Sunscreen Review: Supergoop Setting Mist with Rosemary, SPF 50

If you're like me, you're religious about applying sunscreen in the morning but loath to reapply on top of your makeup. What to do? Finally, the beauty product industry has developed a broad spectrum sunscreen that can be applied on top of your foundation and face powder. Two new SPF-infused setting mists became available this spring from sunscreen brands Supergoop and Coola. Sephora stocks a mini bottle of the Supergoop version, so I decided to give it a try before committing to a full-sized bottle of either. 

The basics: $12 for 1 oz. or $28 for 3.4 oz. at supergoop.com, sephora.com, etc.

Pros: I've taken the purse-sized bottle with me to work every day and given my skin a quick spray before heading outside for lunch or leaving my office for the day. It's lightweight and easy to apply. Smells a bit like sunscreen, but also a bit like rosemary, so the sunscreen scent isn't unbearable. It doesn't make my face shiny or do anything weird to my makeup, so it's perfect for mid-day touchups.

Cons: As with any spray-on sunscreen, it's hard to know if you've applied enough or missed a spot. It can also make the hair around your face sticky if you're not careful, so spray with caution or cover your hairline before spraying.

The verdict: I'm absolutely planning to purchase more of this when I run out. It's the perfect size to keep in my purse, and I've used it almost daily since I bought it. Some reviewers on Sephora.com have complained about stickiness or stinging, but I haven't had any real issues with it. Will keep you posted as I continue using it!

Have you tried any of the new facial sunscreen mists yet?

My best friend's wedding

Mr. and Mrs. McDaniel.

My BFF since high school got married over the weekend! I survived with only minor injuries: a champagne bottle prematurely exploded on my thumb while we were getting our hair and makeup done and then I stepped on a shard of glass at the reception (dropping your wine glass on the dance floor is such a party foul, people!)

Even though much of my spring and summer have been full of weddings and wedding-related activities (exhibits A, B, C, and D), I'm still such a newbie at the whole wedding thing. When Liz asked me to be her maid of honor, I had never been in a wedding party before. Clueless but determined to be the best MOH I could be, I ordered books from Amazon.com with titles like The Knot Bridesmaid Handbook: Help the Bride Shine Without Losing Your Mind. Despite months of preparation, I still don't think I was prepared for how emotional I would be on Saturday. Aside from being pee-my-pants nervous for giving my toast, there's something to be said about seeing your close friends so incredibly happy and in love. Basically, it was a blast, and I feel very blessed to have such wonderful friends.

I will stop being such a cheeseball now. Just needed to get it out of my system. I didn't take any photos at the wedding because my phone was shoved in the back of a locker, but here are a few I snagged from the photo booth. P.S. Loved my eggplant-colored bridesmaid dress-- I'm actually looking forward to wearing it again. Oh, and Tim: Thank you for being the best wedding date ever.

Hello, summer

Wine tasting in Sonoma for Liz's bachelorette.

I hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July! I've been caught up in vacation mode for the past two weeks. The last weekend in June I spent in Sonoma Valley for my best friend's much-anticipated bachelorette party. We stayed in a gorgeous "chateau," tasted countless varieties of wine, and had a Real Housewives themed in-house catered dinner. Everything was over the top and fabulous.

After the mini-vacay, I had a super short work week. I spent the 4th with my boyfriend and some of our friends and had so much fun. I won't lie: I absolutely love summer. I know I can't bathe in the sun all day like I used to, but what's better than spending a hot day by the pool, sipping sangria with a handful of close friends? Nada.

To my credit, I plowed through my bottle of Neutrogena Beach Defense. Even Tim used it. Also a crowd pleaser: Neutrogena Wet Skin Spray SPF 50. I don't always trust spray on sunscreens (I've been burned too many times!), but I like how you can apply this one on damp skin.

I didn't take any photos on the 4th (whoops!), but I have plenty from the bachelorette weekend to make up for it. Here are a few of my favorites.

Liz and me.

Walking around the vineyards.

Champagne toast.

The house we rented.

