08/20/2026
I know. I look a little ridiculous. 😂
And I genuinely don’t care.
Because this is what allows me to keep doing something I absolutely love.
I grew up in Germany, and when I was young, summers often meant traveling to places like the South of France, Greece and Italy. I have very fair skin, and back then we simply didn’t know what we know today about sun protection.
I spent years enjoying the sun without adequately protecting my skin.
Eventually, I paid a price for that. I’ve had skin cancer.
So these days, I take sun protection seriously. But that doesn’t mean hiding indoors or giving up the things that bring me joy.
I LOVE kayaking. Being out on the water, surrounded by mountains, with the sun overhead is one of my happy places. 💙
And it also means a whole lot of UV exposure.
So I cover up.
Sun protective clothing, my enormous sun hat 😂, sunglasses, SPF on my face and a zinc SPF 30 on my lips.
On my face, one of my favorites is Lira Clinical Oil-Free Solar Shield SPF, a mineral sunscreen with zinc oxide. And yes, I reapply.
Do I look glamorous?
Absolutely not. 😂
Do I get to spend hours outside doing something I love while taking care of the skin I’m living in?
Absolutely.
Sun protection isn’t about being afraid of the sun. For me, it’s about respecting what I’ve already learned the hard way, protecting myself now, and still living my life.
Cover up. Reapply. And then go have fun. ☀️🦋