I’ve spent a good 30 years of my life growing up at the Jersey Shore — long before it was a monument to “poofs,” and ridiculous orange spray tans. My summers were blissfully spent lounging on the beach, cruising the boardwalk at night and eating greasy Mack and Manco’s pizza with my family. But similar to the Jersey Shore cast, as a teenager I was obsessed with keeping up on my “perfect,” summer tan. It wasn’t until I finally became an esthetician 20 years ago that I realized some sun damage cannot be undone. There were too many beach days where I would carelessly sans the SPF to lather up with baby oil and bake in the sun for hours. Although my passion for the beach has never dwindled, I am much more cautious as to how I expose myself while I’m there. It’s a common myth that one cannot get a tan with SPF on or achieve the same level of desired darkness. SPF however, merely filters out the toxins that can cause skin cancer but in no way prevents someone from getting a tan. Picture your skin as one of the sand sifters we all had as a kid; while the seashells are stuck on the top the sand still could filter through to make the perfect sand castle. While the seashells are the dangerous UV rays, the sun’s natural benefits are still able to penetrate the skin. Skin cancer is no doubt scary and while other cancers attack specific organs, skin cancer can spread anywhere…even your lips. So before you decide to forgo the beach or hide under an umbrella in fear, I’m here to introduce my “5 Must Have Beach Products,” for this summer. So you can enjoy the sun, while still keeping your skin happy and healthy.
1. Jan Marini SPF 30 with Antioxidants: Even if were not at the beach, our skin is still at risk. Jan Marini’s SPF 30 is not only light weight and water proof, but it can be worn under make up without giving you that “greasy,” sun block look.  Regardless if I’m hitting the beach or the pool, I wear this product every day underneath my regular foundation as an extra preventative.
2. Dr. Gross Alpha Beta Glow Pads: Dr Gross’s Alpha Beta Glow Pads are essentially a self-tanning wipe. But before you shrink away from this thinking you’ll turn orange, these pads give you a beautiful glow and a healthy, sun kissed look. And an extra bonus, they have an anti-agining exofiliant in them as well as antioxidants. Now what kind of tanning bed can do that?
3. Chantecaille Lip Screen SPF 15: When skin cancer first comes to mind, we rarely think of the lips being affected. But any time out in the sun leaves your body exposed, especially such sensitive skin such as the lips.
4. A Good Sunhat: It’s great that big, floppy sunhats are back in style because this is one of my top “must haves,” for the beach. Sunhats protect not only the face, but the sensitive skin of the scalp while keeping you cool.
5. Institut Esthederm UV inCellium spray: A new product, with a patent product called “Uv inCellium,” that helps your skin protect itself while hydrating your skin. Love to have that natural “dewy,” look? This product is perfect on the face and body to give it a light, refreshed look. Wear it over make up to fix it, or spray down when your outside. By far my top product of this season.
Rescue Esthetician,
Connie Henry