The Lotion Woman, That's Me

Guillermo del Toro has a fascinating series called Cabinet of Curiosities. Within its short run of 8 episodes, there exists a character called The Lotion Woman. The main character of the episode titled “The Outside” becomes obsessed with a product she orders and then begins to use religiously.

The episode takes a dark turn, but I could not help but laugh at the concept and how easy it would be to consider myself “The Lotion Woman.” After all, life following my skin cancer diagnosis has been filled with one lotion or concoction after another. I am sure you can relate.

Lotion-obsessed

I can’t remember a time I have walked into a store and not looked for a new lotion or cream, especially one with SPF. Since 2007, virtually every skincare purchase I have made has been prefaced with thoughts of its effectiveness against the sun’s damaging rays. Is this enough protection? Will it last all day? Let me look up the reviews before I buy it. Is there a better choice? Will it irritate my skin? I am lotion-obsessed.

As further proof that I am more than worthy of the Lotion Queen title, I submit to you the fact that my bathroom closet is brimming with lotions and potions all purchased in the hopes of “trying something new.” Each and every one is at least two-thirds full but was purchased with the hope it would hit the mark. I can tell you from well over a decade of experience that all SPF lotions and sunscreens do not even begin to hit the mark, and they are certainly not created equal.

My tried and true favorites

Despite my diligent efforts to expand my inventory and my unfettered determination to try all the lotions, I keep coming back to just a few products and brands that do provide protection, are not greasy, are long-lasting, or are just wonderfully pleasant in fragrance and texture.

Here are my tried and true favorites:

• Hempz Yuzu and Starfruit lotion with SPF30 – I love this one for summer. It smells divine and the SPF30 is a huge plus. It absorbs quickly, and that makes reapplying much less of a pain.
• Medix 5.5 Vitamin C Body Treatment Cream – This one doesn’t contain SPF, but it is wonderful for sun-damaged skin. I have seen some lightening of my sunspots since I started using this on a regular basis.
• Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen SPF 70 – Even though SPF 30 is the strength recommended by dermatologists, I tend to grab this one for the dry-touch benefit. I like this one, particularly for my face and chest – both areas that I am especially careful to protect on a daily basis. This is where the bulk of my precancers are concentrated.
• La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer SPF30 – I can’t say enough about this product. Both my daughter and I have seen some fantastic results with this product. It reduces redness, evens skin tones, and offers sun protection. Win-win-win!

Even though my closet and shelves are almost at capacity with lotions and potions, I don’t see me giving up the search any time soon. There is a lot to be said for diligence when it comes to sun safety, and I am not about to start slacking off now.