There's a Giant Carcinogen in the Sky

I want you to be prepared from birth and I also want you to write for me

Hey hi hello,

Hope you’re all having a great week. My wedding is under 100 days away and when you’re reading this, I’m either on my way to the airport, on the plane or at my bachelorette party in Santa Fe. Don’t ask me why I picked a destination with a UV index of 12, I’m trying not to think about it too much. Otherwise, I’m very excited! I don’t know anything about the itinerary, but I do know that my sister and friends are all well aware of my feelings about the sun, so I think they will have planned accordingly. It’s probably a little late for Santa Fe recs, but I’ll take any for a November honeymoon in Japan. 

And speaking of my wedding…

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Guest Posts

I’m planning to take a couple of weeks off around my wedding in early September. As my own boss, I have graciously approved this request, but the hard part is actually sticking to it and planning ahead, which is where you all come in. 

I’d like to offer the opportunity for at least 3 of you to write a guest post for Hotline Skin! These posts will be published during the last weeks of August and first weeks of September. 

• The only real requirement is that they are somehow related to skincare/beauty. Personal essays, researched articles, interviews, product odes or whatever else you come up with are fair game. 

• Aim for at least 500 words, but no more than 2000, unless they’re really good. 

• I cannot pay you, but if I publish your post, I’ll send you some skincare and your words will go out to all subscribers, no paywall. You can (and I encourage you to) link to your social media, website, or whatever else you want to promote. 

• If I accept your pitch, I’ll give you a deadline and help you out along the way. (Remember, I teach a class on newsletter/blog writing!) I will offer feedback and edits to your drafts, try to connect you with people if needed, share resources etc. 

To pitch a guest post, email hi@joldef.com with the subject line: Hotline Skin Guest Post Pitch. In your pitch, briefly introduce yourself and your idea. If you don’t have a fully formed idea, or you’re not sure how to best approach it, I can help, just tell me what you have so far. You don’t need to have any prior writing experience, but if you have any examples of your work, please share. The deadline for pitches is Friday, June 14th. If accepted, I’ll reach out the following week with next steps.

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It’s so hot and sunny, and it’s my baby’s first summer in the sun!! What can I do to protect her? Are there sunscreens made for the whole family (including little little babies?) 

Ah!!!! This question makes me so excited because in my expert, non-parent opinion, setting your children up for success with sun protection is one of the best things you can do! There are many other best things you can do, but I’m only qualified to talk about this one. I didn’t appreciate this until much, much later, but my mom was really on top of sunscreen when I was a kid and I know for sure that it has made a difference in my adult-skin. Thanks, mom! But regardless of how much sunscreen you wore as a kid, I bet that most of us can picture the type of thick and paste-y sunscreen that we had to endure. I think a lot of people developed an early aversion to sunscreen because it was such a production to apply and so unpleasant to wear. Luckily, we’ve come a long, long way and have the opportunity to make kids have much healthier relationships with sunscreen from a young age. 

Left: me on the beach in 2015. Right: my mom on the beach yesterday.

I normally don’t think fear is the best tool to prove a point, but I find it particularly effective with sunscreen. Here are some facts from the American Academy of Dermatology and Skin Cancer Foundation to scare you:

• Approximately 25% of the total sun damage in your lifetime occurs by age 18, with about 10% more accruing each decade. 

• Getting sunburned in childhood can double your odds of developing melanoma. 5 or more blistering sunburns between ages 15-20 increases one’s melanoma risk by 80% and non-melanoma skin cancer risk by 68%. 

• Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the US and UV exposure is associated with the vast majority of cases. It’s also the most preventable risk factor. 

• UV rays are a known human carcinogen, classified as a Group 1 cancer-causing agent, along with things like plutonium and cigarettes. 

• While skin cancer is most common in non-Hispanic White people, it can affect all skin tones. People of color are more likely to have delayed diagnoses, making treatment difficult and mortality rates higher among these populations. (This is a really great and horrifying read.)

• Beyond cancer, UV exposure comes with other risks. UV is the primary factor involved in photoaging, such as wrinkles, laxity and discoloration. An estimated 80% of skin aging is due to the sun–this number, like most dermatological research, comes from research on lighter skin tones, but we do know that UV is a primary culprit for all skin tones, especially related to discoloration and pigmentation issues. 

• Sun damage is cumulative over your lifetime.

Sorry!!!!! The giant carcinogen in the sky is also what makes it possible for us to live on this trash planet, so we need to do what we can. That last point, sun damage being cumulative, is key. It means that prevention is the name of the game, and the earlier the better! Protect that skin & preserve that collagen! Let’s get into it.

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Babies need sun protection for the reasons listed above (protection, prevention) but also because their fresh new baby skin is very sensitive and fragile. Outside of burns, the sun can cause irritation, rashes and dehydration.

Under 6 months, keep your baby in the shade and out of direct sunlight as much as possible. Over 6 months, that still applies, but it is also recommended that you apply sunscreen to exposed areas.

Considerations Beyond Just “Apply Sunscreen” 

• Shade: Use umbrellas, stroller canopies, wide-brimmed hats etc.

• Clothing: Cover their limbs with lightweight, long-sleeve shirts and pants. Clothes with UPF protection are a great choice, as UV can still penetrate through fabric. Hats, of course and if they will keep sunglasses on, that’s great too. SwimZip has a wide selection and an official Amazon storefront.

• Timing: The sun is at its peak from 10am-2pm, so be especially mindful during these hours. 

