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My favorite sun protection products

Summer is coming, so it is time for me to start thinking (more) about protecting my skin from the sun!  People typically think sunscreen when they think sun protection, but as someone who’s skin is very sensitive and gentle sunscreens can be hard to find, I have learned lots of other ways to protect myself!  This post shares my favorite products and habits to protect myself from the sun.

My favorite sun protection products

Disclaimer:  This post contains affiliate links.  See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

My favorite sun protection garments

Especially in the summer, I pretty much live in sun protection clothing. 

sun protection products

Columbia shirts and pants

Columbia has a lot of sun protective clothing – marked with the Omni-Shiled label, and I really like it.  I am lucky enough to have a few Columbia outlet stores nearby, and for some reason I find that I have liked the styles available at the outlets better than their regular stores/website.

Columbia sun shirts

I pretty much live in my Columbia button down shirts that can be dressed up to business casual type attire.  They are very lightweight, and great for travel because they can be washed in a sink, dried in a towel then air dried over night. Most of the shirts are free from wrinkles when they have finished drying!  I also really like that some of the shirts have zip close pockets in the lower front, great for carrying a cell phone, chapstick, and more.  I have several similar to this style, with the low pockets and very light weight.  

Columbia sun shirt

Columbia also has long hiking pants with Omni-Shield.  Some pants styles are very nice looking – I have even worn the black ones as business-casual pants.  The have just a little stretch to make them really comfortable.  I actually buy these a little snug because they stretch out a bit when worn.  I love these pants because they actually come in “short,” “regular,” and “long” lengths.  Great for me because most pants are far too short for me!  

Columbia sun pants

I like my Columbia shorts as well – like the hiking pants, they are soft and just a bit stretchy so they stay comfortable through all activities, like walking, hiking, gardening, and various work on/around my house.  Columbia sells shorts with various inseam lengths, so it’s easy to find a pair that suits different activities and comfort levels. 

Hats

Wide-brim hats are great for protecting the face, neck, and scalp from sunburns.  While I do not wear these all the time (I think they look a little dorky and let my vanity get in the way here…) but when I do the Scala hat and Siggi hat are my favorites!  They both have nice wide brims.  Siggi has a removable chin strap (great for hiking when windy), and the back of the brim has no structure so it protects my neck much better than regular, uniform brim hats.  Oh, and the best part is the ponytail hole in the back!  The Scala hat is a little more stylish (in my opinion) and is packable and machine washable, so super easy to keep clean, and convenient for travel. 

sun hats, scarf, headband

Scarves and headbands

Sometimes I don’t want to wear a hat, but want to shade my neck and chest or scalp.  

This headwear works as a (short) scarf or headband, and even hat!  The Amazon product page shows many ways to wear it – though I stick to the scarf and headband.  

The infinity scarf can be worn like any infinity scarf, and is wide enough to pull up over my hair to provide some sun protection to my scalp.  

For in or on the water

One of the first pieces of sun protection clothing that I found was the swim shirt.  This is great for times when I am in or on the water, protecting my arms, back, chest, all the way up to my neck.  I don’t have to worry about sunscreen wearing off all over, and can just focus on my face, neck, and hands.

swim shirt

I also discovered lightweight sun protection jackets.  They’re a stretchy, zip up the front, and some have hoods and pockets.  I like to put one of these on when it’s a little cooler out but still sunny, or for on-the-water activities like boating an kayaking.  They stretch when I move, and protect my skin when I need it most – that water reflects the sun and makes me burn faster.  I have one that it DuckSkinz brand and another GreenBeanz, though those brands no longer appear online.  I found these jackets for $5 at Ocean State Job Lot.   

sun jackets

Where to buy sun protective clothing

Where do I buy sun protective clothing?  Pretty much anywhere!  I keep my eye out for this kind of clothing at my local discount type stores (Ocean State Job Lot, Marshalls, TJ Maxx) and online.  I can find almost anything on Amazon, though I often have better luck at the brand specific clothes, specifically Columbia and even moreso, Columbia Outlet.

My favorite sunscreens
Homemade, everyday, light sunscreen

I love my light feeling natural sunscreen for everyday, light sun exposure, such as when I expect to be outside a bit in the winter when the sun is less intense, or during spring and fall when I do not expect to be out in the sun. 

