Bang for the buck: Lip Balm

Looking for a clear gel to shape your eyebrows? Here is a nifty trick: just use lip balm. It keeps the hairs in place while moisturizing the skin under the brows! No more hard, crusty residue! A lip balm with SPF, like one of my drugstore favorites Aveeno Essential Moisture Lip Conditioner with SPF 15, even protects that delicate area that is often neglected. And for all those out there with an OCD for lip balm application, you now have a new reason to break out the tube.

Oxymoron Beauty: Neutrogena Color Boosting Sunblock SPF 30

Ah yes. Nothing says summer more than a glorious, glowing tan. Nothing says melanoma and skin aging more than UVA/UVB rays. I live in this dichotomy, and so I am always searching for products that create that beachy color without sacrificing the health of my skin. Well the other day I was browsing my local drugstore and, lo and behold, I found this Neutrogena Color Boosting Sunblock SPF 30. It shields your skin with the power of Helioplex while also giving you a subtle boost of color. I have been loving this for its light application, pleasant smell, and the warm glow it gives to my skin, making me look forward to my daily SPF application before an afternoon run.

A sunscreen that shields the skin from tanning yet gives your complexion a glow...oh the glorious, glorious irony!

spiffy SPF

It seems one can't go three minutes without hearing the phrase "Can you wait for spring break?" pop out of someone's excited mouth. Yes, we all are excited about that one week a year when we can have fun, party, relax, or just catch up on some zzz's.

Those who are lucky enough to jet off to some warm-weather locale need to be serious about one thing: sun protection. Not only does the sun's rays cause skin cancer, but it also adds wrinkles and prematurely ages skin (yikes!)

For those days when you have slathered on your sunscreen and slipped into a cute new bathing suit, grabbing a powder like this Colorescience Foundation w/Brush - All Even (SPF 20)helps to not only shield you from those aging UVA and UVB rays with SPF, but also give a fresh look to the skin thanks to light-reflecting minerals.

The texture of the powder is unbelievable, silky and smooth and not at all chalky. After the powder sets, it is virtually unnoticeable and long-lasting, and the light-reflecting particles give the skin a beautiful, natural glow. On top of that, the handy brush is extremely portable and small, making it a great addition for any smart space saver.

So whether or not you hit the beach or are happy with re-runs of Grey's Anatomy, you can keep your face clean, fresh, and protected.