Be #SkinSmart With Coolibar Protective Outdoor Clothing (Stronger thsn SPF 100!)

***We received product samples to help facilitate this feature. Regardless all photos and thoughts contained below are original and property of Momma Told Me Blog 2015.

Momma Told Me: Watch out for the sun!

In Texas and SoCal, where the majority of our family's located over the Summer, escaping the Summertime heat means seeking shelter in an air conditioned building or finding a body of water to float in. In the past hosting fort building competitions in the living room, or a double feature at the local cinema would suffice to keep the young ones cool and unruly. This year there's a baby at home, and as Nathan's (now 11 months) first Summer wraps we've learned a lot about balancing a family that ranges in age from infant and grade school to nearly teen. You see, they don't warn you but everybody gets a little extra on edge when there's an infant involved, especially when that infant is teething and beginning to walk.

To escape the endless chants of 'Mom, I'm bored,' and the inevitable tension of being confined with one's naked, teething, brother, the family has been packing up a lot and heading to the local public pools. That, combined with an unusual amount of traveling and hotel pools, this Summer means extra consideration is needed for sun safety. You may not have noticed, after all it is quite subtle, but my adorable Nephew is just about one of the most adorable, fair skinned, redheaded babies I've seen this decade. And, while proper suncare is and should be a priority for everyone, little Nathan requires extra monitoring and protection when exposed to the sun for any amount of time.

Not to alarm you but statistics don't lie- The impact a serious sunburn has on one's life is an astounding doubled chance of developing melanoma later in life. Even more frightening is the fact that 22% of humans receive their first serious sunburn within their first year of life, and a whopping 54%, in their second. Worst of all, there is no reason for an infant, or anyone, really, to ever have to suffer the discomfort or risks associated with excessive UV exposure. In fact, Coolibar offers a wide range of stylish UPF protective clothing for children as young as infants, on up. Think you're protecting your child by throwing a t-shirt on them with a splash of sunscreen? All suncare products require reapplication at a suggested rate of every 90 minutes, an the UV filtering capabilities of that tshirt? Less than an SPF 10 sunblock, filtering just 7% of UV exposure to your child's skin.

Coolibar has several full body outfits, sun hats, accessories, and single pieces for toddlers and infants offering UPF 50+ protection that filters as much as 98% of the UV exposure to your child's skin. To give you an idea just how revolutionary that is, a sunscreen with SPF 100 (yes, 100) would be equivalent to the protection of a UPF 9 clothing- and Coolibar materials carry UPF 50+! Even better, you don't have to pull your children away from the water or fun to reapply every few hours- so long as the fabric is covering the skin, the skin is protected!

Nathan is modeling the Coolibar One-Piece Turtle Baby Boy Swimsuit (psst, on sale now!) and matching Beach Bucket hat. The material breathes well and is very soft on baby's skin while the suit's design is intuitive for mom with easy off 'onesie' style snaps. The bucket hat took a little getting used to at first, with the strap under the chin being a bit bothersome, but he's since worn the hat more than anything as he's slowly outgrown the suit (from the beginning of Summer.) We couldn't be more thrilled with the vibrant colors and graphic designs that make it easy to spot Nathan floating in the pool with his big sister, or the amount of coverage the outfit offers from head to toe!

Okay, so you don't have an infant or child at home and you're wondering what this amazing UPV 50+ clothing brand has to offer you. Coolibar makes a complete line of swim and outerwear clothing for men and women, and you'd never know it was so skin friendly! Currently on my personal wish list is the Coastal Mosaic Swim Jacket (2nd from left, above) with it's lovely side gather tassels and plunging neckline. I have been working on a tattoo sleeve on my right arm for a few years and sun protection to my arms is crucial to maintain vibrancy and clarity of the work. I'd love to take a few Coolibar pieces with me on our cruise next month!

