SPF — Product Reviews & More — Cruelty-Free Living

If you know me in real life, you know that I am very fair. Like, I buy the “translucent” foundation because “translucent” is my actual skin tone. Back in the day, I would have been a fair princess, but in modern times, I’m just the freakishly white lady who gets sunburn through a sweater.

As a result of being extremely fair, I had a small skin cancer scare a couple months ago -- even though I'm only 28. I went to a free screening offered at my office and wound up needing to have a few biopsies done. Ultimately, everything turned out fine, but the doctor did insist I wear SPF 30 every day from there on out.

I've always been religious about sunscreen... outdoors in the summertime. But when it comes to the other three seasons on a daily basis? Not so much. Of course I don’t want to get skin cancer, but I don’t like the tacky feeling sunscreen leaves behind, and even the most pleasantly scented options aren't the the kind of smell I want to bring to the office. So, I turned to the great people at Alba Botanica and bought the economy-sized bottle of Very Emollient Daily Shade SPF15 Body Lotion. And let me tell you, I love this stuff.

This thick, scentless lotion soaks in quickly and leaves me feeling moisturized all day long, and seamlessly became part of my daily routine. While it’s only currently available with SPF 15, it’s the only certified cruelty-free option I’ve been able to find so far, and I think it's a fair compromise.

I bought my giant 32 oz bottle at Whole Foods, but you can order direct from Alba Botanica here. They offer two sizes -- 12 oz and 32 oz, which will run you $14.95 or $27.75 respectively. This lotion is 100% vegetarian and is from a Leaping Bunny-certified company.

Please, dear readers, make sure you’re always protecting your skin. And even if you’re a pro about sunscreen application, make sure you go in for an annual screening. You can find your nearest FREE screening here, at the American Academy of Dermatology's site.