tarte for NATIONAL SKIN CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

I may be as fair as fair can but one look at childhood photos reveals that if I spend some time in the sun I actually tan. My mother, who grew up in a house on the beach, does not. And it is a combination of genes and good luck that have left her with great skin. Still, she vigilantly slathered my sister and I with Bullfrog as kids and taught us early on that a good dermatologist is a must-have. May is National Skin Cancer/Melanoma Awareness Month and it’s also Mother’s Day, so I’d like to thank my mother for making me get out of the water and put on more sunscreen every few hours even if I wasn’t so appreciative at the time.

As part of this month’s campaign for skin cancer prevention, tarte is releasing three new shades of their 24.7 natural lip sheers ($16). I like to think of them as ChapStick for grown ups. The post consumer recycled tubes (printed with soy ink) look very much like the Bonne Belle Lip Smackers of my youth. Only these come in a dozen fabulous tints and include an SPF15. Just in time for summer, the three new shades will look perfect with my tan (in a bottle): dawn (shimmering golden nude), twilight (shimmering peach nude) and sunday (shimmering deep pink). I also love the original seven days of the week shades, monday being my favorite as it mimics the color of Cherry ChapStick. All 24.7 lip sheers have UVA and UVB coverage with just a hint of color. They’re super moisturizing, and petro-chemical free --- the beeswax base is infused with mango butter, coconut and peppermint oils to hydrate and soothe. Check out tarte’s other sun shielding products, like smooth operator oil-free tinted moisturizer with SPF 20 ($36). They’ve created a Sun Safety Collection on their site here. PROMO through May 20th, get 20% off the collection using code SPFMAY at tarte.com.

The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends these tips for sun safety:

• Seek the shade, especially between 10 A.M. and 4 P.M.

• Avoid tanning and UV tanning booths.

• Use a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher every day.

• Apply 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) of sunscreen to your entire body 30 minutes before going outside. Reapply every two hours.

• Cover up with clothing, including a broad-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses.

• Examine your skin head-to-toe every month.

• See your physician every year for a professional skin exam.

For a comprehensive list of the best and worst in sunscreens, check out the Environmental Working Group’s report here. And pick up tarte’s 24.7 online at tarte, beauty.com and both online and in Sephora stores nationwide. Have fun in the sun! xo alex.