LOVE . SUN . BEAUTY

I have to admit it: although it may sound vain, wearing a long-lasting lipstick while hiking has its advantages. The moment I pull out my lipstick before a hiking adventure, I usually get the comment “Seriously, you’re putting on lipstick before you go hiking?” And my response is, “yeah, do you like the color?”

After a multitude of years trying my best to enjoy the taste and feel of SPF-infused lip balm and chapstick I’ve finally found an alternative that is better. Something that doesn’t melt off or have a flavor that I ingest as I enjoy the outdoors: matte lipstick.

Matte lipstick stays on through the heaviest of perspiration, shielding my lips from the sun, blocking UV rays, and (here’s the vain part) prevents wrinkles. I have seen many women and men who have developed skin cancer on their lips and it isn’t a pretty sight. In fact, a common reason women get wrinkles on their lips is because the lip gloss they typically wear actually attracts UVA/UVB rays! The sun directly hits the shine of the lips kind of like aluminum foil did in the late 1970s for backyard and beach sunbathers.

Being obsessed with lip gloss myself, I now know to wear it over a lipstick base to keep my lips protected. The sun protection benefits of the lipstick and the hydrating feel of the lip gloss is a happy duo and it typically lasts for a couple hours, which is just the right amount of time for an energetic hike in Los Angeles. Oh, and did I mention I look and feel great? I believe lipstick can provide any woman a confidence boost and there’s nothing wrong with that!

Some lip products feature sunscreen with little to no chemicals, but I have yet to find one that offers a high enough SPF level of protection to make a difference, that tastes okay and that I don’t have to reapply every 30 minutes. So for now, go ahead and call me vain, I will stick to a natural shade of lipstick to prevent premature aging on my pout and look and feel great while doing so!

Now you know my hiking beauty secret, it’s time for you to share yours! Is there a makeup product you won’t leave the house without? What are your favorite lip products?

Written by: Mitzi Runyan 

As we have stated numerous times before, you must always apply sunscreen regardless of whether or season. Now, click the "like" button if you forget to apply, or most importantly, reapply sunscreen on the daily? Well you are definitely not alone. But relax, thankfully Sundriven has come to your savor once again!

According to Allure Magazine, wearing sun protective clothing is the best form of sun protection. Why? Because it won’t wear away, wash off, or make you break out. We agree, and here is their top picks of items for staying protected. And, we have made your life much easier by finding these items to easily purchase. We have added links and photos of our personal favorite Sundriven, and other sun protective clothing products that fit each category.

 A wide-brimmed hat. Wearing a hat with a four-inch brim can lower your lifetime risk of skin cancer by about 40 percent. Bonus: You’ll look mysterious and chic—and protect your dye job from color-sapping UV rays.

We love: Eric Javits 'Squishee® IV' Wide Brim Hat sold at Nordstrom; $198.

Sunglasses. Look for large, crow's-feet-covering frames with lenses that sit as close to your face as possible. And you might want to avoid aviators—the metal frames can reflect sun on the tops of the cheeks.

We love: These NEW Burberry sunglasses, check out these and more sold at Sunglass Hut; $240

A rash guard. The sun protection you get when you pull a white T-shirt over your bikini: the equivalent of an SPF 5. The sun protection you get from this poncho sun protective wraps is SPF 50+!

We recommend: Sundriven® Lily Mae Poncho sold on our website; $165.

Gloves. Cute and fashionable, they protect your hands and arms while challenging your inner Audrey Hepburn.

We recommend: Sundriven® Touch Screen Friendly Gloves sold on our website; $38 for short/$42 for long.

A Scarf. Research has found neck melanomas to be among the deadliest. That's enough to make us want to cover up!

We recommend: Sundriven® Olivia Hooded Scarf sold on our website; $85.