Summer Prep

Navarre Beach, Florida, 2011

It's that time of year again: my family's annual beach trip. Sadly, we won't be joining them this week, but it's still marked on the calendar and it still feels like the official start of summer for me. Which also means, it's that time of year when I find myself stuck in the sunscreen and bug spray aisles trying to make the safest, healthiest, and most reasonably priced decision for our family. And it just seems to get harder every year. Too many new choices, too many recent articles about the various hazards that come with using and not using certain products, too many new applications, and way too much time spent studying labels while kids beg with me to buy the one turns their skin purple. So here are a few of our favorite things to make the summer months a bit more comfortable.


Sun Protection

Hooray! the EWG has a brand new app for researching sunscreens. Instead of spending hours in front of the computer studying their ratings and detailed reports on just about every sunscreen ever made, I am now able to whip out my phone and within seconds see the information on whatever bottle I might be holding in my hand. Highly recommend using this for selecting the right sunscreen for your family

Here are some of the sunscreens we like using:
-Badger Lavender Sunscreen
-Badger Face Stick
-La Roche-Posay Anthelios (much cheaper to buy while in France and wonderful for faces since it is so light weight, doesn't cause break outs, and is odor free)
- Coppertone Sensitive


Bug Relief

We are an insect loving family, but not when it comes to mosquitoes or our recent battles with some tenacious Sicilian gnats. I am still on the hunt for the perfect product to keep the bugs from ever biting us (if you have a fabulous solution, please share it!). We have, however, come across two things that work pretty well at providing relief when bites become too itchy and annoying. 
- Lavender Oil
 
- Sting Kill (this miraculous stuff works on all sorts of bites and stings. Poor Noah got into a wasp nest last summer and his torso was covered with stings but within minutes of application the bites were no longer painful and the swelling disappeared. It really is amazing. If you are ever in St.Martinville, stop by Dupois Pharmacy and pick up a bottle or order directly from them on-line).

So, how do you prep for summer days to make sure they are comfortable and fun? Have any suggestions on new things we should add to our beach bag this summer?