We’ve had some pretty great weather the last few days here in Winnipeg. Since we are officially on the tail end of May, with the temperature getting warmer that means more time in the sun, which also means the need for sunscreen.

Although you should definitely be wearing some form of sun protection year round, since we are showing more skin lately, it’s super important to add it into your routine every morning and afternoon. Thankfully, there are so many products now that make it easy to incorporate SPF into your daily skincare routine, whether it’s for the body or the face, and best of all, that doesn’t mean that the protection has to be a traditional lotion.

Here are my top picks for sun protection this summer.

LASPA natural mineral sunscreen

If you are wary of the traditional chemical-based sunscreen, then take a look at LASPA, which is made in Canada and Health Canada approved. It’s also a natural mineral sunscreen line that is a healthy alternative to traditional chemical-based sunscreens.

Available in a variety of different formulas, these 100 per cent naturally sourced mineral sun care products provide you with a variety of different SPF options, such as the SPF 20 for Daily Sun Protection Lotion (C$44), which can be used under makeup or all over your body. The formula includes organic coconut oil and Vitamin E, which helps to counteract the aging and damaging effects of the sun.

For the face, they offer an SPF 30 Moisturizing Mineral Sunscreen Sensitive Skin for Face and Neck (C$40). This product is light and translucent making it comfortable to wear on the skin. Its all-natural zinc-based lotion is perfect for sensitive skin and also contains antioxidants to protect your skin from sun damage.

New this year is the SPF 50 Ultra Sun Protection Stick (C$18) for touchups on the go thanks to its small and convenient packaging.  This pocket-sized product is great to use with their SPF 30 as a touch up.

If you are unfamiliar with the differences between chemical and mineral sunscreens, a mineral sunscreen uses zinc oxide or titanium dioxide as the active ingredient which helps to block UVA or UVB rays before they penetrate the skin. A chemical sunscreen on the other hand uses chemicals which are absorbed into the skin tissue and interact with the UVB rays after entering the body. Not all chemical sunscreens offer broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection, whereas mineral sunscreens offer this immediately.

Vichy Ultra-Fluid Mineral Tinted Sunscreen Lotion SPF 60

If you are a fan of the Skinceuticals Physical Fusion UV Defense SPF 50 but looking for a more affordable option, then take a look at Vichy’s newest suncare product.

The Ultra-Fluid Mineral Tinted Sunscreen Lotion SPF 60 (C$29.95) is an ultra-fluid mineral tinted sunscreen with an SPF 60. Its formula has a 100 per cent mineral filter to protect your skin from UVA and UVB rays, as well as the brand’s Mineralizing Thermal Water to boost your skin’s defense system.

I like applying a dab of this product to my face after my skincare routine and before my makeup. It does have a tint to it, but nothing that would cover up any blemishes on the face.  I also like to use it as my makeup primer since it’s a great base to hold makeup and give you that added sun protection. If you’re using it on its own, it will give you 80 minutes of water and sweat resistance and the Vichy Mineralizing Thermal Water makes it incredibly moisturizing on the skin.

Colorscience Sunforgettable Total Protection Brush-On Shield SPF 50

Looking for something to give your makeup a quick touch-up of sun protection?

It’s recommended to reapply sunscreen every two hours or so, but what if you are wearing a full face of makeup (hello outdoor weddings!). A truly innovative product, the Colorscience Sunforgettable Total Protection Brush-On Shield SPF 50 (C$75) is a retractable brush that allows you to brush on powdered sunscreen that’s 100 per cent chemical-free and contains mineral sunscreen actives.

Available in four shades (fair, medium, tan, and deep), this lightly tinted powder is perfect to use as a setting powder or just by itself. Just remove the lid, push down to activate the brush, and swirl it on your skin. It’s water and swear resistant up to 80 minutes and contains antimicrobial bristles to help protect the brush and maintain freshness. Best of all, since it’s a powdered formula, it makes it convenient to travel with anywhere.