Gearing up for wedding season

At the Oregon Coast, wind and rain are the norm, so I was thrilled to have such calm weather when I went to Canon Beach last weekend for my friend Chelsea's bridal shower/bachelorette party. A group of us stayed in a house, not unlike what I'm planning for Liz's bachelorette in CA later this month. Ack! Still need to figure out a few last minute details for that.

I've decided this summer is "the summer of the wedding." At one point between July and August, I have weddings four weekends in a row! I've been stalking Rent the Runway and trying to decide if I should recycle old dresses or splurge on a one-time designer rental. Decisions, decisions. Here are a few of my faves. One of my favorite parts of RTR is that they have customer photos for all the different dresses. You can see how they look on other women with your skin tone, body type, etc. which is sometimes hard to do when shopping online.

ERIN by erin fetherston Riding the Wave Sheath

Nanette Lepore Wild One Dress

Diane von Furstenberg Mint in Manhattan Shift

Herve Leger Peruvian Night Dress

Punta Cana 2013 - it's happening!

In April, one of my best friends is getting married in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. For months now, I'm been excitedly telling people: "I'm going to Punta Cana in April. Oh-em-gee!" But I didn't really start to get excited about it until the travel agent just deducted a big fat check out of my bank account.

Holy crap! I'm actually going on a tropical vacation! Believe it or not, I've never actually been on a real *beachy* vacation. The closest I've made it to a tropical, beachy vacation is Vegas, and well, Vegas in smack dab in the middle of the desert.

With vacation on the brain, I can't stop fantasizing about a dreamy resort wardrobe.

Somedays Lovin feather dress / L*Space l space bikini / Burberry white cover up / Accessorize flats sandals / Madison Harding high heel shoes / Bare Escentuals lip makeup / philosophy here comes the sun

Although something tells me I'm going to need a big vat of this.

In the meantime, I'm heading up to Seattle for the weekend. My other BFF is also getting married this year, so we're going on a girls trip to shop for bridesmaid dresses, drink wine, etc. See you next week!

I think I burnt my eyeballs

Oversized sunglasses aren't always
just for looks.

Last week, I complained to a handful of my friends: "It's August and I've worn my swimsuit only once this summer!" I know I don't purposefully lay out in the sun anymore, but a summer without swimming? It just doesn't feel like summer.

The weatherman forecasted it was going to be in the 90s on Sunday, so a small group of us decided to take a day trip to the Clackamas River. If you're from the Portland area, you probably know the Clackamas River. On hot summer days, it attracts a huge crowd of rowdy young adults (think frat party with water).You park one car at the top, float down the river on a tube, and drive back up to the top with your second car once you reach the bottom.

Even though I was swarmed by lots of tan bodies, I carefully applied my sunscreen to all exposed areas. I even spritzed my scalp and reapplied several times throughout the course of the float. By the time we were about three quarters of the way done, I started to feel an intense burning sensation in my eyes. At first I assumed it was just a little sunscreen that had run into my eye, but even after splashing clean water on my face, the burning persisted. I found myself needing to face away from the sun and shield my eyes from the glare with my hands--even though I had sunglasses on. By the time we reached the spot where our second car was parking, I was squinting like a pirate and could barely see a thing.

On Monday morning, it just so happened that I had a doctor's appointment scheduled, so while I was there, I politely asked her to inspect my eye.

"There are no scratches or anything," she said, "But it sure does look inflamed."

That was an understatement. My right eye was so puffy it looked like I'd been up half the night crying over a movie on Lifetime.

"You probably just got too much sun. Were you wearing sunglasses?"

Of course I was wearing sunglasses. My eyes have always been über sensitive. But maybe my sunglasses didn't provide full-spectrum UV protection. Or maybe a mysterious river-borne pathogen had somehow creeped its way into my eye. I didn't know, so I Googled.

Have you ever you've wondered: Can eyes get sunburned? Surprisingly, the answer (according to my doc and WebMD) is yes. In fact, symptoms include:

• Burning pain.
• A feeling that something is in your eye (foreign body sensation).
• Decreased vision.
• Excessive tearing.
• Hypersensitivity to light.