I'm sure you've heard about UV protective clothing before- it's not a new concept, but Coolibar IS my favorite brand for stylish and innovative designs and pieces. The colors and prints are constantly evolving and each season brings something new and exciting. We've also found that this revolutionary material also holds up incredibly well though activity and wear with no fading or fraying, making these pieces of clothing worth their weight in gold. Ditch the t-shirt and get real UV protection, with #SkinSmart style, for the entire family! Now, tell the truth, are you guilty of throwing a shirt or other coverup on in hopes it would protect you from the sun? What do you spend the most time doing outdoors?

What Daughter Says: Protect every inch of your skin, not just the parts with sunscreen on. Use UPF clothing with protection that exceeds SPF 100 lotion and won't wash off!

Summer Health: The Eyes Have It- Or Do They? #MC

I wrote this review while participating in an Influencer campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. and received a promotional item from Mom Central to thank me for participating.

Momma Told Me: If you're going out, protect yourself!


I have had vision troubles since early grade-school. No matter how many carrots I scarfed, and there were a lot, my eyes decided they wanted something more fashionable than my face. So Momma trounced right into the local mega warehouse store and promptly bought the most Harry-Potter esque frames she could find (long before Hogwarts existed, mind you.) From there on out my eyes and I had a tumultuous relationship. Partly because I am so discerning and such a perfectionist (I squint with even the slightest bit of clarity inconsistency,) and partly because I never cared to go the extra mile to take care of my eyes. After all, they sit in my head, there's not much more too it, right?

While you may let your lashes and lids do all the heavy lifting in the eye care department the truth is our sight and eyes can tell us a lot about our overall health. You may recall, a year and a half back, I was diagnosed pre-diabetic and learned I had consumed enough sugar, over a long enough time, to impact the clarity of my vision. I was lucky enough that the sharpness returned shortly after a dramatic diet change, and my retinas showed no signs of permanent blood vessel damage. The optometrist, however, did ask me an odd question,

"Do you wear sunglasses at all when you are outside?"

I thought it was an odd query, given my complexion most often matches a vampire, and my primary optical aid of choice is a pair of glasses. While I own a prescription pair of sunglasses it's not always convenient to pull them out and put my primary pair away safely. And it's not exactly like I'm just sitting outside staring into the sun, when I am out and about.

It turns out that many of the same facts and concerns that apply to UV Rays and skincare apply to your eyes as well. As a fair skinned gal I knew all too well that I can easily burn much quicker on an overcast day, then in the brightest direct light. What I didn't know was that those same rays can reflect off water, grass, and numerous other surfaces an absorb right through my retinas. Talk about scary all that ultraviolet radiation bouncing around inside my eyes! I already know my farsighted vision is nearing nearsighted (not good) and I'm not legally safe to do, well anything, without corrective vision, so I was even more alarmed to hear my optometrist tell me that UV damage is hard to measure and in most cases permanent. Effects may include a loss in clarity of vision or even cataracts, and are even more pronounced in younger, developing eyes.

While it was a terrifying visit, it was also an eye opening one. I learned that there are ways to limit the absorption of UV-A and UV-B rays into the retina through supplemental accessories like wide-brimmed hats, sunglasses, and even UV Blocking contact lenses. While the UV blocking lens technology is pretty revolutionary, conclusive testing as far as the impact and long term benefits have not yet been done. Regardless, contacts such as Acuvue Moist Astigmatism 1-Day with Lacreon have been tested to filter up to 83% of UV-A and 97% of UV-B rays. And, when paired with monitored sun exposure and a hat, that leaves me feeling a lot more confident that I am truly looking out for my eyes.

Whether you have perfect vision, or wear coke bottle glasses, protecting your eyes from the sun is important all year round. Take the time to talk to your optometrist about possible early damage screening and visit this Fast Facts For Your Health roundup of eye care tips to learn more. Keep in mind that preventative care and protection is always better when stacked, do not rely on one method of UV protection alone. Sunglasses have different levels of UV blocking capabilities, an some UV rays will always get past; so limit your direct exposure to refracted rays with proper headgear when outside for more then 30 minutes at a time.

Do you consider UV protection for your eyes always, or only when your eyes are bothered by the sun?

What Daughter Says: We often remember sunblock and sunglasses, but we seldom consider these things when the sun isn't a nuisance.