Halfway through summer and everywhere I look I see burnt, peeling, raw skin - and even worse, I see it still baking under the sun! I've seen so many SUNBURNS I keep thinkin' my stunna shades are tinted red!

Damaged Goods

In this day and age, showing up anywhere with a sunburn is just ignorant. The sun is a powerful thing and zaps your youth and good looks with 2 different kind of rays: UVA (Aging) and UVB (Burning) Rays. The UVA damage will haunt you later in life, but the UVB damage is usually immediate and results in darkened or red, itchy, peeling skin. That is NOT the business! A sunburn literally cooks the protein right out of your skin. Sort of like the way bacon cooks in its own fat. So sexy, right?

If you think you're in the clear because you've got darker skin, think again, my gorgeous friends: a suntan is a mild form of a burn. That's right. I'll say it again: A SUNTAN IS A BURN! It's your body's natural defense against the rays - it's using your melanin to fight off the rays. So as you get darker, your skin is telling you to get the hell out of the sun.
 

So everytime you go outside, you should be wearing AT LEAST an SPF 15. And I hate to be the bearer of bad news but...

The SPF in your foundation is NOT ENOUGH. Ever touch up your makeup throughout the day? Yep, your makeup moves and spreads and fades over the hours, meaning parts of your skin are prone to being unprotected. Uh-oh!

But don't panic - simply apply an oil-free sunscreen under your foundation! Look for one with Avobenzone or Parsol 1789 - they are magical in preventing the aging rays and they also don't give you that mean white glow that sunblocks with titanium dioxide can. Scope this article by the Environmental Working Group to make sure your sunblock is really doing what it's supposed to.

But here's the big question: how much sunscreen is enough sunscreen?

Well, about an ounce per application. If you don't know how much an ounce is, here's a little reminder:

Look familiar? (Because they sure do to me!) You should be applying a shot glass full of sunblock on your body every time you hit the streets. That means a bottle of sunblock, which on average is 8 ounces, should only last you EIGHT TIMES, not the whole summer! Unless of course, you're into age spots, wrinkles, leathery skin, skin cancer, and a plethora of other hot messes.

And hey, if you're really all about protecting yourself, the best thing you can do is practice sun abstinence and stay inside where it's nice and UV ray free!