Beauty, girl talk, girls, Life, Parenting, Travel, women

Why I went to Physical Sunscreen

May 17, 2017

Go to a dermatologist or any beauty expert and you won’t be walking out without them hysterically telling you how important sun protection is. I’m no expert, but I’m not any different either: Use it daily! Apply it EVERYWHERE. No, your make up is not enough.

I used to apply sunscreen (chemical, broad spectrum) on clean skin before applying any other skin/make up products. *I DO NOT DO THIS ANYMORE* Not because it was ineffective by any means, but I now use a physical sunscreen. My face routine is now: serum/face cream, physical sunscreen, and then bb cream. What is physical sunscreen? Well, there’s no real definition for it. It essentially means that the zinc oxide and titanium dioxide physically block the UV rays from getting to the skin. Chemical, on the other hand, uses chemicals to either absorb or scatter the UV rays.

Why the change? After doing a lot of research that came after talking to my intelligent esthetician (who sadly moved to Texas) I have enlisted to prevent any pigmentation. Hence, I now use physical sunscreen on my face/neck/chest every single day! To prevent burning. To stop sun damage. Premature ageing. And halt that mean, pigmentation, in its tracks. Physical sunscreen also allows me to forget about constantly reapplying it (unless I wet my face or sweat profusely) which is the tricky part with chemical sunscreens and make up! I will often use a BB cream or foundation with chemical sunscreens on top of this, that is to say, I am not making a stand against them, but for my primary sun protection on the face and chest? Physical sunscreen.

Let’s get one thing straight though, no matter what you are using or decide to use it is SO important to use that sunscreen on a daily basis – especially since we live in the kind of ridiculous country that insists on having extreme UV. Also because without it we burn, and get skin cancer, and our immune system suffers and our beautiful skin becomes lined and spotted. Yes, we should get about 15 minutes (depending on the time of year/UV strength/your skin) of sun exposure per day for Vitamin D and general happiness, as many miserable Chicagoans will attest to in the winter. The best way to get it and not soil your lovely skin is to expose the arms, in my opinion.

~Your Beauty Chick ~ Neema

Chick Picks:

Great on-the-go sunscreen for your pursue – AND KID FRIENDLY! (This goes directly on my 18 month old daughter when we play out in the sun)

Doubles as a moisturizer – Lightweight and lovely.

Quite the superstar in the physical sunscreen world, being one of, if not the only spray versions.

My all time favorite, go-to sunscreen. Have been using it daily for 6 months now!

Fashion, Lifestyle

SPF 30, 50, 80…What does it all mean?

August 23, 2019

Ahhhh, the summer heat is upon us and Lake Sinclair is looking like the perfect getaway! Nothing beats when the sun hits your skin and the breeze tosses your hair. But to keep comfortable in this kind of heat, we all need to take some precaution with helpful skin care designed for #LakeLife.

Taking care of your skin does not have to come with an expensive price tag. We have great drugstore brands that you can scoop up anywhere as long as you know the key ingredients you are looking for.

Understanding SPF

Waterproof, sweatproof, UVB, UVA, SPF 30, 50, or 100, what does it all mean? I asked several people to explain this to me and I was alarmed how many people don’t exactly understand what it all means!

SPF stands for ‘sun protection factor’ and is designed specifically to protect against ultraviolet B (UVB) rays. UVB is what causes sunburn. Suppose that your skin would normally start to burn after 10 minutes without any protection — with SPF 30, you would get 30 TIMES the protection…that’s 300 minutes (10min x 30 SPF)!

BUT the Center for Disease Control (CDC) warns that reapplying sunscreen does NOT reset the clock, it just provides continuity of the existing protection. So using the example above, if you go for a swim about an hour (60 minutes) after applying your SPF 30 sunscreen, then you need to re-apply and will still only get the remaining 240 minutes of protection.

So what is UVA? These ultraviolet rays don’t generally cause visible sunburn, but can cause damage to tissue that causes wrinkles which means they penetrate deeper into the skin.

The Takeaway

As someone who is particular about my skin care and of course style. I love to pile on my protection with a moisturizing sunscreen, make up with SPF in it, and a cute hat or sunglasses just to keep my face out of direct sunlight for a prolonged period of time.

Sun Essentials — Chicks #LakeLife Essentials

I hope that you found this information helpful next time you stop by CVS or Walgreens before you head to the lake.

Lather up!

Your Chick,

Rina

**This piece was published in Milledgeville Scene Magazine May/June 2019**

Lifestyle

10 Spring Break Essentials You Need Now Under $15

March 21, 2019

In doing my own shopping for a few upcoming trips, I was surprised to see how affordable things have gotten. I own, and vouch, for each item on this list and guarantee that you will love each and every pick! These are also all shop-able on our Amazon Store.

