It’s been at least 4 years since Jeff and I went canoeing on the Ipswich River. It used to be something we did every year. Saturday was the perfect day to restart our tradition. It was warm but not hot, partly sunny, not humid, no bugs. We drove over to Foote Brothers in Ipswich MA to rent a canoe.
In November, MyChelle Dermaceuticals generously sent me three sun care products in a cute tote bag.
They must be based in California or Florida because in New England in November, there isn’t a lot of call for (body) sunscreen and cooling spray. I put them away for 6 months, and broke ’em out on Saturday. Before we got into the canoe, we both sprayed ourselves with MyChelle Sun Shield Clear Spray SPF 30 Broad Spectrum.
The fine spray comes out clear if you keep the can moving or white if you stay in one place, but the spray instantly disappeared into my skin. It has a very light fresh scent that disappears instantly as well. The spray absorbs on contact and isn’t the least bit sticky. You don’t know you’re wearing it. I put it into the MyChelle tote bag that I brought along in the canoe so we could reapply as the afternoon went on.
Here’s some more detailed info on the spray: PABA Free, uses zinc oxide instead of chemical sunscreen ingredients, 80 minutes of water-resistant UVA & UVB full-spectrum sun protection. Also contains linoleic oil-rich safflower seed oil to offer anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, and healing support, and bentonite to absorb excess oil and impurities from pores. Price $18 for 6 oz.
I also brought along MyChelle Sun Shield Clear Stick SPF 50 that I used on my nose and cheeks. It glides on smoothly and dries clear almost immediately. I love this little slim stick dispenser. It’s so easy to apply and it easily fits into my purse makeup bag. Very handy! Everyone needs this! Plus it’s SPF 50. Like the spray, it’s zinc-based and gives 80 minutes of water-resistant UVA/UVB full-spectrum sun protection. It contains avocado, jojoba, and Vitamin E oils to moisturize and protect, and Cocoa Seed Butter to soothe skin and support elasticity. 0.5 oz. and priced at $12.
Heading out onto the river from Foote Brothers, you can only go one way: into the current. So you do the hardest work right from the get-go.
As I mentioned earlier, we hadn’t been on the river for several years, and kayaks have really become popular. We were amazed at how crowded the river was. It was a Saturday, after all, but before the kayak craze it was never that busy. In spite of some people who had to listen to music loudly in their kayak or talk loudly non-stop, we were able to get away from the river traffic at some points and listen to the sounds of nature. So peaceful!
Since it was early in the season, the river was quite high, but there were a lot of fallen trees and seagrass in the river that had to be negotiated. It required constant paddling especially when we were going up river. Although I had my iPhone with me, I couldn’t take a lot of photos unfortunately. But we saw yellow irises everywhere, water lilies that were not yet in bloom, 7 beaver huts, ducks, geese, and lots of redwing blackbirds. Jeff saw a small turtle swimming by. We both saw a graceful egret on our way back down river.
It was a great day. I’d love to go back but perhaps when there aren’t so many people around! Do you go canoeing or kayaking?
More MyChelle Sun Shield Product Info
Glad to report that MyChelle kept me from getting sunburned. Since it wasn’t very hot and our skin wasn’t sunburnt or irritated, we decided to save the Cucumber Cooler Soothing Spray for a day when we’ll really need it. But it smells great, is lightweight, soothing and cooling on the skin. It’ll be great for hot days at or after the beach. Price $16.50 for 6 oz.
I’ve reviewed MyChelle lotion sunscreens on the blog (here), and I included a lot of sunscreen tips in that post so it’s worth checking it out if you missed it when I posted it last summer. I love MyChelle lotion sunscreens, but I’m glad to have the spray and stick versions this year to add to my arsenal. Because of the easy to use spray and stick forms, they’re handy to have around. Check out the entire line on MyChelle Dermaceuticals website. I’m also proud to display a MyChelle ad on my website. It’s a brand that I really believe in!
MyChelle makes natural/mineral sunscreens as well as skincare products (check out my MyChelle skincare reviews: the fabulous Pumpkin Cleanser and Renew Cream here as well as Sweetness & Light Refining Duo here). I love that they put their skincare expertise into the sun care products as well!
MyChelle is available at Whole Foods, Ulta Beauty and other natural retailers as well as through their website where there’s free shipping throughout the U.S. MyChelle is cruelty-free and reef safe/non-toxic to water and ocean life and made in the U.S. Currently (June 2016), MyChelle is giving a deluxe size Perfect C Serum with any sun care purchase.