These symptoms, which can last for up to a few days, were sounding eerily familiar. Maybe I did burn my eyeballs. Scary, because excessive damage to your retina can cause vision problems later in life. So it remains a mystery whether I sunburned my eyes this weekend or not, but my love/hate relationship with the sun continues...

Dare to wear: Cobalt blues

Button up at Jcrew.com.

Every season, there's a color: A color that's all over the runways and that I pin and pin obsessively. This season, that color is cobalt blue. I can't get enough of it. I love it for being so rich and bold, but I also love it because it literally looks good on everyone. Pale skin, olive skin, dark skin--I dare you to show me someone who doesn't look pretty in a richly pigmented royal blue.

Tinley Road Silk Blouse at Piperlime.com.

Steve Madden Vegass shoe at Piperlime.com.

Accordion Pleat Skit at Bananarepublic.com.

Cobalt crops via Thesimplyluxuriouslife.com.

Heart and arrow earrings at Etsy.com.

Looking for more summer brights?

Swimwear for your skin tone

Just being a realist. I will never look like this in a swimsuit.

Open up any magazine on newsstands right now and I bet you'll find a how-to guide on picking the right swimsuit for your figure. Flip over to the beauty section and you'll probably find a blurb on selecting the right eye shadow to match your complexion. But how do you know what swimsuit will best flaunt your skin tone?

Based on years of non-scientific research, I've compiled some pointers for picking out skin-loving swimwear. Love handles and pear shaped-bottoms? Sorry, you're on your own. But at least I can help you narrow down the color palette.



Myth: Pale girls can't wear white swimsuits

Absolute LIE. Several years ago, I found my favorite two-piece on sale at Target. It's white with super-subtle gold horizontal stripes. I've worn it with a tan, and now without and I still adore it. Adding texture like crochet or stripes to a white swimsuit keeps it from being too blah (or too revealing).

Avoid pastels

Unfortunately, a pale pink swimsuit might make you look a little washed out. Choose a color that is distinctly darker or brighter than your skin color. You may be able to pull off a cool aqua or something similar, but try it on first. Snap a picture with your iPhone in the dressing room. Sounds silly, but it will give you a better idea of how you'll look in pictures.

Myth: If I wear a t-shirt or cover up, I don't need sunscreen

A plain, white tee offers about the equivalent of SPF 4. If your cover up is crocheted or similar, your sun protection will be even less. Plus, what if you decide to go take a dip? A good rule of thumb is to apply sunscreen underneath both your swimsuit and your cover up. Do this and you'll also be less likely to wake up the next morning with an outline of your swimsuit straps on your back.

Jewel tones are usually a safe bet

Fair skin looks amazing in a rich eggplant evening gown. The same logic transfers to beach wear. Try purples, greens, and blues.

A last word of advice from someone who has tried on a lot of swimsuits

Always try before you buy. This may seem like a no brainer, but don't blindly order items from the Victoria's Secret catalog. Swimsuits will not look the same on you as they do on the VS models (at least they sure as hell don't on me). Accept it, move on, and find something that makes you feel your best. If you're uncomfortable, it's always going to show. But nothing is sexier on the beach that a smile, a bottle of sunscreen, and a little bit of self confidence.

Now get shopping! Here are some swimsuits that I love:

MINKPINK at shopbop.com.

Fun brights from Jcrew.com.

Ella Moss from Nordstrom.com.

Stripes from Nordstrom.com.

One piece from Jcrew.com.

Michael Kors at shopbop.com.

Forgive me, I have sinned

Several years ago, I was staffing a booth at a corporate health and wellness fair. Throughout the morning, I heard rumors from the other volunteers that there was a "real live melanoma patient" in one of the booths on the other side of the tent. They encouraged me to swing by and check it out.

A cancer patient? I just had to sneak over there and ogle like she was an animal at the zoo. I can't remember how old she was, but she was deliberately covered by a hat, sitting in the shade, flanked by posters with up-close shots of clearly malignant moles.

If I ever got skin cancer like her, I remember thinking to myself, I would never go outside in the sun again.

