In preparation for summer, I received a selection of skincare products to test. And with beach season here in Rhode Island starting, it wasn’t too soon!

The Tiger’s Eye “Gentle Daily Exfoliant” and “Alpha Hydroxy Peel” are both to remove dead skin cells. Of course that smoothes the tiny wrinkles that we try not to notice in the mirror, and promises to give a more youthful appearance. And at the beach, youth is where it’s at. The exfoliant has tiny beads while the peel has five natural fruit acids to do the trick.

They both contain aloe vera to soothe and cool as they work. Tiger’s Eye’s full skin care kit contains 2 fluid ounces each of Purifying Seaweed Cleanser, Hydrating Moisture Cream, Natural Daylight Cream, Gentle Daily Exfoliant, Alpha Hydroxy Peel 10%, and one ounce of Vitamin Oil Complex. You can visit them online at www.tigerseyeskincare.com

Next came the Cellu-ice cellulite remover by Skin Spa Therapies. It effervesces, bubbling and sizzling in a way that clinical tests say increases penetration of the ingredients. The magic ingredients? Pure retinol, ceramides, ginkgo biloba, and ivy extracts in a moisturizing base. Since it penetrates deeper into the skin cells, its caffeine and other lipolytic ingredients can increase cell metabolism and eliminate toxins faster, which encourages the skin to produce its own collagen and elastin from within, firming and tightening skin.

I like that it’s quick – it doesn’t take forever to apply, and I’m in a hurry to get to Charlestown Town Beach and show off my legs. You can visit them online at www.skinspatherapies.com

Now that I have been exfoliated and de-cellulited, it’s time to prevent problems later.

I received a bottle of Keune Sun Care protection oil for hair & body. Sun block for the hair? Why not? The sun dries out your hair just like your skin, and the UV rays bleach out the color, natural and otherwise. It has an SPF factor of 6, which means that six hours of sunlight with the protection oil only affects your hair like one hour without.

It has squalane oil from olives, which when you apply to wet hair it forms a water-resistant layer to keep it moist. Oryzanol, from the rice plant, forms a natural UV filter to block the bleaching rays. And the added vitamin-E helps your hair to maintain its shine. It’s about time we had something for our hair to keep it from turning to straw! And with hair that already has damage from coloring or perms, the last thing you need is sun damage. You can visit them online at www.keune.com

Of course skin needs sun block too, especially if you’re fair. The folks at G.M. Collin sent me two bottles of sunscreen. The first is a robust SPF 30 – a thick cream that uses titanium dioxide to block the sun. That’s the same white stuff that you may have seen on lifeguards in bold white stripes on their shoulders and noses. Of course there are other ingredients, like sweet almond oil and wheat germ oil.

The other was a spray on lotion with an SPF of 14. Fourteen may not sound like much when compared to the SPF 30, but a spray lotion has a lot to say for it – especially when you think of the times you’ve spent the day at the beach only to find that you missed protecting a thin stripe on your back. A spray is convenient, and a lotion sometimes feels less messy than a thick cream. You can visit G.M. Collin online at www.gmcollin.com

After using all of these products, I not only feel youthful and desirable, I’m certain that the sun will not undo what I’ve accomplished. NOW I’m ready for the beach.

About the author, Linda Eagleson: Linda Eagleson has been a writer for as long as she can remember. She has been published in local papers, anthologies, and columns, and participates in poetry slams throughout the state.

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