Heat & Sun Awareness: Upgrade Your Sunscreen

Springtime & sunnier days are just around the corner!

While we need sun protection all year round, now is the time to upgrade your solar guard.  Why? Well, the days are getting longer and brighter. That plus the warmer temps means we will be spending more time outdoors and exposing more skin to the harmful rays of the sun. While I'm not a fan of looking like a ghost, I know from walking, running and cycling that burned skin looks even worse! Still, I'm a fan of tinted moisturizers and airbrushed tans for a Victoria's Secret model glow and NO they don't tan either..

Sunscreen Issues
One of the problems I've had with sunscreens is that even the ones for the face are often greasy and cause your makeup to slide off or pill up. I hate that! I've purchased Bobbi Brown's Brightening SPF 50 UV Protective Face Base and found it to be good but at less than 2 oz in a tube, (1.7 to be exact), you'd go through it very quickly. What I like even better is G.M. Collin's High Protection Cream SPF 30.

Favorites for the road: SPF Tinted Moisturizer, Lip Moisturizer and Sunblock

High Protection Cream from G.M. Collin - Paris
This sunscreen comes in a convenient 4 oz twist dispenser topped bottle. Using natural sunscreens like Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide, it uniformly blocks both UVA & UVB rays by creating a gentle, transparent physical barrier. It is SO light that it doesn't mess with my makeup application. It leaves behind no white film and does not block pores. This super SPF 30 sunscreen also contains botanicals like Cassia Alata Leaf Extract to protect DNA from UV damage and antioxidants like vitamins E and C.

I wore it under my makeup while marching in the Saint Patrick's Day Parade this year and was very comfortable. My skin didn't get burned even though it was quite sunny along the parade route. High Protection Cream can be used on both the face and body. So rather than just settling for a high SPF, get sun protection that is more complete and actually good for your skin.

Get a jump on this season's best bets for solar protection and avoiding heat exhaustion at the Heat & Sun Awareness Project on Pinterest.

So Chill: The Benefits of Ice Cold Water

Sipping just 16 oz of icy cold water can boost your metabolism 24% - Polar Bottle's NEW Thermaluxe Stainless Steel Thermal Bottle

 

Last year, I started a Heat & Sun Awareness Project and launched it on Pinterest.

Cool Cups!  Klean Kanteen's Steel Pints go hiking.

Why? Well, because one of the areas where many of us athletes still struggle is in hydration and sun protection. Dehydration, sun and heat stroke are still deadly killers that needn't be. Your body really can't work at full capacity when it's swimming in concentrated toxins and salts.  Yeech! Signs of dehydration are scant, dark urine, decreased sweating and sallow skin that's lost it's elasticity.  Really, who needs that?

With a few inexpensive precautions, you can maximize your workout while helping your body to stay cool under fire. The new watchword is "stainless steel".  Single use plastic bottles are out.  What's going on now is refill and reuse which is great eco-wise and for the economy. I can't tell you how disgusting it is to see plastic water bottles littering my bicycle route in the morning.  What a waste!  It mars the landscape and costs millions of dollars for municipalities to clean up. Stainless steel drink containers and cups are clean, reusable and a much better choice over disposable plastics.
 

Polar Bottle's NEW Thermaluxe
One of the new tools to combat heat exhaustion and dehydration is Polar Bottle's NEW Thermaluxe Insulated Stainless Steel Bottle.  This is a double walled thermal bottle that keeps drinks hot for 4-5 hours, chilly for 20+ hours. (Tip: Fill your thermal bottle with 1/2 crushed ice on hot days and it will stay icy cold for hours).  What I like about stainless steel is that you can actually boil water in them if you have to. However, where they shine is how they don't hold odors from previous drink contents.

This new Polar Bottle Thermaluxe goes one better by having their Half Twist Lid included. The Half Twist and Go situation means that you don't have to change to a cafe lid for sipping and a loop cap for traveling like the SS Klean Kanteens (which I am also crazy about). There are pros and cons on both sides but just having one lid seems like it would make your life simpler.

So really now is the time to make your upgrades in sports hydration. A water bottle is essential to your workout arsenal and now you can have your cold water and drink it too.

Use a Purificup to refill your Polar Bottle on the fly.

Pure Water
Another essential item I would pair with your thermal drink container is a Purificup.  A Purificup is a completely portable traveling water filtration system. You can take it to the park or outback with you and filter water on the fly.  I've used it to filter water for a whole week of camping in the wilderness as it removes chemicals, heavy metals, bacteria and water borne pathogens like Giardia. 

If you are running, hiking or cycling in your local park, take a Purificup to filter water on the fly at a public water fountain. Heck, you can even filter water from your local lake!  Whatever you choose, be sure to plan ahead so that dehydration and heat stroke does not claim you as its next victim this season. Below are 5 Advantages of Drinking ICY COLD Water in the Morning.  So Chill to get the best results.