summer days, I opt for Kiehl’s UV Defense SPF 50. While this formula is lightweight, it provides maximum protection. I love the convenient travel size bottle (1.7 fl. oz) because it fits perfectly in my purse and can be easily placed in carry-on luggage when traveling.” Kiehl’s can be found online at kiehls.com

Trish is the fabulous brain behind Dish By Trish. Check out her yummy food blog at dishbytrish.com, “like” her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter and Pinterest.

Cathy’s pick:

I have sensitive skin which is also combination skin. To make matters worse, I am prone to acne and have several allergies to cosmetics. In fact, there are several cosmetic companies out there who claim to be hypo-allergenic, yet they irritate my skin and cause rashes. So, finding a sunscreen for my face was a bigger challenge than swimsuit shopping and denim shopping combined.  I was instantly in heaven when I tested out Revive products. The moisturizers contain spf protection, they balanced my skin, ended my acne and I swear my wrinkles have been reduced! Am I dreaming? My pick is definitely Revive Sensitif Cellular Repair Cream with SPF 15. Revive can be found online at Nordstrom.com

Rita is Bay Area Fashionista’s Style Editor, Trish is Editor in Chief of Dish ByTrish and Cathy is Editor in Chief of Bay Area Fashionista.

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Summer hats for summer 2012

Summer is here and one of the main things every Fashionista will need this warm weather season is a hat! Hats serve many purposes during the hot weather season. First, hats can help block the sun from hitting your face. There are even hats on the market, such as the wide brimmed hats from San Diego Hat Company, which offer SPF protection. This is a fabulous feature from a hat since it not only allows you to look fashionable and fabulous, but it also protects your skin. Love that!

Hats are also a fun way to express your personal style while lounging poolside, building sandcastles on the beach or listening to your favorite band play in a wide open outdoor venue. Wide brimmed hats are also great on warm summer days while strolling outdoor shopping centers, going to the park and for any outdoor activity you can think of; except maybe marathon running 

Since color is all the rage this season, hat shopping for summer 2012 is fun and playful. You can find a wide brimmed hat in any color you want. Hats are being shown in full color as well as natural color with a pop of color on the trim. This allows you many options for the summer season. Do you feel like having one bright hat? Want to add color in an understated way with only the trim reflecting a bright or pastel hue? The choice is yours!

We found a few fabulous summer hats for the summer 2012 season around the web and assembled them into the Polyvore set below. Hope you love them! Happy shopping, stay fabulous and enjoy the sun! 

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