It’s peak ski season spa girls and guys and there’s nothing more thrilling than strapping two sticks on your feet and flying down the side of a mountain (for some of you at least – I prefer a bunny slope run or two followed by a giant frothy hot cocoa). The only downsides of skiing are collisions with other slope warriors, screaming muscles and a bad sunburn. Oh, and then there’s the whole face-plant dismount off the ski lift (my specialty). Not much I can say about colliding with an out-of-control skier or a speeding boarder other than, helmets people!
And I’ve got two words for sore muscles: hot tub.
But when it comes to the sunburn thing – now that’s something you can totally avoid. Sunscreen on the slopes is a must – especially if you’re skiing anywhere west of the continental divide where the piercing sun bounces off the snow. Trust me. On my first ski adventure in southern Colorado, I not only fried my face, I actually burned the whites of my eyes. I swear to you.
Solution: Suntegrity All Natural Moisturizing Face Protection SPF30.
Granted, you have tons of choices when it comes to sunscreens. But I give this one high marks for its natural approach to UVA/UVB broad spectrum protection. Plus it smells good (think clean with a touch of citrus).
Suntegrity is free of parabens, petrochemicals, mineral oils, synthetic dyes, sulfates, paba and chemical UV absorbers. Instead, the formula relies on 20% zinc oxide to fend off damaging rays. The vegan, cruelty free product also contains a healthy handful of antioxidants and skin soothers such as aloe, natural oils, hyaluronic acid, cucumber, tea, red algae and other essential oils and extracts.
Like you might expect, the formulation does have a thick, white consistency when you first apply it. But after massaging it thoroughly into the skin, the whiteness disappears and your skin is left with a dewy, non-greasy glow. The nifty little bottle dispenses the perfect amount so you don’t have to worry about overdoing it.
The founder, Tricia Trimble, was inspired to create the line after losing her mother to melanoma skin cancer, which sadly claims nearly 8,650 lives every year. After learning that most sunscreens use chemical UV blockers and contain ingredients that are considered toxic, she dedicated years of research and development to create her natural, healthy and holistic sun care line.
The Suntegrity line contains the SPF30 for the face, an all-natural SPF30 for the body and sun-defense supplements that work from the inside-out to boost the body’s natural protection mechanisms. Products are available at suntegrityskincare.com.
So wear your sun protection (and your helmet) loud and proud! Remember to apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before direct sun exposure and reapply every couple hours to keep your protection going strong. And watch out for those ski lift dismounts – they can be tricky! Happy ski season!
