Prevent sun damage to hair, face and body

Dry, dull hair, premature wrinkles, freckles, moles and maybe even skin cancer: You may love the sunshine but you might not love what it can do to your hair, face and skin. Enjoy the great outdoors this summer but protect yourself from sun damage with UV-shielding products and arm yourself with information to save your precious skin from the blazing sun.

Sun protection for your face Photoaging, the technical term for sun damage, can take years to show up on your skin. Without protection, sun exposure causes collagen and elastin damage, and your skin loses its ability to repair itself. The No. 1 cause of premature aging is exposure to the sun's damaging UVA and UVB rays. These products shield your skin from harmful rays as well as help keep your skin firm: 1. Vichy Capital Soleil Sun Block Cream SPF 60 Face and Body, 150 mL, $28. 2. Garnier Nutritioniste Ultra-Lift Glow Anti-Wrinkle Firming Moisture Cream SPF 15, 48 mL, $19.99. 3. La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL SPF 45 with Mexoryl XL High Protection UVA-UVB Cream, 100 mL, $25.50. 4. B. Kamins Bio-Maple Sunbar UVshield SPF 48, 120 mL, $48. 5. Kiehl's Ultra Facial Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15 Sunscreen, 75 mL, $32. 6. Shiseido Sun Protection Eye Cream SPF 32, 15 mL, $36. 7. Clinique Long Last Glosswear SPF 15 in Sunset, 6 mL, $17.50. 8. Softlips Tangerine Temptation Moisturizing Lip Balm SPF 20, 2 g, $2.97.

Sun protection for your hair Hair-care formulations that shield your locks from the sun also prevent breakage and keep hair glossy. Try: 9. L'Oreal Professionnel Expert Solar Sublime After-Sun Protect Shampoo, 250 mL, $17. 10. Kérastase Soleil Voile Protecteur Ultra-Light Invisible Mist, 100 mL, $36. 11. Redken UV Rescue Shimmering Defense Daily Care Protective Lotion, 150 mL, $20.49.

Sun protection for your eyes Protecting your skin and hair from the sun's harmful rays is important, but good sun sense doesn't end there. As you're slapping on a hat and slathering on the sunscreen this summer, keep in mind that your eyes are also susceptible to damage from the sun's harmful rays. So limit your exposure and wear sunglasses that can help prevent sun-related eye ailments like cataracts and macular degeneration. Find out how best to shop for sunglasses that protect your eyes.

Test your sun sense Did you know that children under the age of one should stay out of the sun altogether? How much sunscreen should you apply and how often should you reapply? Which hours of the day should you avoid sun exposure? Find out how sun-savvy you are by taking our quiz. It questions: How sun safe are you?

More on sun safety:
-8 things you need to know about skin cancer
-Sunscreen Q & A
-The dangers of sun worship @ canadianliving.com

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