Summer Skin Protection

During the summer, I definitely think about skin care a lot more because of increased exposure to two elements--sun and water. I definitely think the jury is still out on how much sunscreen actually protects skin, but when your arm starts to hurt because of the intensity of the sun, you know you have to do something. I've been wearing my driving gloves and making sure I have extra hats in the car wherever I go, but still, it's hard to know if I'm doing anything to help my skin since I'm still brown all over. Sometimes when I'm in the passenger seat I will plaster the window with random sheets of paper so that only the space for the side view mirror is exposed. Not safe driving conditions I'm sure but Stewart says he prefers that I don't end up a shriveled-up prune like so many SoCal residents when I get older.

Summer also means increased exposure to water because (1) you swim more (at least my family does) and for longer periods at a time, and (2) you're taking more frequent showers because of the heat. I've found that too much exposure to water leads to dry, itchy skin. H is especially prone to it and if I don't cover him with anti-itch lotion from head to toe after his nightly shower (I know, people with dry skin should shower less frequently but when you've literally been rolling around in the mud, that really isn't an option), he gets so itchy that he will itch in his sleep and break skin. I've tried many different kinds of lotion and have found that all-purpose moisture lotions aren't good enough.

Curél Itch Defense Skin Balancing Moisture Lotion for Dry Itchy Skin seems to work well for the winner of my previous Curél giveaway, Amy Anderson (who blogs at Funny Yellow Mom). Amy says, "The Curél Itch Defense lotion that we tried out was very useful for us. My daughter is 3 years old and has had persistent eczema on her hands and arm folds for over a year and a half. While I used the Curél lotion in addition to another OTC lotion, it definitely seemed to help soothe her skin and keep the eczema under control." I guess that's why the Curél Itch Defense lotion was awarded the National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance. The Itch Defense lotion "rebalances" skin in 4 ways, restoring its barrier function and ability to retain moisture, boosting moisturization and emollients to leave skin feeling protected, returning the pH balance to healthy levels and smoothing the skin's surface to minimize dryness and flakiness. Curél Itch Defense lotion is gentle enough for even the most sensitive skin - including children's, having been clinically proven to help heal the symptoms of eczema on children as young as 6 months!

I will definitely be trying Curél Itch Defense lotion to help soothe H's dry, itchy skin as well as my own. After all, H inherited his sensitive skin from his mama. Hopefully using the lotion combined with the sun evasion techniques I've employed will help my skin avoid the reality of so many SoCal residents' bodies--looking old before its time!

I did not receive compensation for this post. I will receive a product sample to facilitate a future review.