Aside from sun protection, it also features pollution defense, blue light protection, and infrared radiation.  I absolutely love this product and highly recommend that everyone picks one up (great for kids as well!). It’s such a versatile item that makes it so easy to apply sunscreen whether you’re just starting your day or halfway through it.  Not everyone likes the texture of sunscreen and this totally transforms the way that we apply it. I also love how you can incorporate it into your makeup routine.

Colorscience also offers a number of other sun protection products, but I love this one since it’s so versatile and definitely suitable for just about anyone. I got mine from Dr. Minuk’s Cosmetic SkinClinic & Laser Centre here in Winnipeg, but if you aren’t local, check their site to see where you can order it from.

Seriously FAB Zinc It Over Sunscreen Facial Mist

For some reason, about a month or so back I was driving and this idea came into my mind that I wish there was a makeup setting spray out there that also doubled as a sunscreen. It’s such a logical idea, I mean if we can add SPF into foundations, why can’t we add it into a setting spray?

Well thankfully I didn’t start contacting scientists to come up with my own since about a week after that thought popped into my head, a company reached out to tell me about their innovative product that does the exact same thing.

Seriously FAB’s Zinc It Over Sunscreen Facial Mist ($39 USD) is a makeup setting spray that contains non-nano zinc oxide SPF 25 in it.  It’s designed to be used over makeup but can also be used on bare skin as well.

Available in three scents (Unscented, Tropical Floral, and Citrus Passion), it is suitable for all skin types, it’s reef safe (sunscreens with a high content of titanium dioxide are not biodegradable and can react in warm seawater to form hydrogen peroxide, which is harmful to sea life), and won’t give you that dreaded white-cast which is synonymous with sunscreens.

This product, available as full size and travel size (both of which are TSA friendly), sets makeup, defends skin against sun damage (make sure to reapply every two hours), and delivers hydration and nourishment to the skin, meaning it’ll keep your skin looking younger longer. The ingredients in the formula include non-nano zinc oxide, blueberry, pomegranate, acerola cherry, vitamin E, rooibos tea, aloe vera, and pumpkin seed.

I absolutely love this product since it combines two products I use on a daily basis (plus, it’s an easy way to not forget to apply sunscreen to your face in the morning). It comes in a non-aerosol bottle which dispenses a fine and sheer mist application to the face.  You do have to shake it first, but overall, it gives you the perfect coverage.

I got the Tropical Floral scent and I do want to note that it did still smell like sunscreen once I sprayed it. I don’t actually mind the smell of it and once it’s on you don’t notice a scent at all (it’s just when you are spraying it).

I absolutely love this product and can’t recommend it enough, especially since we are heading into the summer season. I’ve been using it non-stop since I received it and love how it’s such an easy and carefree way to apply sunscreen on a daily basis. The formula is also vegan, cruelty-free, natural, and safe.

Wearing sunscreen every day doesn’t just mean sun protection for those two hours or so. Even if you aren’t heading out into the sun that day, or if it’s overcast, I highly recommend wearing some sort of SPF everyday as it will help protection your skin from aging as you get older.

I’m now in my 30s (turning 31 on May 31), and I’m so thankful that I took good care of my skin when I was younger since the measures I took then have given me great skin now. I’m definitely being a lot more mindful about sun protection as a 30-something adult and highly recommend you do the same, no matter which age you are. The best thing is, there are so many different ways to incorporate SPF into your life and lifestyle, just take a look at some of these products for example.

Do you wear sunscreen everyday?

Please note, products provided by PR, all opinions are my own.

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There are so many anti-pollution skincare items out there right now, so it makes total sense that someone would come up with a makeup line that does the same thing too.

Revlon recently came out with a new line of products in their PhotoReady line, the Candid collection, which consists of a foundation, concealer, and setting powder, that is aimed to protect the skin from pollution and blue light, all without oils, parabens, phthalates, and harsh fragrances.

As someone who has seen first-hand the effects of pollution and blue light, I love that there is a makeup brand out there that has come out with a line to protect skin from these daily aggressors (seriously, I have seen SUCH a change in terms of eye strain with my blue light glasses. It’s a thing people!).