Sunglasses Holder

I am a sunglasses junkie and truly I am embarrassed to even share how many pairs I own. That being said, sunglasses are a fun way to accessorize on vacation. Since one pair just doesn’t cut it, I take 3 with me!

Insulated Tumbler

Its no secret that there is nothing like a chilled cocktail on vacation, so I keep mine with me at all times. Since I travel with my friends often, sharing is caring. This affordable set of two will come in handy and look stylish and you will be glad you threw this in your carry on.

Neutrogena Sunscreen Stick

My kids prefer this face and body stick to the spray when it comes to being outdoors, no matter what I do, the spray ends up in their mouth and eyes. Simplify your life with this stick… AND it has SPF 70!!

Mandala Blanket

This blanket has come with me all over the Caribbean and beyond! It folds up REALLY small, feels like a thin bed sheet, and makes a big statement. The kids will always be able to spot you on the beach with one of these.

Straw Hat

This straw hat has over 1000 almost 5 star reviews. I love the structure and size of it. Not only does it make practical sense to have one when out in the sun. It makes fashion sense too!

A Good Book

I recently stayed at the home of Mary Kay Andrews (see the post here) so I have her book on my nightstand right now. But really, the only time I really have extra time for reading is on a lazy beach vacation. So check out some of my picks if you are up some learning on the go.

Tassel Earring Set

Accessories not only don’t take up a lot of room when travelling, but they are great for dressing up an outfit! A cute set of earrings is the easiest way to pack in a way that is minimalistic and fun. I have reviewed this set on IGTV and highly recommend it for the price point!

Personal Vanity

I bought this one from Amazon after seeing one of my favorite bloggers review it and I was not disappointed. It is much bigger than it seems and therefore holds a LOT! If you are needing something to keep everything in one place you will love this.

Lace Up Ballet Flats

I have been doing some shopping for shoes that I can walk in for an extended period of time. I recently featured these leopard print espadrilles on our LikeToKnowIt page, but because this is a post about finds under $15, these lace up shoes are a steal! They are comfortable and cute. I have a wider foot and still find these to be comfortable. Scoop them up in any color you want, they run true to size and you will love them.

Swimsuit Cover Up

#MomLife has me hiding behind cover ups more than ever and this chiffon kaftan will have you loving life. It is comfortable and lightweight. Because it is so affordable, get it in a fun color just to have fun with it (Sonia has it in Cobalt blue)!!

I hope you liked these picks. Just having these items is getting me excited for my trip. I wish I had had these during my recent visit to Tybee Island (ugh!)

Thanks for checking out this post!

Your Chick,

Rina

Chicks Picks:

Beauty, Fashion

Keep it simple this Summer with Sneakers, Bodysuits, and SPF!

May 17, 2018

Living in the South, the sun is strong and HOT! As someone who loves the outdoors and spending time doing stuff with my kids means getting a whole lot of fresh air. There was time where I would wear wedges to the zoo, but thankfully, sneakers are trending with dresses, skirts, and shorts. Now it’s so much easier to be trendy and cute with a cute pair of white kicks. I do wear different sneakers for the gym and for family outings so I am going to focus on the later. I personally have about four pairs ranging from Adidas to Gucci, it just depends on the occasion, but a zoo outing for example is perfect for my Adidas Rose Gold sneakers.

As a denim junkie, I almost always wear high waisted jeans – I need the pockets and love the way this pair make me feel! But cami’s that are bodysuits (like the one I am wearing here) are going to be my best friends this summer. There are so many designs that have merged the comfort of a loose cami with the stay power of a bodysuit. With young children I love being able to bend over and pick them up without showing too much in the front and back (if you know what I mean!). Here are a few of my picks for this summer like the one I am wearing here.

Bodysuit Picks:

Now that I have got my #OOTD together, my next thought goes to skin care. Neutrogena’s line of Healthy Skin Make Up has SPF 55 in it! It’s a great drugstore find that takes all skin colors into consideration and the fact that you plan to enjoy the sun. The liquid foundation has SPF 20 ( I am wearing color 100 Natural Tan) in and the pressed foundation has SPF 55 in it ( I use color 60 Natural Beige) !! It’s perfect for a family outing to the zoo! I almost always lather up with Neutrogena’s water resistant sunscreen lotion before applying makeup on days that I will be in the sun all day.

Plan on seeing variations of this look over and over again this summer, check out more beauty and fashion from the chicks here!

The countdown to summer starts now!

Your Chick,

Rina