Maui has been so incredibly fun! Lots of fun in the sun…. parasailing, snorkeling, and surfing. But all doesn’t go without the inevitable damage the sun slowly has on your skin as it turns more golden each day. So to protect my face, I made sure to apply La Roche-Posay SPF 50. What’s so brilliant about La Roche-Posay is the crucial ingredient Mexoryl in it. Mexoryl has been in most European sunblock creams for almost two decades, unlike the U.S. SPF’s (bureaucracy) which really blows for us. That’s why I’d stock up each time in France. But I no longer have to do that! My French brands are here now!

Mexoryl is an essential ingredient that protects from the aging effects the sun has on our skin. So all this time you thought that your sunblock protected you against wrinkles? Well sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but it hasn’t. It just protected you against skin cancer unless it contained Mexoryl.

It’s a total misconception that SPF’s help prevent the aging process from the sun. It only helps prevent skin cancer and sunburn ONLY by blocking UVB rays. Without Mexoryl, our skin is screwed from the sun. Sunscreen containing Mexoryl blocks UVA rays, the rays that cause premature aging. So take a second look at your sunblock and look for the one’s containing Mexoryl like La Roche-Posay or Vichy. You’ll mostly find only European SPF’s imported to the states containing it. The American brands are hard to find or don’t add it yet.

For my body, I applied Hawaiian Tropic’s antioxidant SPF 50. I LOVE this block! It’s really thick and waterproof and smells really good. I totally tanned slowly, and had no burning whatsoever! And damn, I started out porcelain white when first arriving so this stuff is no joke. It protects from the burning rays, and yet gives you a beautiful golden glow over time. My secret is reapplying every hour.

Another great product in Maui that my friend Kat introduced me to is Kukui Oil. We went surfing consecutive days and even though we wore rashguards, with the friction of the saltwater against the board while paddling out to the next wave, we got rashes anyway on our legs. So we applied Kukui oil, and voila, it was gone in two days! Kukui oil comes from the Kukui Nut Tree in Hawaii and contains lavender, rosemary, and aloe .  It’s also excellent for dry skin, which I was putting on my face each night from the sun sucking all the moisture out all day. I’m loving Kukui! Feels good, smells good and works! (I bought Tropic Breeze but comes fragrance free as pictured)