• Swimming/water: Make sure you apply (and reapply) water-resistant sunscreen if swimming or in water.

• Travel/High Altitudes: Be extra cautious in areas with intense sun exposure, like the beach, the snow, or at high altitudes.

Picking a Sunscreen

• Make sure it is broad-spectrum, implying protection from both UVA and UVB rays.

• At least SPF 30, but I’d aim for 50, especially if spending a lot of time outdoors.

• Fragrance-free mineral sunscreens with zinc or titanium dioxide are less likely to cause irritation or rashes on sensitive baby skin, so aim for those. But, doctors agree that any sunscreen is better than no sunscreen, so chemical sunscreen is okay over 6 months if tolerated. 

• Lotions and sticks are best, as sprays can be inhaled/get in eyes (and also provide spotty coverage). Sticks are the easiest to use, but make sure you are doing a few swipes back and forth to get enough coverage. 

Application Tips

• Especially if applying for the first time, patch test with a small amount of sunscreen before applying it to the whole body.

• Apply generously on all exposed skin, including face, ears, back of the neck and tops of feet. 

• Reapply every 2 hours or sooner if swimming. There is no such thing as waterproof sunscreen, but water-resistant sunscreen means it has been proven to stay active on wet skin for 40 or 80 minutes. 

• Be careful around the eyes and mouth. Rinse with water if it gets into their eyes.

Product Recommendations

The person who asked this question specified an interesting point: are there sunscreens made for the whole family? Yes, but with some caveats. 

Sunscreen is sunscreen. If it has an SPF value, it’s gone through the same testing and manufacturing requirements as every other sunscreen. You can wear, and receive the same protection from, the same sunscreen as your baby, provided you’re wearing the appropriate amount of it as an adult (¼ tsp for the face, ½ tsp for face, neck and ears). That doesn’t mean you will like it–most of the sunscreen your baby will be wearing is mineral, which can be thick and leave a cast. It’s not going to be great under makeup or particularly cosmetically elegant with your desired finish. Mineral sunscreen also tends to be more expensive. 

Many brands have both baby and kid lines and most kid-specific products are perfectly fine for babies, since the majority are mineral and fragrance-free. However, kids' sunscreen sometimes has added fragrance to make it more fun to apply (Banana Boat, anyone?) Kids’ sunscreen is also when the formulas start featuring chemical sunscreen filters, so just something to look out for if you’re specifically shopping for infant skin and want to stick to mineral. You’ll have more luck finding a sunscreen the whole family enjoys using that’s chemical or hybrid mineral/chemical. 

In sum, sunscreen marketed towards babies isn’t formulated with adult use in mind. It’s formulated to be gentle, non-irritating, minimally greasy/sticky and easy to apply, especially on fussy, squirmy children. So for peace of mind and ease of use, it’s best to stick to baby specific sunscreen for your infant, but as always, any sunscreen is better than no sunscreen. 

Sticks

• Baby Bum SPF 50 Mineral Sunscreen Face Stick (also has a kids line)

• Blue Lizard Baby Mineral Sunscreen Stick (also has a kids line)

• Aveeno Kids Continuous Protection Zinc Oxide Mineral Sunscreen Stick

• Baby Bum Mineral SPF 50 Roll-On

Lotions

• Baby Bum Mineral SPF 50 Sunscreen Lotion

• Blue Lizard Baby Mineral Sunscreen

• Babyganics Mineral Sunscreen Lotion

• thinkbaby Safe Sunscreen SPF 50 (also has kids line)

Non-Mineral Options

• La-Roche Posay Anthelios Kids Gentle Sunscreen Face and Body Lotion SPF 50

• Black Girl Sunscreen Kids Broad Spectrum SPF 50

One of my favorite babies in her cute as hell hat & a blanket on her legs. Shared with permission from her mother. 

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Three Other Things

1. While writing this post, I came across some cool studies about the attitudes & behaviors re: sun protection in kids to adults and what schools can implement to improve these from a young age. Definitely worth a skim if you interact with kids.

2. I did a little partnership with Honest Beauty this past week and I really liked this mascara I was sent. It has a built-in primer that’s blue! The blue adds some dimension and intensity to the black. I thought it looked pretty good! And it didn’t flake on me at all. I wouldn’t say I liked it better than the current primer I use, but it's a solid 2-for-1 option. For those wondering: This is my favorite drugstore option & used to be my everyday (OGs may know the primer above + this as Stiletto Paradise), but I haven’t used anything else since Eyes That Tok. This one is perfect, but the brush gets clumpy too quickly. For more drama, this is the answer.

3. I am obsessed with this UPF 50 hat from Prequel. It is part of my daily dog walking uniform and reversible, so it will go perfectly with all of my bachelorette outfits. This shawl is still my most-used UPF item. It can roll up pretty small and I have it with me pretty much at all times.

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Office Hours Reminder

Join us for Office Hours on Sunday! This exclusive weekly opportunity is available to paying subscribers.

Every Sunday at 5pm EST, I’ll begin a new thread for the week in Substack Chat, where you can ask me anything. Every Monday from 5-6pm EST, I’ll be in that chat live, answering questions for the hour. That way, if you can’t make it, you can submit any time after 5pm Sunday and still get an answer. If you can make it live, join in! You can ask questions in real time and (hopefully) interact with others in class ;)

Discount Codes

• TOK Beauty: JOLDEF for 15% off

you can find all of my discount codes here

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Have a great week!

xx,

Jolie

P.S. Don’t forget, I launched referrals! Invite your friends, get rewarded.

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