MyChelle Sun Shield Clear Spray SPF 30 Active Ingredient: Zinc Oxide 12%
Inactive Ingredients: Bentonite, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol , Coco Glucoside, Glycerin, Heptyl Undecylenate, Jojoba Esters, Methyl Dihydroabietate, Triethyl Citrate, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Water
MyChelle Sun Shield Clear Stick SPF 50 Active Ingredient: Zinc Oxide 17%
Inactive Ingredients: Beeswax, Bisabolol, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Calophyllum Tacamahaca Seed Oil, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Jojoba Esters, Octyldodecyl Olivate, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil, Oryzanol, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Tocopherol
MyChelle Sun Shield Cucumber Cooler Soothing Spray Active Ingredients
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Algae Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Glycerin, Water
OK, I got distracted by the earrings and necklace! I love them.
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I got the earrings and necklace in this color combo as well as in baby pink/blue at a gift shop in Rockport MA called Sandcastles. I don’t know the brand name or even if the brand name was on them, but they have a lot and the price is incredibly affordable. Plus they are so lightweight. Give Sandcastles a call!
Beautiful photos! Can you believe I’ve never gone canoeing? For me sunscreen is major key at keeping the skin looking young, I would literally refuse to go outside on a sunny day if I run out of SPF lotion with no backup.
Thank you, Anastasia! You’d enjoy canoeing, I’m sure 🙂 And you’re very smart not to go out without SPF. Definitely will make a big difference in years to come
Great post! I’ve never head of this line of sun care, and your post makes me want to look into it more. Love the after care spray!
Anna, MyChelle Dermaceuticals really are worth looking into. The Sun Shield lotions and especially the easy-to-use Clear Spray and Clear Stick are my favorites bar none! Plus their Pumpkin Cleanser and other pumpkin skincare products are to die for – they smell so good!! Thank you for taking the time to comment!
Okay, I think I just discovered that I am a bit of a wuss. The pictures of the dead tree, branches and very still water creeped me out. I’m half expecting a crocodile lurking under. I need to stop watching horror movies….
I never went kayaking before but i did tell my husband that we should try paddle boarding this Summer. Let’s hope I don’t panic and my imagination goes wild, it would be probably be an embarrassing situation for me. LOL!
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That’s hysterical, Shireen! You’re afraid to go canoeing where you’re at least semi protected by the canoe but you want to go paddle boarding!! so funny. There are no crocodiles in New England, but of course, the minute we got out on the river, Jeff made a joke about them too 😉 😀
We’ll be paddle boarding in a lake so I’m pretty sure there will be no crocodiles there. No way in hell I would ever be paddle boarding in a river, I get nightmares just thinking of that. I am such a wuss, I know. HAHA! 😀
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That’s so funny, Shireen! Are there any crocodiles up in Canada?? I’m glad you’ll be safe in a lake. But what about the Loch Ness monster?? 😉
Hahahaha! You meanie! I just asked my husband are there any crocodiles in Canada and that smartass told me ‘sure, plenty in the zoo’. LOL!
Shireen L. Platt recently posted…Have A Nice Day with HAND Cosmetics
LOL 😀
Wonderful! I didn’t know that MyChelle had these sun care products – I’ll have to check them out. I did pick up the pumpkin cleanser … LOVE IT!
Monica.
I’m so glad you like the Pumpkin Cleanser. I just love the amazing scent and the soft consistency. Do check out their sunscreens!! They are absolutely the best, and I think they may have free shipping from their website 🙂
What a gorgeous day, and your pictures are just stunning! Your description of the MyChelle sunscreens really makes me want to try them! It’s great that they are PABA free!
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Thank you, Helen! It was a beautiful and fun day on the river. MyChelle sunscreens really are worth checking out. They are my favorites by far!!
I love spray sunscreen and lotion, but you have to make sure you’re getting everything well coated. Sounds like these smell great and kept you protected on a lovely day! I’m not much for the water, but you got some great pictures!
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Thanks, Nidia! They do smell great, more like candy than a fresh scent. Gotta change that. Some days, I just prefer a spray to putting on lotion so I’m glad to have this option, but I love their lotions too.
Beautiful photos! I’ve been rowing on a regular rowboat (the first time, it just went around in circles), but haven’t been on a canoe or kayak. I recently bought a bottle of MyChelle Clear Skin serum but it seems to have vanished into thin air!
