5 Tips for Avoiding a Cruel Summer Sun (and '80s Pop Songs)

1.9 oz. SPF 30 Sunscreen in Clear Bottle with Carabiner from SnugZ USA

Hot summer streets
And the pavements are burning
I sit around
Trying to smile
But the air is so heavy and dry

We kind of lied in the headline—there's no avoiding Bananarama. But now that you've got the song stuck in our head, are you ready for summer?

Dreading swimsuit shopping shouldn't be the only concern going through your mind. How about your summer skin care?

Yeah, we are talking sunscreen. Sure, the sun feels great after a hard, cold winter, but its rays cause accelerated aging and, worse, skin cancer.

So, let's give you the skinny on the best anti-aging product in the world: sunscreen. Here are the whens, wheres and whys on how to protect your skin this summer.

1. No matter your skin type, everyone should be using sunscreen daily.
Even if you're outside for just an hour, that's enough time for the sun to cause skin damage. Here's what you should be looking for in your sunscreen:

• If you have a dark to medium complexion, you should look at an SPF of 8 to 14.
• For medium to light skin, choose SPF 15 or higher.
• And for fair to very fair skin types, you need SPF 30 to 50

2. Apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before going outside.
This will give the sunscreen time to set into your skin and provide the best protection possible. Plus, letting the sunscreen sink in prevents it from rubbing off or smearing. Have you ever tried to get sunscreen off of Ray-Bans? No, thank you.

3. Reapply sunscreen at least every two to three hours to be on the safe side.
Sunscreen, like all lotions, will wear off during the day, particularly if you're sweating. Spending two minutes every two hours to put on some protection is better than spending the next two weeks covering your burns in aloe vera because you fell asleep in the park after brunch. (Not that we've ever done that.)

4. Your sunscreen is water-resistant, but that doesn't mean it is waterproof. Reapply after an hour in the water!
Even the toughest sunscreen eventually will come off when it gets wet. It's even more important to reapply when you're in the pool or ocean, as the water will reflect the sun's rays and increase your chances of burning.

5. Don't forget your lips. Lips have almost no melanin in them—so keep an SPF 15 or higher lip balm with you at all times.
The lack of melanin makes your lips one of the most burn-prone areas of your body—along with all the other areas you forget, like your ears, toes and that square inch on your back you can never reach. Lip balm with SPF can help at least one of those areas.

Not all that hard to remember, right? What does seem to be difficult is remembering to pack the sunscreen with all of your summer gear when you head out. Forget no more—SnugZ USA offers a ton of different portable sunscreen container options. These aren't your mother's 10-ton greasy, goopy, leaky, old mega-bottles you need to lug around with you anymore. For example, we have this 1.9 oz. SPF 30 Sunscreen in Clear Bottle with Carabiner that is so handy to keep attached to your beach bag or backpack. You even can get it with an SPF 15 lip balm attached. Speaking of doing double duty, the 2 oz. Duo Bottle with SPF 30-50 Sunscreen and SPF 15 Lip Balm in White Tube is super-cool and convenient as well, because the lip balm clips right onto the sunscreen bottle.

There are just so many more options—just type in "SUNSCREEN" at www.snugzusa.com, and check out the nearly endless options SnugZ USA has in stock. As always, all of our sunscreen and lip balm products are USA-made at an FDA-registered facility that meets all the updated broad spectrum compliance standards. This is an important piece of information to pass on to your customers. Don't risk putting something on your skin if you don't know where it comes from or if it is truly safe to use.

Speaking of customers, whether it is sunscreens, lotions, gels, sprays or lip balms, there isn't a single market that these products wouldn't appeal to. Why? Because, as humans, we eventually will find ourselves exposed to the great outdoors! Even indoors, heat and dry air can be murder on lips and skin. Sunscreen bottles, tubes, sprays and lip balms are cost-effective promotions, and will be used. Full-color imprinting makes for great billboards for logos and messages.

Now, you've got your swim trunks, your beach ball, your flip-flops and your cooler. Just remember, summer can be cruel: Don't forget the sunscreen!