Commercially available, water resistant sunscreens

When I need a more intense sunscreen, something that will hold up to a little sweat or water and give me more sun protection I use Goddess Garden sunscreen (which I wrote about last year).  Though by the end of a season I was finding the sunscreen settled in the bottle, so I will try the lotion in a squeeze bottle rather than the spray, next time. 

I also recently tried Rocket Pure sunscreen, and I LOVE the texture!  It is a thin-ish consistency that is easy to apply, and uses zinc oxide to protect against the sun.  I think this is my current favorite commercially available sunscreen. 

sunscreen

Homemade water resistant sunscreen

I still use my homemade natural sunscreen, which is water- and sweat-resistant due to the shea butter and cocoa butter.  But I am working on a new homemade sunscreen recipe that has a more smooth, easier to apply texture (like Rocket Pure sunscreen).  I’ll update this post once I have that new recipe perfected!

My tips for avoiding sun burns
  1. I stay in the shade when I can.  While I can still get a sunburn in the shade (or on an overcast or cloudy day!), shade does provide some filtering of UV rays and extends the amount of time I can spend in outside before burning.
  2. I avoid the outdoors in the middle of the day – between 10 am and 2 pm.  The sun is most intense in the middle of the day, so I try to plan my outdoor activities around this.
  3. I use my favorite sun protection clothing and sunscreens!

Note:  This post focuses on protecting the skin from the sun, but the sun is NOT bad!  Actually, it is very essential to life!  Not only do we completely rely on the sun to live (it keeps our earth at a survivable temperature, after all), but at a smaller scale, our bodies need the sun to produce Vitamin D.  So, while I try to prevent burns or much tanning of my skin, I do make sure get some sun exposure.

 

What do you do or what products do you use to protect yourself and your family from the sun?  Share with us in the comments below!

How to clean a deck without hurting the environment

We’ve finally had several warm days and I am starting to really look forward to summer.  Among many other things, I am looking forward to the warm weather, late sunsets, and relaxing out on my deck enjoying both!  Keeping a deck looking nice is really not too difficult, if you’re willing to put in a little effort each year.  As with a car, regular maintenance will cut down time and expense in the long run.  I am here today to share how easy it is to maintain your deck, and it can be done with environmentally friendly products, too!

how to wash a deck

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.  See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Most recipes I have found for washing a deck include harsh detergents and chlorine bleach, which are not good for people or the environment.  Luckily, there are natural alternatives that work great, too!  Oxygen bleach (like oxiclean – remember that awesome stuff from my towel washing post?) and liquid castile soap (like Dr. Bronner’s or my homemade soap) plus water and a brush are all you need!

But first – before washing, and whenever you notice an accumulation, brush leaves and other debris off the deck regularly.  This organic matter makes a great place for mold and bacteria to grow, so keeping the deck clear is step 1 in keeping the deck clean!

Recipe

This is plenty for a small, well maintained (or new) deck (150-200 square feet).  Depending on how large the deck is, and how dried out the decking is, you will need more or less.

Time: I estimate it will take about 10-20 minutes to mix up the recipe then clean off the tools when finished washing, then about 10 minutes per 100 square feet to wash the deck. 

deck wash ingredients

  • 1 gallon water (I used water from my rain barrel!)
  • 1/2 cup sodium percarbonate (active ingredient in OxiClean) or 1 cup OxiClean Baby powder – this is the oxygen bleach
  • 1 tablespoon liquid castile soap
  • bucket – I used a 2 gallon bucket to mix up the 1 gallon of solution
  • brush
  1. Safety first – I recommend putting on gloves and safety glasses to protect eyes and skin from splashes, and wearing long pants/shoes to protect feet and legs from splashes.  
  2. I pour the oxiclean or sodium percarbonate in the bucket, add water, stir, then add castile soap and stir again.  

deck wash - adding ingredients

Instructions

Cleaning composite decks

As of about a year ago, I am the proud owner of a composite surfaced deck.  I am proud because I made it composite – I ripped out old, rotten wood boards and installed the composite deck boards myself.  Doing the job myself was a great way to save money, but I understand it’s certainly not for everyone!  Don’t worry, I won’t judge if you’re thinking “this girl is crazy, I’m hiring a professional to do that job!”  I digress…back to cleaning the deck!