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Thank you, Renu! It was a fun day. A row boat is lots of fun too and it’s more stable than a canoe, but on a river that has fallen trees, you can get around better with a thin canoe or kayak. Try it some day! Hope you fine your MyChelle serum. It’s a good one!!
I love sunscreen sticks–so convenient. The last I went canoeing we saw a Moose in the water–they are HUGE!!
OMG, I can’t believe it. I would’ve gotten a kick out of that! I’ll have to tell Jeff about the moose you saw in the water. But surprisingly, there was a moose walking down the street of his suburban neighborhood about 8 miles from Boston just last week.
That looks so fun! I’e been going through sunscreen like crazy because we’ve been doing a lot of hiking lately 🙂
That’s great that you’re hiking a lot. That’s another one of our good weather activities. Thank goodness for portable sunscreen!
I love the idea of having SPF in a stick versus a lotion/spray (easier to transport). And such lovely pictures! Can you believe I’ve never been canoeing. I think it’s a “live in FL and alligators” thing. HA!
I can understand that, Brittany. One day when I was jogging during a business trip to Tampa, I almost died when I saw several crocodiles (?) wandering around the park where I was running. Oh.
What beautiful day for a trip on the river and its scenic views!! I am glad that your sunscreen worked for you on this outdoor adventure!
Ursula
http://www.blueridgebeautyblogger.com
Thank you, Ursula! We really had fun. And a good sunscreen like MyChelle was a must since we were out on the river for several hours
It sounds like you had so much fun. You have a lot of stamina to do this much kayaking too. I’m glad MyChelle came through for you with the sunscreens. I’d like to try their lotion ones.
We did have fun, Marcia, though it would’ve been even better if parts of the river weren’t so darn crowded with people! You should check out the lotion sunscreen. MyChelle has a good one that’s unscented 🙂 I like their lotions because they’re not heavy or sticky and you get better coverage than with sprays, though I must admit sometimes the Clear Spray is just so easy!
I have the sun shield clear stick. I love it. It doesn’t show up white on my skin. Canoeing sounds fun, especially when it’s warm like how it’s been.
I’m glad you’ve had good experiences with the stick too. It really is clear! We’ve only had a couple of hot days so far. Actually I was glad that it wasn’t that hot on Saturday because paddling against the current is hard work 😉
I love your nature photos! I was literally just checking out this brand in Whole Foods over the weekend, so its great to know its good stuff. I love the sound of that cooling spray, and the SPF stick is so handy and would be great for squirmy toddlers!
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Thanks, Julie! We had a fun time. I’m glad that MyChelle caught your eye at Whole Foods. It honestly is my favorite sunscreen brand. I love the lotions, but the spray and stick are just so easy to use.
You had a blast! I enjoy kayaking, my niece is coming to HI for a quick vacation so I’m going to let her try to kayak.
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I haven’t been in a kayak yet but I want to. I think we’ll try a tandem. The river where we go is just loaded with downed trees and beaver huts/dams so navigating can really take some strength.
A canoe trip sounds like so much fun!
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It is, Justina! Something fun to do when your family gets older
I haven’t tried this brand but it’s one I definitely would. The little stick/balm sounds super handy for on the go reapplication.
MyChelle is definitely a brand worth getting to know. Their sun care products are my favorites. I love their lotions for getting the best coverage, but sometimes a spray or a stick are just so darn handy!
Oh Allison, this looks like a gorgeous river and location. Canoeing is a big part of who I am… I paddled in competition for over 10 years as a kid and grew up with it… so I know how relaxing it can be and a great way to really revive the soul and jumpstart the creative juices. Sounds like you had a wonderful time and I am totally checking out this sun care – it looks and sounds great.
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Wow, that is so great to know, Honey! I can just imagine how beautiful it is to canoe in Hawaii!
Our household goes through a TON of sunscreen! Those photos look gorgeous
Wow, such good skin moisturizing ingredients. My husband gets awfully red outside, even with sunscreen. I just got him some zinc based sunscreen to try but next time I’m at ulta, I’ll pick up this spray. He prefers spray and I prefer him not to burn!
Men don’t seem to like the lotions even though they usually provide better protection. But this spray is very good. I’m not sure if they have an spf 50 in the spray, but the stick is a 50 and it’s really good for the face, nose, ears.
I really like the look of that cooling spray!
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It feels great. It’ll come in handy when it gets hot this summer.