Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
placeholder article
placeholder article

Remember Sun Safety this Summer

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at SAU chapter.

We did it my lovely friends! There are only two weeks left of classes plus finals week. This is crunch time to finish all the projects, papers, presentations, and studying for final exams.  Yes, of course, we may be busy, but a girl has to have a little fun.

Summer is fast approaching and shorts and tank tops are making their way back in our wardrobes. The best part of this season in school is summer vacation. We all have a little picture of a turquoise beach with white sand and palm trees beside our desk to give us motivation to finish the semester strong (or maybe I’m the only one…).  Regardless, if you have in store a vacation destination for summer, remember sun block.
           
Sun block or sunscreen must be worn all year round, every day. However, summer gives an excuse for people to skip sunscreen to get a tan. A tan is essentially a scar because it is burned skin. The harmful sun rays may cause skin cancer as well as premature aging and wrinkles.  Make-up with SPF is not enough. Often, the SPF is 15, which is not enough to protect skin. It is very common that the higher the SPF, the greater the protection. Sunscreen must be reapplied every few hours to fully protect the skin. A hat and sunglasses should also be worn to care for the delicate skin around the eyes.  If you are going to be outside for long periods of time, such as sports, hiking, camping, swimming, or simply lounging in a beach, a sunscreen of SPF 70+ is recommended. If you won’t be in the sun for long periods of time, a SPF of 30 would be fine.
           
It is difficult to wear sunscreen every day. It is usually smelly and sticky. The skin typically gets shiny with the product on. Sunscreen with high SPF’s all feel and smell  the same. Sunscreen for everyday use can be more manageable. There are good options that are affordable and efficient.
           
Eucerin Everyday Protection Face Lotion, SPF 30 is excellent. The runny consistency allows you to wear an even coverage. It is also fragrance free–that’s a plus! Lubriderm Advanced Therapy Moisturizer Lotion with Sunscreen SPF 30 is perfect for the body. It has a light clean scent and a creamy texture. Keep this in mind and you will surely have fun in the sun. Try sunless tanning for a safer option. Avoid tanning beds for they can be equally or even more dangerous than the sun. 

Mary is a senior at St. Ambrose University majoring in English and journalism. She is originally from Naperville, IL and hopes to one day be back in Chicago. In the past Mary has interned for Sourcebooks, a publishing company in Naperville, and this past year she studied abroad in London and interned at Parliament. She hopes to one day be an editor in publishing at a magazine or at a publishing group like Penguin. Besides being the founding editor of Her Campus St. Ambrose, Mary is also a writing tutor at St. Ambrose. In her free time, she loves to travel, hang out with family and friends, and shop a little bit too much at Gap and J. Crew!