Favorite sunscreens

As I mentioned in my previous post, I am super duper pale. In fact in a recent photo, my entire face got blurred by the flash of the camera mixed with my bright white skin. #storyofmylife

Anyway, because I'm so pale, I use sunscreen all the time and have tried a lot of different kinds. I've rounded up three of my all-time favorites to share. All of these can be found at the drugstore and are about $10 each. Don't waste your money on high-end sunscreen. There are plenty of oil free, non-greasy options at the drugstore that work just as well, and are 1/5 of the price.

Let's get started.

Coppertone Oil Free Sunscreen Lotion

My favorite sunscreen ever. This is perfect for people with sensitive skin. It's not greasy at all, and is oil free, fragrance free and hypoallergenic. And it's broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection - something that should be a must when looking for sunscreen. I get the SPF 30 kind, and it's gentle enough to use on my face too.

Here's what the marketing stuff on the bottle says:

- Oil free, fragrance free, hypoallergenic
- Broad spectrum, UVA/UVB protectoin, with photostabilized Avobenzone <-- I have absolutely no idea what that is. Hopefully nothing that's slowly killing me.
- Helps prevent premature skin aging from the sun
- Won't clog pores or cause breakouts
- Waterproof, PABA-free
- Light, non-greasy formula absorbs quickly

Banana Boat Ultra Defense Sheer Protect

I tried this sunscreen because Target was out of the Coppertone one I usually buy and this seemed like the closest thing. The formula is a little liquidy - is that a word? I don't think so - but it rubs in easily and is really moisturizing so I don't mind it. It's not greasy and perhaps it's just me buying into what's written on the label, but it feels like it's doing good things for your skin. Again, I got this in SPF 30.

What the Banana Boat people say:

- Water resistant (80 minutes) - It doesn't say waterproof because Banana Boat is already converting to the new sunscreen labeling laws which don't allow use of the word "waterproof." Here is an overview of the guidelines from Refinery 29 - one of my favorite sites. Bookmark it if you don't read it already - you won't regret it.
- Lightweight and hydrating
- Broad spectrum
- Antioxidant vitamin E
- Hydrating formula
- Oil and fragrance free - Even though this says it's fragrance free, to me it definitely smells like sunscreen - but I like that smell so it doesn't bother me. Perhaps it's the aloe vera in it.

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock

I bought this last year because I wanted to try a more luxurious sunscreen and was willing to spend a little more money on it. You get 3 fl oz for about $10 - with the Coppertone and Banana Boat kinds mentioned above, you get 8 fl oz for the same price. For me, I don't think it's worth the extra money, but if you like Neutrogena and want to splurge a little, this definitely is a good product.

You really have to work to get this one rubbed in (that sounds really inappropriate), but once it is, it feels like there is absolutely nothing on your skin. I have this in SPF 45, and since my bottle is almost empty, recently I've just been using it just on my face to give a little more protection.

Time for marketing talk:

- Lightweight, clean feel
- Fast absorbing
- Leaves skin soft and smooth
- Waterproof, sweatproof
- Won't clog pores
- Oil free
- PABA free

Oh! One last thing about this. Because this comes in a 3 fl oz bottle, it's great for throwing in a carry on for a weekend trip. I took this to Atlanta and didn't get a bit of color. Success!

A few words about spray sunscreens:

More and more when shopping for sunscreen, it seems like most of the options available are spray versions. Personally, I'm not a fan. I just don't see how you can get good coverage from something where half the product ends up flying around in the air.

I do own a couple spray sunscreens, though, that I use only for re-applying frequently throughout the day. I always start out with sunscreen lotion, and then use the spray kind if I'm at the beach or an amusement park - or anywhere I don't want to have to re-apply lotion. I just make sure to spray the product very carefully and rub it in with my hands afterward.

So if you're in the market for new sunscreen, I recommend trying out one of the three above. No matter what kind of sunscreen you use, just make sure you use it. And re-apply! You are not going to get away with putting on sunscreen in the morning and then spending 8 hours in the sun. You will burn. Trust me.

Use a lot and use it often. Your skin will thank you and you'll be happy you don't look like an old leather handbag in ten years.

Disclaimer so I don't get locked up: All opinions are my own.

