Tips for Protecting Your Skin During Summer Fun

I’m going to be honest, ya’ll….I thought summer was never going to get here. After an extra cold, extra long winter I’ve been peeping out my window every morning waiting for the day when the temperatures warm up and the sun comes out. And I’m so happy to say that it has finally happened! In that moment when it did, I knew I’d have to make some changes to my family’s daily skin care routine and I’m so excited to be partnering with Banana Boat® for a sponsored post to share with you some of my best summer skin care tips! While compensation was received, all opinions on the importance of summer skin care are my own.

Growing up at the beach, summer is my favorite time of the year. Yes, I know it can get hot but there is just something about getting up in the morning, throwing on shorts and a tank-top and heading outdoors for a worry free day of fun that speaks to my soul. Whether we’re home in the mountains or returning to my original home at the coast, I’ve passed on my love of the sun to my entire family and we all rush to get outdoors the minute we see the first bit of light in the mornings.

With our love of the sun being so strong, another thing I’ve tried to teach my family is the fine art of protecting their skin each time they venture outdoors. With the array of outdoor activities we enjoy daily, it’s essential that the understand some basic summer skin care tips so that their love of the summer sun doesn’t end up causing them pain.

It’s only fair to tell you that both of my boys are water babies. The minute the weather warms up, they are out the door and headed for the closest wet area they can find. Whether it’s the pool, the beach or simply a water fountain in the middle of town (you think I’m kidding but I’m totally not) if it’s wet my kids will find it. And for me, that love of water is totally thrilling.

You see, I grew up around water. I swam constantly and if you were to ask me my happy place, it would be someplace wet! In fact the one thing that gets me the most excited about summer is the ability to spend afternoons swimming, splashing and laughing with delight as the cool water offers an escape from the heat of the summer sun.

I never have to be asked twice if I’m ready for a trip to the pool or the beach and my boys? Well, all I have to say is water and they are in the car. We’re so fortunate that living in North Carolina we’re within driving distance of the beach but that’s not the only place where we enjoy getting wet. Because literally every day of the summer, we find some way to swim! Now, I know this may sound excessive but for my family, time spent in the pool or the ocean is just a way of life. It’s our happy place, our respite and being in the water is the activity which brings us the most summer joy.

While our love of the water may be totally spontaneous, being prepared for all our our fun summer activities is not. Because being passionate about being in the water and in the sun also means that I must be diligent about protecting my family’s skin. Where ever our water seeking adventures take us, I ensure I’m prepared with Banana Boat® sunscreen from Walmart and a few easy tips.

Choose the Right Sunscreen

For us, choosing a sunscreen that can keep up with all our water activities is essential. It’s important to have a Banana Boat® sunscreen that is water resistant and offers protection I can count on. Plus since my kids are somewhat independent and love to put their sunscreen on themselves, it’s equally important for me to have kid friendly products that are gentler on their skin and eyes but tough on UV rays. Since Banana Boat® has an array of sunscreens that are specially designed for a variety of conditions, I always know that I can find the right fit for our summer activities and ensure that no matter where summer takes us our skin is protected.

Plan Ahead

Planning ahead is important for summer skin protection. I’ll admit that I’ve always grabbed the sunscreen and applied it when we arrived at our destination. But I recently learned that it’s important to apply 1 ounce of sunscreen to each member of the family 30 minutes before going out in the sun! This means that before we hop in the car to head to the beach of the pool, we need to take steps to ensure we’re protecting our skin so that we can enjoy our summer fun to the max!

Don’t Forget to Reapply

In addition to applying our sunscreen prior to leaving home, I’m also changing the way I prepare for our summer fun by taking Banana Boat® on the go and remembering to reapply sunscreen every two hours. This means packing a bag, having travel sized bottles of sunscreen and making a conscious effort to remember our skin care. But knowing that I’m not only protecting against sunburns now but also against long-term effects like skin damage and skin cancer later gives me the peace of mind to really enjoy our time in the sun.

I know that our summer adventures are just starting. We’ll spend endless hours in the sun this summer and we’ll make an array of water filled memories along the way. This is no different than any other summer in the past. But what is different is my approach to protecting my family’s skin this summer.

I know that with a few simple tips and the help of Banana Boat® sunscreen, I’ll be able to look back at the end of this summer and truly savor the memories knowing that my family’s skin was protected as we created each and every one!

Tell me, what sun-filled summer activities do you enjoy the most and how do you protect your family’s skin during them?

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Banana Boat® . The opinions and text are all mine.