That's Fit

My little family of four and I have already blasted through 12 bottles of sunblock since early May. At nine dollars a pop ... the cost is certainly adding up. But then I think about the investment I make each day, and the price it will prevent us all from paying some day in the future. Here's a short list in no particular order.

• Painful Sunburns -- Ouch!
• Freckles
• Moles
• Leathery Skin
• Sunspots
• Flaking
• Chemotherapy -- Not cheap!

Thinking of ways you'll save your skin this summer when the sun's rays come beating down upon you? Don't forget the standards: Avoid the sun between 10 am and 4 pm, use sunscreen with a sun protective factor (SPF) of 15 or higher, steer clear of artificial sources of ultraviolet light, and wear sun-protective clothing when exposed to sunlight.

Wearing clothing that offers UV protection can be more effective than using sunscreen alone, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. Look for clothing that offers an ultraviolet protection factor of at least 30 -- it will offer six times more protection than a t-shirt.

Columbia Sportswear offers one option for those seeking to shield themselves from the sun: The Seaside Stretch Tunic with UPF 40. It costs $48 which may seem a bit steep. But the savings your skin will enjoy may be well worth the price.

Got any recommendations on UPF clothing? If so, leave a comment and we'll share your suggestions with our readers.

Ashlee Simpson gives an interview to Shape magazine and talks about engaged life (it's fantastic), the tabloid gossip (it doesn't bother her anymore), and her workout, which generally takes place at her home and consists of using some weights and machines. However, her trainer added that much of her workout doesn't use equipment -- it uses her environment. She runs down her stairs, does lunges around her pool, runs back up, and does squats. Now if only we all had flights of stairs and fabulous pools to exercise around ...

Sex and the City hottie Jason Lewis tells I'm Not Obsessed his trick for keeping fit -- he grills all his food. Tasty! Grilling, I mean. Not him. Well, maybe him. I'm flustered!

Jennifer Garner is featured in the May issue of Self and talks about her love of the farmers' markets during the summer as well as how much sunscreen she wears on a daily basis. Not only is she fit and beautiful -- she a smart and healthy role model, too!

Now there's a soap that gets you squeaky clean and protects you from the sun's harmful rays. The all-natural soap provides an all-over layer of SPF 10 protection.

SPF 10 isn't enough for a day at the beach or for when you're spending prolonged periods of time in the sun. But I think a soap that provides a good base layer of protection is a great idea. It's also a perfect low-level protector for days when your exposure to the sun is minimal. You can purchase the soap online for $8.

Despite our knowledge about the importance of sun protection, sunburns seem to be on the rise. The numbers of reported sunburns in the US rose roughly 2% from 1999 to 2004. Check out the gallery for additional ideas on how to protect your skin from the sun. And don't forget to go to AOL Body for more sun safe tips.

After a nearly five-year absence from the big screen, there has been a lot of talk recently about how fantastic Michelle Pfeiffer still looks at nearly 50 years-of-age. Pfeiffer has always been one of the most beautiful women in the world (I don't know of anyone who doesn't think she's stunning), and maybe she still looks incredible at her age because of great genetics and a great deal of attention to skin care.

The fact is though that few people look as fantastic at (nearly) 50 as Pfeiffer, at 40 as Nicole Kidman, at 60-plus as Goldie Hawn or (and I can't even believe it's possible) at almost-70 Tina Turner. So what is their secret? In many cases, it has a lot to do with genetics and none of us can improve on what we're born with.

As this piece points out though, many stars do resort in botox injections or expensive and invasive plastic surgeries to keep their youthful look. Many others go with face creams and treatments that most of us can't afford. So does that mean that the rest of us can't possibly age well? Even if you can't afford any of the products and procedures that celebs go for, you can still stay young by staying out of the sun, wearing moisturizer with SPF, eating healthy and drinking lots of water.

Do you have any tips on how to keep a youthful look?

You can spend a fortune on fancy face moisturizers and wrinkle-reducing eye-creams, botox yourself into an expressionless oblivion and go through the pain of plastic surgery in order to stay young looking (and I say go for it, if you've got the money and it makes you feel good about yourself), but no matter what you do to keep your face looking young, if you forget to look after your hands as well, they'll be a dead giveaway to your real age.

Sun exposure over the years as well as the natural aging process result in things like dryness, sunspots and bulging veins, which all act as aging agents on your hands. Moisturizers with SPF as well as alpha-hydroxy acids can help prevent and treat thin and dry skin, as well as sun spots. For more ideas on products and treatments -- both cheap and not-so-cheap -- that will help you keep your hands looking as young and fit as the rest of you, check out the information provided here.

One of my biggest guilty pleasures is the TV show "What Not to Wear". I don't really enjoy clothes shopping and I'm not great with make-up or doing my hair -- mascara and headbands/ponytails is often as good as it gets -- so I love the idea of a show that takes people like me and gives them a helping hand.

