The temperature continues to rise, and summer is (hopefully) on its way, so naturally we are being bombarded with ads and articles about sunscreen and the best warm-weather skin care available. After reading approximately 13 different articles about the importance of protecting your skin – and taking notice of a few irritatingly persistent crinkles around my eyes – I decided it was time to step up my skin care routine. After all, I’ve been slapping on the same SPF 15 tinted moisturizer every morning for years, and, as much as I hate to admit it, my skin is beginning to change with age. Plus, prevention is huge in the battle against aging skin. So, excited to find something new, I did my research and headed out to find my best bet.
I read about Aveeno Smart Essentials Daily Nourishing Moisturizer in several articles, and was intrigued by a lengthy advertisement that promised Smart Essentials would help a busy girl like me protect her skin while looking fresh-faced and bright. I found a bottle at my local Walgreens (for $6 less than the posted price at Rite Aid, I might add!), and brought it home for a trial.
After one day of using this moisturizer, which features an SPF of 30 and comes in a cheery yellow and orange bottle that for some reason increases my confidence that it will brighten my tired skin, I noticed a nice glow. Not only that, but it kept my face from getting shiny, a problem I’ve been battling lately. This surprised me, because I often find that products containing sunscreen often leave a greasy feel on my skin – not so with the Smart Essentials moisturizer. It has a light scent, absorbs quickly, and, in my opinion, left my skin tone looking more even and less blotchy than my trusty old tinted moisturizer.
I saw one of my best friends a few days after I started using it, and she told me I looked fantastic, and that my skin looked dewy. Dewy – not shiny. I thanked her and told her I was using a new moisturizer that was changing my life. And hopefully it will – sun damage and dull skin is no laughing matter. So for now, I’m officially making the switch to SPF 30.
It’s a smart choice.
FOR THE LOVE OF GLOSS 
I also just found a great one, and I love it especially because I have some difficult skin needs. I’ve been using Neutrogena Ultra Sheer liquid daily sunblock in spf 70. It may seem a bit extreme, especially where they say that anything over thirty doesn’t really add an extra barrier, it just prolongs the time you can spend in the sun without reapplying which can lead to trouble if you aren’t vigilant (run on sentence there, my specialty). However, it is silky smooth and light, perfect under foundation or powder, doesn’t leave my skin greasy or shiny and comes in a perfectly purse-sized little bottle. I like the spf70 because it also keeps blemishes and the sort from hyperpigmentating and leaving scars after days in the summer sun. One of the most important things my mother used to say to me (probably when I was little and having a tantrum because I had to take a break from playing in the sun to have sunscreen diligently applied) is that sunscreen is of VITAL importance if you want graceful, beautiful skin when you age. She is living proof, my mother is 48 and has a constant angelic glow about her, and minimal wrinkling or age spotting. Also, don’t forget the tops of your ears and ear lobes! It’s funny when you see older ladies and they have beautiful facial skin which is no doubt the product of years of maintenance and care, but wrinkled and sagging ear lobes!
And yes, you looked absolutely dewy!