One of the most prized items in my bag is sunscreen. There once was a time when I thought all exposure to the sun was good and that a tan was not my skin burning — those are both myths. As someone who spent a majority of her time outside, especially on travel days where the sun feels hotter and the weather warmer, I didn’t consider the risk of sun exposure on my skin. Here are my best tips and advice for applying sunscreen on busy travel days:

Where You Should Always Apply Sunscreen

Your Ears

One of the easiest spots to forget is your ears. In most hairstyles our ears are exposed and if they will be in the sun all day, then they should be protected too. Applying sunscreen on your ears is as simple as putting a drop of sunscreen on your index finger and thumb, then rubbing the outer edges of your ear to apply it. I usually rub the sunscreen in a circular motion as to not have any white residue left on my ears.

Your Lips

The second area that I usually forget to put sunscreen on is my lips! In most cases, even if you were wearing a head covering, your lips are exposed to the sun and can also be damaged by it. if you already use Chapstick and may already come with some SPF, but if the product to apply to your lips doesn’t have any sun protection then you can also purchase a lip balm with SPF.

The same sunscreen that you apply to your face can also be applied to your lips. I used to apply sunscreen on my face and exclude my lips although I didn’t have any additional products for them — worst mistake; if that’s the case, apply it to your lips as you would with the rest of the skin on your face and rub it in.

Your Eyelids

Your eyelids are another spot you should remember to apply sunscreen. The delicate skin protecting your eyes are easily forgettable because we are constantly blinking, but you will definitely feel them as they burn while you nap in the sun. The best way to quickly apply sunscreen to your eyelids is by spraying your face what is a spray on sunscreen while your eyes are closed; spraying your face takes a few seconds and can be done over makeup.

Your Neck and Chest

With all the attention being on your face, you should also remember to apply sunscreen onto your neck and chest. I apply sunscreen from under my chin to wherever my shirt begins, from all directions. I recommend applying sunscreen to all exposed skin, especially if you’re wearing a shirt that shows more cleavage.

Your Feet

Another spot that people seem to forget to apply sunscreen is onto your feet! There is nothing worse than relaxing at the beach at the park with your feet exposed and then dealing with the sunburn afterwards. Especially if those burns are in whatever cute little pattern your sandals were. Applying sunscreen on your feet before you put your shoe on and using something like a spray on sunscreen is great for touch up is the best way to reapply seamlessly. This spot is dependent on the type of shoe you are wearing. If you are in covered shoes then you only need to worry about your ankles, but the more exposed your feet are then the more coverage they will need.

Your Scalp

If your scalp is usually visible, and you plan on standing in the sun I recommend applying a little bit of sunscreen on all of the visible parts of your scalp. The best options I’ve seen are using a spray on sunscreen and lightly dabbing the product onto your exposed scalp with your finger or using a powder sunscreen and doing the same. This is only the best practice if your scalp is showing: thin hair, visible hair parts, braids, etc.

Tips When Applying Sunscreen for Long Travel Days

Apply sunscreen daily.

The biggest sunscreen mistake you can make is by not applying sunscreen. Seldom are we in a place with no windows where the sunlight cannot reach us and that is exactly why you must stay protected. Being in the habit of applying sunscreen means that you’ll have a healthier skincare routine that puts skin protection in the forefront of your mind.

Reapply sunscreen every 2 hours.

It’s common to hear that sunscreen should be applied every two hours. This recommendation is because by the two hour mark you may have sweated off, rubbed off or washed off the sunscreen product from your skin; making the sunscreen coverage no longer effective.

Wear sun protective clothing if possible.

If you don’t like the feeling of additional products or you want to stay protected in all unknown conditions, there’s always the alternative like wearing sun protective clothing. Some popular sun protective clothing is hats, facial masks, fuller coverage bathing suits, swim shoes, and more.

Avoid mixing your sunscreen with other products.

I don’t recommend mixing your products. Although mixing your sunscreen and makeup might sounds time efficient, mixing chemicals onto your face isn’t always the best idea. If you have to apply multiple products on to your face, I recommend layering them and waiting for a moment or two between each product so the ingredients can be absorbed.

Be mindful of the ingredients on our skin.

My last tip is to be mindful of the ingredients that you are using. If the makeup that you are putting on your face has oils in it, the oil may dissolve the other products that you place on your skin. Making sure to test how your skin reacts to each product is best before applying it all over; you won’t want to deal with sunburn (or chemical burn) on a travel day.

Have fun!

I don’t want you to read these tips and think that I’m telling you to stay out of the sun altogether, that is not true. One of my favorite things to do is going on tours and there is no way that that can be done outside of the sunlight. The best practice is sticking with routine that works for you and that means finding the best sunscreen for you.

Remember that there are cream sunscreens, spray on sunscreens, powder sunscreens and so much more. Finding the sunscreen that fits your lifestyle is going to be the best sunscreen that you can use.

Travel Planning