So I was pretty excited to come across this article by the show's resident make-up artist, Carmindy. She always looks great in minimal make-up and has pretty fantastic skin, so I figure she knows what she's doing! Apparently, great skin isn't necessarily hard to achieve. Carmindy recommends washing with a cleanser that is appropriate for your skin type both in the morning when you get up and again before bed. It's also important to use a moisturizer daily and find one with SPF to protect your skin from the sun.

For more advice, as well as ideas for the best types of cleansers and moisturizers for oily, dry and combination skin, see what Carmindy has to say here.

Looking sexy throughout the summer is about more than just finding the trendiest new swimsuit, wearing it with confidence and looking great (not that there's anything wrong with that either!). According to this, looking good this summer isn't just about showing off your body, but rather it's all about following 6 trends that include everything from looking after your skin to finding the right accessories. Here are 6 picks for heading out in style:

• Don't forget the SPF. Even if you're not worried about skin cancer (and you should be!) sun damage ages your skin, fast. Slather on the sunscreen and keep your skin looking younger for years to come.
• Invest in some cute espadrilles (those sandals with the big, chunky, wedge heels). They look good with a range of outfits and make your legs look longer without being impossible to walk in.
• Find some sunglasses that not only look good on you (those giant, bug-glasses that are in right now don't suit every face shape) but that also protect your peepers against harmful UV rays.
• Forget about wintry brown, blacks and creams when you buy summer clothes. Go bright and you'll get noticed.
• Rather than haul all of your necessities around in a boring purse, throw everything into a big and fun beach bag. Just because you're not lazing on the sand, doesn't mean you can't find ways to pretend you are.
• Buy Bohemian. OK, I've never really gotten into this but what the article says makes sense. Boho clothes are not only chic right now, they're also flowy and comfortable, so they'll keep you cool on a hot summer day.

I think that I could get into pretty much every one of those, except for the Boho clothes (as I mentioned). But next time I go shopping, I may even give that a try. Do you have any different ideas for looking hot this summer?

The marketing of sunscreens in recent years has turned that category of products into something so complex that many customers don't know where to turn. There are acronyms like SPF, UVA, UVB and others, and then there are different levels you have to know about to find the most appropriate product for your circumstances.

A little regular sun exposure is a good thing for internal Vitamin D production, but too much can cause skin cancer along with other problems. How much is too much? That is a hard question to answer for each of us.

But, back to sunscreens -- are terms like "waterproof" and "sweatproof" really that accurate when it comes to sunscreen lasting all day, or are repeated applications needed? I generally do not use sunscreen, but would be interested to know if all the marketing claims used these days on those products work or not.

I thought I was on top of summer skincare -- both for my self, and for my 3-year-old daughter. But then I learned that producers of well-known sunscreen brands are currently facing a class action lawsuit, alleging that their claims about protecting against UV rays and preventing skin cancer are misleading.

So what have they been lying about? This Health magazine article outlines the top five myths about sunscreen, and what you should do to make sure you and your family are properly protected this at the beach this summer.

1. Sunscreen is all you need to stay safe. Even with sunscreen, there's still a 50% chance you'll burn.
2. The SPF measures levels of protection against both UVB and UVA rays. While several ingredients in sunscreen do block UVA rays, the SPF only applies to UVBs.
3. Sunscreen can protect all day. It actually needs to be reapplied every two hours.
4. Some sunscreens are waterproof. There's no such thing as "waterproof" sunscreen. Some are "resistant," and others are "very resistant," which means they continue to work after some water exposure, but you should always reapply after swimming.
5. Sunscreen provides total sunblock. Even SPF 50 only stops 98 percent of UV rays.

For more detailed explanations of why these common misconceptions are inaccurate, and what you should do in response, see the full article.

Spring break season is in full swing and spring is just right around the corner. Soon we'll all be trading in our boots and heavy sweaters for tanks, t-shirts, shorts, sundresses, and bathing suits. What about that skin though -- that skin that's been hidden under wraps for several months without a hint of sunlight? You need to protect it, but are you sure you know how? Here's an article that discusses some of the common sunscreen myths. Many beach bums believe they can apply sunscreen once and be done with it, but actually you need to keep applying it throughout the day.

Meanwhile, the commonly perceived thoughts on sun are changing. A few minutes of sun a day -- without sunscreen -- may actually do your body good by helping it manufacture vitamin D and this interesting study found that tanning may, in fact, have a bit of protective value to skin. A sunburn, however, is harmful to anyone, so the key here is to remember your sunshine limit and to slather on the sunblock if you're going to be soaking up rays for more than a few minutes.

If the chemicals found in most conventional sunscreens worry you, consider looking for a chemical free sunblock. Made with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, these "physical" sunscreens sit on the skin to protect it, rather than being absorbed by the skin. The old fashioned versions used to be quite thick and uncomfortable, but new formulas are so light that you won't notice the difference.