I want to keep my deck looking clean and new for many, many years – most composite deck boards have a 15-30 year warranty, so these decks should last a while!  My deck is small, 100 square feet, so I created this recipe small.  It is and easy to scale up if you have a bigger deck.  

deck - ready to be washed

How to apply
  1. Once I mixed up my solution, I dipped my brush in the bucket of water and liberally applied solution to the deck boards.  I brushed along the length of the boards, and scrubbed anywhere that I saw stains (a.k.a. bird poo).
  2. After the solution had been applied to the entire deck, I let it sit for 1 hour (15 minutes should be enough for the oxygen bleach to do its job).
  3. I rinsed out my bucket and rinsed off the brush.
  4. a. After allowing the oxygen beach time to work, I rinsed off the solution.  The easiest way to do this is with a hose.  Rinse thoroughly, and you’re done! 

b. But I did not have a hose long enough to reach my 2nd floor level deck, so I filled my bucket with clean water and used the brush to slosh water all over the deck boards (applied in the same manner as application of the solution in step 1).  I did this a few times, until there were no more bubbles (from the cleaning solution) when I applied the water with the brush.  And I was done!

deck wash after washing

Hands-on time for washing my 100 square foot composite deck was about 40 minutes, but should be more like 25-30 minutes if you have a hose for rinsing: 5 minutes to gather supplies and mix the solution, 10 minutes to apply, 5 minutes to clean off the tools, and 20 minutes to rinse off the deck (would be more like 5 with a hose).  This was super quick and easy!  I love that it will only take me 30 minutes or so each year to keep my deck in good condition.  I will wipe down railings or hose off the deck periodically before I use it (especially when there’s a lot of pollen around), but this is minimal effort in my opinion. 

Cleaning wood decks

I own a deck that has wood structure and composite deck boards, so my experience using this cleaner is with composite decking only.  However, based on my research of deck cleaning, the solutions are the same for any material, so this should work on wood as well!

Wood decks can be maintained for many years with annual thorough washing, and re-staining every few years.  

Here’s how I would wash my wooden deck, if I had one:

  1. Once I mixed up my solution, I would dip my brush in the bucket of water and liberally apply solution to the deck boards.  I would brush along the length of the boards.  If the solution seemed to soak into the boards, I would liberally apply more cleaning solution so the top of the boards appeared wet.
  2. After the solution had been applied to the entire deck, I would let it sit for 15 minutes to 1 hour – to allow the oxygen bleach (oxiclean) time to do its job.
  3. If stains remained, I would gently scrub the stains with a bit of the cleaning solution.
  4. I’d rinse off my scrub brush and bucket.
  5. Finally, I would hose off the whole deck to remove the cleaning solution.

If I was staining the deck this year, I would allow a couple of dry, sunny days for the deck to dry out, then apply the stain according to the manufacturer’s instructions.  

washed deck ready for use

Cost

Oxygen bleach (sodium percarbonate)- ($13.50/5lb)x(1 lb/16 oz)x(8.4 oz/1 cup)x(1/2 cup)=$0.71

Castile soap – Dr. Bronner’s: ($16/32oz)x(1 oz/2 tbsp)x(1 tbsp)=$0.25

Castile soap – my recipe: ($12/128oz)x(1 oz/2 tbsp)x(1 tbsp)=$0.05

water – Used rain water, so free!

Total: $0.71+$0.25=$0.96 using Dr. Bronner’s, or $0.71+$0.05=$0.76 using my castile soap. 

It cost me $0.76 to clean 100 square feet of deck, this mixture volume would have been enough for a deck twice the size.  So I think I could wash my 100 sq ft deck for more like $0.76/2=$0.38.  And there was no environmental impact!  Within 6 hours, the sodium perchlorate has broken down to oxygen, water, and sodium carbonate (soda ash), and castile soap (especially when diluted) is very safe.  

 

How do you maintain your deck?  Please share your tips and experiences in the comments below!