We've all heard the same sunscreen advice over and over again: Everyone needs to wear it, every day, regardless of skin type, skin tone, or the weather. Yet who among us is diligent about heeding this guidance on the daily? Even Cosmo editors slip up (we're only human!) and skip the SPF every once in a while. But with summer on the horizon, now is the time to fully commit to sun-protecting habits. With that in mind, we tasked a couple of our editors with chronicling their sun-care usage over the course of a month in a lil experiment we're calling the Sunscreen Diaries.
Today we're following associate shopping editor Daisy Maldonado's journey. She began with the goal of finally finding a sunscreen that would be kind to her acne-prone skin, and ended with a new fave (EltaMD UV Sheer) and a new attitude toward taking care of her skin.
Week 1:
It's the first week on my new journey, and I'm feeling pumped about trying a new sun-care routine. It's been a bit gloomy in New York City this spring, but we finally! Got! Some! Sun! Because of this, I chose to spend most of my time outdoors and tried to walk everywhere instead of taking the train. (It's not often we get a beautiful day in the city that's warm but not too hot.) This week, I started incorporating EltaMD UV Sheer Broad-Spectrum SPF 50+, using it in place of a makeup primer since it has a sheer, matte finish. I was pleasantly surprised by how moisturized, not greasy, the formula made my skin feel—that's the power of hyaluronic acid and squalane. Off to a good start!
Week 2:
After last week, I was craving summer. All I wanted to do was hang around in a bikini on the beach, but Mother Nature had other plans. It was cloudy on Monday, so I skipped the sunscreen, even while working on my rooftop. I soon realized this had been a major mistake: Even though the sun wasn't shining, it turns out my skin was still getting plenty of rays. When I went back inside after a few hours, I noticed I had a slight reddish hue on my nose and cheeks. Yup, I got sunburned. But I learned, and I put on my UV Sheer every morning for the rest of the week.
Week 3:
On Monday, my friend and I decided to grab lunch and walk to a park downtown. Before leaving, I applied UV Sheer on my face and EltaMD UV AOX Mist Broad-Spectrum SPF 40 on my body. Once we got there, we chatted about our day and life updates. The park was as lively as ever, with skateboarders, artists, and students all gathering to soak up as much of the warmth as possible. I noticed a mom applying sunscreen to a toddler before letting him out of his stroller. This inspired me to do what my mom would have wanted me to do: I reapplied the mist to my exposed shoulders and chest. (Be warned, this mist sprays on white, but it rubs in clear and absorbs beautifully.)
Week 4:
Once again, the week's weather was finicky, but this time I made sure to use UV Sheer under my makeup daily. By this point I'd absolutely fallen in love with its matte finish, so I was actually excited to reach for it as a base for my glam. I can't wait to be able to use this with a bare face at the beach in the summer.
Final Thoughts:
Over the past few weeks, I've thought about sunscreen more than ever. Now that I have a fresh stock of products, I caught myself feeling guilty when I didn't use them, and I generally felt more aware of the importance of using SPF daily, even when it's cloudy. This exercise taught me a lot about being conscious of taking care of my skin, and I'm looking forward even more to taking advantage of gorgeous summer days—knowing that my skin will be protected.
Shop My Picks:
EltaMD UV Sheer Broad-Spectrum SPF 50+
EltaMD UV AOX Mist Broad-Spectrum SPF 40
Daisy Maldonado is an editor who covers everything from the latest fashion news to deeper looks at beauty culture and the internet’s most talked-about pop culture moments. She’s especially interested in the intersection of style and digital culture, and loves exploring what the trends we follow say about us. When she’s not writing, she’s probably four pages deep on The RealReal searching for vintage designer pieces or planning her next trip abroad (she lived in Paris for a year and hasn’t stopped talking about it since). Her work has appeared in Vogue, Bustle, Allure, and many more.
