Go SPF-Yourself

This past January I had the pleasure of attending the Australian Open for work and two weeks in Melbourne during peak summer was a healthy reminder to protect myself aggressively from the sun. There’s just no place better to inspire the topic I am so deeply passionate about, sun protection and SPF. 

As some of you might already know, I was diagnosed with a form of  non-life threatening skin cancer called Basel Cell Carcinoma in 2016. Since then, it has been a continuous journey of learning how to best protect myself and my skin from the damages of the sun.

Now the real joke here is, my deepest passion and a huge part of my life is, yeah you guessed it, SURFING. The most dangerous sport for sun exposure, and one that makes protecting yourself from it, very difficult. Needless to say, I’ve had to be very creative. 

So, I have spent the better part of these past 7 years understanding the negative effects of the sun’s rays, geeking out over Hannah English on Instagram, (if you don’t know her, run to follow) and trying to help inform those around me that SPF is not just a buzzword or trend, its a non-negotiable act of self protection and care.

Growing up with baby boomer parents, I’m sure many of you millennials feel this, you didn’t see a drop of SPF until way too late in life, and have looked at your parents in later years wondering if they really loved you (*kidding). But for real, what were they thinking? We’ve since wised up.

I grew up as a competitive athlete, competing in triathlons and cycling and spending countless hours in outdoor pools at training camps, and sun-beating long rides. It wasn’t until my later 20’s that I saw the dangers and effects when it was too late. 

Enter my passion for helping those around me. One particular area being my friends of colour who don’t show the effects of sun burn as easily, and might not know how important it still is to protect yourself. 

I’ll leave the full scientific run down to some other ladies that I deeply look up to, and share about my favorite products that have helped me develop an SPF wardrobe that suits my daily protection needs. 


Let’s show you the world of La Roche Posay. I was blessed to grow up in Canada where skincare is often more influenced my European trends and brands rather than American standards. So at 16, walking into my dermatologist with concerns of acne, led me to a brand that I have used diligently for 20 plus years, La Roche Posay. This is the brand founded in France that is a pharmaceutical grade skincare brand that is over-the-counter and available in most areas. 

Below are some of my favourite forms of sun protection and high protection SPF:

Lip SPF

Mineral SPF

Darker skin friendly SPF

The Gold Standard La Roche


When it comes to staying safe from the sun, I can’t recommend these SPF products enough. Remember your midday reapply, and touch ups with SPF powder! 


Now get out there and Go SPF-yourself!

xx

Jennifer

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