FASHION

ROAD TEST: A SHADY TYPE

The sun is my not my friend. And no, not because I’m one of those milky-skinned types who burn within seconds of UV exposure. My problem is I tan like it’s my job, even while...

by Vanessa Lawrence

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The sun is my not my friend. And no, not because I’m one of those milky-skinned types who burn within seconds of UV exposure. My problem is I tan like it’s my job, even while sporting extremely high SPF sunscreens.

I’m sure you’re thinking “cry me a river,” but while a golden glow sure beats a lobster bake any day, with such quick melanin changes comes a most unwanted consequence: tan lines, the kind that crisscross your body like long-lost continents and take months to fade into oblivion. And so I spend my Central Park runs in head-to-toe black (including full-length leggings), even on 100-degree days.

Fed up with my goth athletic look, I recently test-drove some of the more powerful sunscreens on the market in the hopes of finding even-toned nirvana. While I will sadly still leave the skimpy Under Armour tops to others, this quartet has kept me from looking like a bad paint job.

What: A sheer, oil-free liquid whose mineral filters block out rays while an antioxidant complex derived from cantaloupe melon extract fights wrinkles and DNA damage. Verdict: One of the airiest formulas I’ve ever used, it absorbed immediately into my skin, leaving no residue or chalky dryness like other oil-free types. I loved it, though it’s intended for the face (I also applied it to my neck and chest and there was only the faintest trace of a tan afterwards). $38.00, clarinsusa.com