Mascara showdown #1

Over the past couple of months, I have been shopping for mascara like a mad woman. Somewhere along the line, I decided that my Maybelline Full and Soft - which I have used for more than 10 years - just wasn't cutting it.

My main issue is that while my lashes are a decent length, they are poker straight and don't stay curled unless I use waterproof mascara (in a cruel turn of fate, my brother has gorgeous naturally curled lashes that I would kill for - frikin' genetics). And I don't like using waterproof all the time because surprise, surprise, I'm not a huge fan of scrubbing at my retinas every night trying to get the ish off.

Here's my take on three new (to me) mascaras that I've tried recently:

Josie Maran GOGO Instant Natural Volume Argan Mascara in Pitch Black. 

According to Sephora - which is where I got mine - this is supposed to be "a volume-boosting mascara that naturally plumps and curls for maximum lash drama." I'm not really sure why you would describe something that has "natural volume" in the name as giving maximum lash drama, but whatever.

The thing that most intrigued me about this mascara was the wand. It's called a "Triple V Brush", and in the store, it looked like it would be a great wand for volumizing. I absolutely hate those rubberized bristle wands, and this is nowhere near that. It's a regular bristle wand that is the perfect size and shape for applying the product.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd give this a 6.

Pros:
- Claims to be a "natural" mascara without a bunch of harsh chemicals. I did find it didn't irritate my eyes at all.
- Provides natural volume
- Black is a nice, dark color
- The wand is great. Everything I expected it to be.

Cons:
- Is Sephora just flat out joking when they say this curls? Maybe on someone who already has curly lashes - but not on anyone who has straight lashes like me. It did the same thing most non-waterproof mascaras do on me: I curl my lashes, apply the mascara, and then watch them droop back to straight again. Fail.
- It smears everywhere. Of course the description says it doesn't, but up against some oily skin and Ohio summer humidity, this stuff doesn't stand a chance.

Overall, a pretty good mascara if you like a natural look to your lashes and aren't going to be doing anything that would make it smear, but I don't think it's worth the $22 price tag when there are drugstore options that are just as good.

Rimmel London Sexy Curves Full Body Mascara in 001 Black

Where do I even start with this one? According to Rimmel, the "supersized triple plump brush builds visibly up to 10x more volume and up to 70% more lift." They also claim it doesn't clump.

Lies, lies, lies. This stuff is terrible. I of course was excited to find a new mascara that was all about curl and volume, and this was a huge disappointment. Literally, it provides less curl and volume than the mascaras I have that make no claims about providing either of those things.

The wand is also a really weird shape with three balls on it that makes it impossible to apply this evenly.

On a scale of 1 to 10: 2

Pros: In the words of Chris from Parks and Recreation, there are "LIT-rally" no pros to this stuff. Do not buy it. I only give it a 2 on the rating scale because it didn't burn my eyes off.

Cons:
Everything

Let's move on to a less upsetting product, shall we?


Revlon Grow Luscious Waterproof Mascara in Blackest Black 821

I picked this mascara up about a week ago to use for a friend's wedding I was in. I needed something waterproof, and the waterproof options I have in my collection were dried out and gross.

I had heard a couple good reviews on this - I think Sam from Pixiwoo has used it in a couple of tutorials as well. The brush is a regular bristle brush that is pretty large, and the advertisement for this was all about the volume. I know it's supposed to help your lashes grow too, but that really wasn't something I was looking for, so if it does, it's just an added bonus.

I was really happy with this on the wedding day. It held the curl of my lashes, was a very dark black color and was easy to use. Overall, a good pick for waterproof choices. I want to pick up the regular version to try as well - although I fear it won't do anything to hold a curl in the non-waterproof version.

On a scale of 1 to 10: 7

Pros:
- Held curl all day.
- No smudging.
- Applied smoothly with minimal clumps.

* I think a lot of the good things about the mascara have to do with the fact that it's waterproof. I'll be interested to test it against the non-waterproof version.

Cons:
- Brush is a bit too big for my liking, but workable.
- Was tough to get off - but it's waterproof, so isn't that what you're going for anyway?

Overall, two decent mascaras and one really terrible one. At the least the terrible one was a drugstore option so I'm not too upset about the $7 down the drain.

Disclaimer so I don't get locked up: All opinions are my own.