Anyways, back to the collection… Starting off with the PhotoReady Candid Natural Finish Anti-Pollution Foundation (C$15.99), this product is available in a staggering 31 shades and is a skin-enhancing, natural-looking formula that gives your skin a flawless finish.  The hydrating texture delivers medium coverage and is weightless when applied.  I found it great as an everyday foundation, or one suitable for the office since it protects your skin from your computer screen and air pollution, and found that it wore quite well throughout the day as well.

Pair the foundation with the PhotoReady Candid Antioxidant Concealer (C$10.49), which is available in 18 shades and also delivers medium coverage to cover up dark circles and blemishes. It also contains caffeine to depuff eyes for a fresh start to your day.  The thing I love about this concealer is that although it looks like a squeeze tube with sponge at first glance it actually opens up to a doe-foot applicator, making it super easy to really target where you want to apply the product.

Finally, the PhotoReady Candid Anti-Pollution Setting Powder (C$16.49) is available in three shades (the powder is translucent, it just adds a bit of tint) and is the perfect setting powder for the foundation and concealer. The formula is lightweight and features ultra-fine loose powder to even out skin tone and set makeup.  It has a sifter-type packaging that makes it easy to just dispense the appropriate amount of product needed and also contains antioxidants to nourish the skin.

Overall, I thought this collection was great. For actual wear and how it made my skin look and  feel, I thought it did the trick, but the thing that really impressed me was the whole anti-pollution and blue light thing.  I’ve seen this so many times in skincare lately and it’s never even dawned on me that you could add it to makeup, which I think is a great idea. If you live in a high-population city or work in an office in front of a computer screen for 40 hours a week, then I highly recommend looking into this line to help protect your skin.

Do you use products for blue light or pollution protection?

Please note, product provide by PR. All opinions are my own.

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Summer and sun-kissed skin goes hand in hand, so it’s no wonder that Fenty Beauty came out with a brand-new bronzer line.

The Sun Stalk’r Instant Warmth Bronzer (C$38) is a long-wear, transfer-resistant powder bronzer that is available in eight shades to suit any skin tone. Housed in a beautiful copper compact, open it up to reveal a large powder with the iconic FB logo embossed into the product.

I received two of the eight shades, Shady BIZ (light with warm undertones) and Private Island (light to medium with warm undertones), both of which are on the lighter end of the spectrum (although not the lightest). I did find this bronzer to be very natural looking and creamy, meaning that it blended out nicely and didn’t look harsh or dirty on the skin (see before and after photos below). It also doesn’t feel heavy or cakey, making it ideal to wear on a hot day. I also want to note that there isn’t any sparkle or glitter in here, meaning the matte formula will look natural, whether it’s to give you a contour or a sunkissed glow.

Fenty also came out with a brush to apply this product with, the Cheek Hugging Bronzer Brush 190 (C$45), which is an angled and chiseled brush that is designed to apply the bronzer perfectly in the contours of your face. The large, plush brush (in the brand’s iconic soft pink colour) is cut so that it makes it super easy to create the perfect contour. Just sweep it in the bronzer and then apply it to the hollows of your cheek bones, temples, and jawline. It takes some getting used to in terms of maneuvering it, but it’s a pretty foolproof way to apply bronzer if you’re looking to use it for contouring.

The brush features soft synthetic bristles, so it’s truly perfect for everyone. It is on the pricier side at $45 but I highly recommend investing in your brushes to really apply the makeup in the way that it was meant to be applied. Do I absolutely recommend you pick this up if you’re getting the bronzer? No. If you already have a brush you like for contouring, then that would obviously do the trick. This one though makes it so much easier to apply the perfect perfectly in the areas that it should be applied to.

So how does the bronzer compare to others out there? If you are looking for a softer bronzer then you’ll love this one. I didn’t find it to be overly heavy or too drastic once applied (although I could have gotten that effect with a darker shade). It’s a nice, natural-looking colour that will truly impress anyone who purchases it.

What’s your favourite bronzer?

Please note, I received this product from PR. All opinions are my own.

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