After my melanoma diagnosis, of course I've been more diligent with the sunscreen. I haven't touched a tanning bed in years. But I still make mistakes. This weekend, we had sun in Portland for the first time in months (I'm not exaggerating). My girlfriends and I had planned a tour of Oregon wine country back in March, so we were elated with the 75 degree weather. When I was ready to head out of my apartment, I purposely tossed a bottle of designer SPF in my bag. I even contemplated sending out an obnoxious "Don't forget your sunscreen" tweet.

Somehow, over the course of the afternoon, I ended up forgetting to actually put on my sunscreen. Maybe it was the fact that we were inside and out, we sat mostly in the shade, the pinot went to my head.... or maybe I was just having fun with my friends and didn't want to be "that girl" who always lectures everyone on sun safety.

Whatever the reason, when we stumbled into my friend's house at around 6 p.m., my arms were bright pink. So there it was: the girl who spends hours writing about the dangers of UV radiation had given herself a good old fashioned sunburn. Immediately, I felt guilty. Stolen moments outside sans the SPF really are sort of a guilty pleasure. I'm like a recovering alcoholic relishing a sip of ice-cold vodka, but then regretting it when I wake up with a hangover in the morning.

I think the point I'm trying to make is that melanoma patients and survivors--we're humans, too. We screw up sometimes and we want to go to the beach just as much as you do. I understand why you want to be tan, so please understand why I have to be a total nerd with my SPF 50. And just remember: we all used to think, that would never happen to me.

Magazines still sending mixed messages

Summer is upon us... or so the fashion industry would like me to think. I can't open a catalog or fashion mag these days without full-bleed images of beaches and bikini-clad bodies. I've already splurged on a short-sleeve lace top, a pair of bright red capris, and a pair of patent, nude pumps--none of which I can wear until June because my weather forecast looks like this:

But I digress. Every year it's the same: Magazines taunt me with exorbitantly priced beachwear (and matching Tori Burch accessories), while editorializing on how to lose those last few pounds. There's also the inevitable "True Story of a Skin Cancer Survivor." I just stumbled upon the first of the season in May's issue of Glamour by Shaun Dreisbach. The article itself is a good read. Its author highlights some important points that even I sometimes let slip through the cracks (e.g. reapplying sunscreen every two hours).

What drives me batty is that only ONE PAGE after this after this article, I'm confronted with a full-on bikini shot of Carrie Underwood. It's like telling me to go on a diet and then sticking a chocolate-dipped shortbread cookie in front of my face. Am I supposed to continue to reapply my sunscreen diligently or should I skimp so that I look more like Carrie Underwood? Seriously. With the mixed messages we're getting, what's a young, body conscious woman going to do?

Miss Underwood in the May 2012 issue of Glamour.

Think Carrie's a fluke? Think again. The same issue of Glamour also mentions:

• How to create a "bronzed glow" like Lauren Conrad... although, in an interview, Lauren swears she hasn't had a sunburn in years.
• A staffer who'd love to be stranded on an island with a simple white bikini because it would look so good with her new tan.
• How Alessandra Ambrosio (of Victoria's Secret fame) prefers neon colored swimwear because it flaunts her tan complexion.
• How to even out your complexion when your body tans faster than your face.

And no, it's not just Glamour. In April's issue of Vogue, Plum Sykes writes about how rich, full hues are "in" for spring, which is a boon for us pale folks. Sykes writes:

"Spring weddings/cocktails/luncheons are hard to enjoy when your chiffon frock renders your wintry complexion ghostlier than Gwyneth Paltrow's when her character dropped dead in Contagion."

Ouch, Plum. Ouch. She goes on to redeem herself (slightly):

"The most influential girls-of-the-moment--from Florence Welch to Frida Gustavsson--favor a quirky, edgy look achieved by wearing slightly odd colors, keeping their skin as pale as possible and their hair completely natural-looking."

In other words, Sykes may be rocking alabaster this spring because a handful of chic oddballs are, too, but what will she (or anyone for that matter) do when she catches a glimpse of Carrie Underwood or Alessandra Ambrosio?