As a pale-skinned gal – or a gal with skin, period, for that matter – keeping myself protected from the sun’s damaging rays is always on my mind. By now, we all now all about the negative effects of direct sun exposure, and it’s no laughing matter. As I’ve mentioned, I’m going to be heading to Costa Rica in a few weeks for a much needed vacay, which means I’m going to spending way more time in the sun than I’ve been doing lately. Now, of course, your skin should be protected every day, but when I’m going to basically live on the beach for 2 weeks I’m going to need all the help I can get. Fortunately, Shiseido’s suncare lineup is going to make this way easier for me.
First of all, I’m going to admit that I’m the chick who likes to wear a little makeup to the beach. Shoot me. I love makeup, I love playing with it, and there’s no better way to test it out than by wearing it, right? Shiseido has two new products that are absolutely going to be making their way into my beach bag. The Shiseido UV Protective Compact Foundation and UV Protective Stick Foundation both provide broad spectrum sun protection with SPF 36 & 37, respectively. These water-resistant products provide coverage to the skin while protecting the skin thanks to SuperVeil-UV360 technology, which ensures that the sunscreen evenly covers the skin’s surface, filling in ridges for full protection.
They both apply nicely to the skin – it ultimately comes down to your preference in texture and the level of coverage that you’re looking for. The stick is my personal favourite – it applies like a creamy dream and provides medium to heavy coverage, while still looking natural. It does have a bit of a dewy finish, and I suggest applying a finishing powder over top to lock it in place. You can use the powder for this as well if you’re looking for a little more coverage. The shade range is a bit limited (5 shades in the compact, 3 in the stick) but they do blend in fairly well – at an event last week, I was surprised to see how easily they can match different skin tones.
Now of course, I also have to keep the rest of my body protected, which is where the next two products will come in very handy. The Shiseido Ultra Sun Protection Lotion s, now redesigned with a formula that’s suited for sensitive skin, contains broad spectrum SPF 50+ and is water resistant (80 minutes) so you know that your skin is going to be kept safe while you play in the sun or the water. Created with WetForce Technology, this sunscreen actually gets stronger as it gets wet (from water or sweating). The formula, full of negative ions, “bonds powerfully with minerals in water and perspiration (which are positive ions) to create a highly water-repellant layer.” And of course, after spending time in the sun, the Shiseido After Sun Intensive Recovery Emulsion will be a must. It replenishes vital moisture that the skin needs after sun exposure, for a dewy feel.
How do you protect yourself from the sun?
