This is a sponsored post in partnership with Alba Botanica and the InfluenceHer Collective. All words and opinions are my own.
Happy Friday, sweet friends! You finally made it to the holiday weekend *inserts happy dance & jazz hands*. A N D this means we are 3~ish weeks away from fall AKA my favorite season of the year. I am ready for all the cozy sweaters, boots, layers, colorful leaves, crisp chilled nights, bonfires – EVERYTHING. I am basically ready for it all. Before we get there, I wanted to share some helpful insight around a question I recently got: Do we have to wear sunscreen after Summer ends? The answer: absolutely, without a doubt, YES YES & YES. No matter if you work outside for most of the day or only walk to and from the mailbox and garbage daily, you need to be wearing broad spectrum sunscreen.
As someone who swears by sunscreen for healthy skin, especially with combating scarring + dark marks, I’m excited to share two BRAND NEW sunscreens from Alba Botanica. Both options are reef-safe, all-natural, organic & vegan. AKA you get all the protection with none of the junk. I feel good about buying organic and natural products because they keep both the environment and my skin happy. With semi-sensitve skin, any creams or body lotions or sprays with tons of chemicals and additives for fragrance will break me out. My face, my legs, my back and even my hands. If you guys have followed along on Instagram, you know that I have also switched to all-natural deodorant and have changed several of my other beauty products. With Alba Botanica’s new options, I don’t have to worry about breaking out after applying or having reactions once I sweat or stay out in the sun for too long.
Here in NC, it’s going to basically be Summer until Thanksgiving which means all over sun protection is a must. When using the Hawaiian Green Tea Lotion with SPF 45, I apply to exposed body parts about 20 minutes before going into sunlight. I just add this step onto my morning beauty routine while my makeup setting spray is drying down. This sunscreen is perfect for all over body application because it’s non-greasy, absorbs quickly, is water resistant and actually moisturizes your skin. In the past, I’ve tried other all over body sunscreens and after about 30 minutes, I could feel my skin drying out completely and starting to look ashy, even though I thought I was well moisturized.
On days when I know I will be outside working at the local park or coffee shop or outside our our office, I’ll grab the Hawaiian Coconut Clear Spray with SPF-50 from my travel beauty box and throw it in my purse. As a broad-spectrum sunscreen, it helps to protect against sunburn, skin cancer and premature signs of aging. Plus this sunscreen in particular is free of oxybenzone, octinoxate, PABA, nano-sunscreens, vitamin A and ingredients that harm coral reefs. 
And though Summer is winding down, I’ll still need a sunscreen that is water-resistant and protects after sweating just because of how warm it will continue to be. Whenever I take my walk during the day, I’ll spray my entire body, just lightly over my face, so I don’t risk getting burnt during the peak of the day. Just 10 seconds of my time can save my skin from so many adverse outcomes in the future.
If you don’t have sunscreen integrated into your skincare/beauty routine, here are 5 ways to start adding it today:
- Put your sunscreen right next to your makeup or skincare items. I line up my products in order of use so I don’t skip anything and sunscreen goes right along with it.
- Always have a back-up sunscreen in your car, purse or desk at work so you never forget to reapply. If you workout outside, make sure to have sunscreen in your gym bag or locker.
- Find body and face products that contain SPF for more protection. Currently, my moisturizer and CC cream have SPF 30, plus my SPF 45 lotion for my face.
- Find several options that you may like. With these two options from Alba Botanica, I can pick to rub in the cream or give my body a spray when needed. Both are suited for different times of the day for me and help me maximize use.
- Ask your friends to hold you accountable. When I go walk with friends at work, my first question is if they put on sunscreen. Because sun damage isn’t always immediately visible, people tend to let skipping a day or two not mean much to them. In the long run, sun damage can cause so many issues such as dark spots, acne, peeling, wrinkles and unfortunately, skin cancer.
This week, try to put 2 of these tips in place and take note of how much easier it becomes to get your daily dose of sun protection.
Well friends, I hope you have a lovely long weekend & spend time doing something that makes your heart happy. Before you head out to travel, stop by Walmart and pick up one of the above options for sunscreen from Alba Botanica. Thanks so much for reading! -xo, Azanique <3
