The first week of summer vacation Henry got two sunburns and I had one of those OMG I’m the worst parent in the world moments. Somehow at the beginning of the summer it always takes me a few days to get in the habit of throwing the sunscreen in the bag and remembering to lather him up before he jumps into the pool; while Edie sticks closer beside me so she’s a little easier to wrangle. Whatever my excuses are, I can use all the reminders I can get to take care of our skin in the summer. So, today I’m partnering with a brilliant dermatologist app called Spruce Health to share 10 expert summer skincare tips from one of their certified dermatologist.

Keep reading for more about the app and all ten tips, including a trick for making sunscreen more enjoyable to put on kids and why you should apply it like frosting?!?…

Have you heard of the Spruce Health app? It’s a brilliant virtual dermatologist app that’s simple to use and saves us the time and hassle of an in-person appointment. We’re in a day in age where there really is an app for everything: including a dermatologist on your phone! It’s as simple as sending a message on the app with some details and a couple photos, and then a certified dermatologist answers back with a diagnosis, treatment plan and prescriptions ready to be picked up at your local pharmacy if necessary. Pretty rad, right?

Best thing is that it’s probably cheaper than a dermatologist appointment too. There’s no harm in trying it out since the first appointment is free for a limited time, after that it’s only $40. I tried it out and was really impressed with it. The app is really easy to use and well designed. They answered my questions in a very thorough, fast, and professional way. Right now Spruce Health is available in CA, NY, PA, FL, OH, NC, VA, RI, and more to come soon.  And as a special treat today, Dr. Elan Newman, one of the dermatologist behind of Spruce Health, is sharing 10 brilliant tips for summer skincare you probably didn’t know:

1. Keep sunscreen in the refrigerator or in a cooler box. It will feel good on the skin as the temperature goes up. It’s much easier to put on kids because they like the sensation on a hot day.

2. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends an SPF 30+ sunscreen for everyone. Look for the words “Broad-Spectrum” on the label – this means that the sunscreen offers both UVB and UVA protection. If you are treating or trying to prevent dark spots, then use an SPF70+ for maximum protection.

3. Sun protection also comes from wearing wide-brimmed hats and comfortable long-sleeved clothing. What is protective? I use this rule-of-thumb: Hold a garment to a light source. The less light that you can see through the fabric, the more sun protection it will offer. Darker colors absorb and reflect more UV light than lighter colors. The key is to find garments that feel comfortable to you

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4. Choose a sports sunscreen or baby sunscreen if you have an active day. They’re thicker and will stay on the skin better.

5. Try applying sunscreen like you are layering frosting on a cake rather than rubbing it in. This will create a protective film around your skin and will give better protection than rubbing in a back-and-forth or circular motion.

6. Don’t keep sunscreen in a hot car – high temperatures will cause the sunscreen to break down in the bottle and it won’t protect you if you try to use it. Keep it in the cooler next to a cold pack instead.

7. For kids, choose a dark colored rash guard over a light color for added UV protection.

8. Switch to cream blushes rather than powders. Powders can clump and absorb moisture from sweating.

9. Use sunscreen daily as though you’re at the beach all the time (because for all intents, they are!). Fog offers no protection from ultraviolet radiation and ultraviolet energy is even more intense when you are in the mountains or in a plane. 

10. Sunscreen films (such as 3M Crystalline™ filters) are an excellent way to keep ultraviolet rays out of the car on long road trips. Which windows and how dark the filter can be varies by state. But a clear film will block just as much UV light as a darker one, so it isn’t necessary to have a dark tint to get sun protection.

Thanks to Spruce Health for sponsoring this post. Check out Spruce, an app to treat acne and other skin problems to see how easy it is to have a virtual dermatologist answer your questions, diagnose, treat, and send prescriptions straight to your pharmacy. Enjoy the summer sun, safely!

Images by Liz Stanley