What: UV SunSense wristbands

Why: When I know I'll be spending a day in the sun, I try to take extra care of my fair skin; but, inevitably, I'll get so caught up in my barbecuing, beach volleyball or lakefront bike ride that I'll miss a sunscreen application and turn red as a lobster. Sunburn is a consequence that's painful and unsightly in the short run and downright dangerous in the long run, but luckily the advent of the UV SunSense wristband makes sunburn easier than ever to prevent.

The last time I knew I was in for some fun in the sun, I slipped on a flesh-colored wristband before lathering up with SPF 30 (the bracelet gets doused in sunscreen, too), then watched as the band turned blue when exposed to the UV rays in sunlight. Once the band faded back to its original color, I knew it was time for a sunscreen reapplication. And when it turned yellow-orange, that was my signal that my skin's time in the sun should be up for the day.

The bands are completely inconspicuous, smaller than nightclub wristbands and without all the fussy clasps. It's a subtle, smart accessory that allows me to take my mind off sunscreen and get it back in that heated volleyball game.

Price: $6 for a pack of seven

Get Yours: Amazon.com

What: UV SunSense wristbands

Why: When I know I’ll be spending a day in the sun, I try to take extra care of my fair skin; but, inevitably, I’ll get so caught up in my barbecuing, beach volleyball or lakefront bike ride that I’ll miss a sunscreen application and turn red as a lobster. Sunburn is a consequence that’s painful and unsightly in the short run and downright dangerous in the long run, but luckily the advent of the UV SunSense wristband makes sunburn easier than ever to prevent.

The last time I knew I was in for some fun in the sun, I slipped on a flesh-colored wristband before lathering up with SPF 30 (the bracelet gets doused in sunscreen, too), then watched as the band turned blue when exposed to the UV rays in sunlight. Once the band faded back to its original color, I knew it was time for a sunscreen reapplication. And when it turned yellow-orange, that was my signal that my skin’s time in the sun should be up for the day.

The bands are completely inconspicuous, smaller than nightclub wristbands and without all the fussy clasps. It’s a subtle, smart accessory that allows me to take my mind off sunscreen and get it back in that heated volleyball game.

Price: $6 for a pack of seven

Get Yours: Amazon.com

The competition separates products into “mass” (findable at a drugstore) and “prestige” (more expensive). Below, the winners from three very seasonally relevant categories.

Bath and Body Treatment

In the Mass category, Avon Anew Professional Stretch Mark Smoother ($17) took the prize with its exclusive stretch-mark-reducing technology.

The Prestige product, Ojon Rare Harvest Tawaka “The Ball” ($55), is a body polish (in ball form) with the same amount of antioxidants as 2,834 lbs of blueberries, which is a lot of antioxidants/blueberries.

Hair Care, Style & Coloring

Avon’s Advance Techniques Grey Root Touch-Up ($6), the Mass winner, is a mascara-like wand you can use to touch up greys between colorings – perfect and perfectly priced if you’re pinching beauty pennies.
The CEW’s Prestige hair pick, Living Proof No Frizz cream ($30), is a good antidote to the styling woes brought on by summer humidity.

Sun

Before you head to the beach, it might be a good idea to pick up a can of Aveeno Continuous Protection Active Sunblock Spray SPF 70 ($10), voted best Mass sun product – it’s stronger sun protection than most, and the spray can makes application easy.

If it’s a self-tan you’re after, Clarins Delicious Self-Tanning Cream ($42) is a good bet with cocoa butter, cocoa bean, and a rich chocolate scent.

You can see a list of all the winners on the CEW website.

A Disney World trip is seriously out of my fashion comfort zone: no cabs to save my feet from too-high heels, and some serious heat and humidity.

Here are the products that kept me going from Thursday to Tuesday. If the pictures aren’t enough, you can see me talking about some of them at MomGenerations.

1. Boob-eez ($12)
After choosing six summer-y dresses for the trip and realizing none of them were bra-friendly, I was super relieved to remember the pair of Boob-eez in my top drawer: the sticky-backed silicone circles stay on all day, and you can use them multiple times.

2. DV by Dolce Vita Damsel sandals ($69)
Before the trip, I searched everywhere for the right flat neutral sandal, and happily settled on these. I walked all over the World (Showcase) in them, and came away with nary a blister. For $69!

3. Hanes men’s undershirt ($16 for 3) and men’s trunks ($12 for 4)
Being a member of the Comfort Crew meant Hanes goodies in my hotel room every night, and since the friend I towed along left early, I stole his stuff, too. And proceeded to wear it to bed for the rest of the trip. Ridiculously comfortable.

4. Giorgio Armani Face Fabric SPF 12 ($45)
Already my favorite foundation, I put this makeup's SPF to the test last week, and it held up: no sunburn on my relatively pale (shade 2) face.

5. Kipling leather shoulder bag ($198)
This bag has a comfortable, wide fabric strap, which you can replace with a longer one to make the bag a cross-body.

It's one thing to use tape in the office, and we’ll even secure clothes with it, but there’s something about pasting glasses to my face that just doesn’t seem right. Initial concerns include loss of eyebrows, eyelashes, and maybe even a layer of skin. And then there’s the issue of looking like I'm perpetually emerging from intensive eye surgery. If frequent loss of your shades is the concern, may we suggest some less expensive alternatives that will leave your dignity intact?

If it's full coverage you seek, these Octagon glasses ($24) will do the trick. For a more retro feel, both these Horse Aviators ($18) and Two Tone glasses ($18) will let you play around with different looks for under $20.

Get the Smashbox Best of Smashbox Rapture Kit ( $19) and get three must-have basics and a screaming good deal. You'll get a mini Fusion Soft Lights shimmering powder in Dusk (neutrals), a mini Lip Enhancing Gloss in Aura (pink-ish) and a Travel Size Bionic Mascara in Jet Black.

To add some drama, try  MAC's Slimshine Lipstick ($14.50). It's moisturizing and sheer, but with beautiful, lasting color. I'm partial to the shade Urgent!, a pinky-red with excellent day-to-night potential.

Get glowing lids and cheeks with The Balm Hot Mama ($18), a pinky-peach multi-use powder that is paraben, sulfate, and phthalate-free.

Moisture, SPF 20, and skin-evening color in one simple step, Cosmedicine Honest Face Skin Tint and Treatment ($35) is one of the best tinted moisturizers I've tried. Serious bonus points for having a high SPF and still going on smooth and sheer.

For a touch of glam on the go, I stash everything away in a new Tory Burch Medium Cosmetics Case ($57). Looks amazing, and it's cheaper than a new purse!

Why: Most adults are well versed in the dangers of too much sun. As a result, we’re careful about our exposure slathering on sunscreen whenever we head outdoors and protecting our sensitive lips with SPF lipstick. But, after all that protection, what about your hair?

Usually exposed to the elements and put under lots of stress from hair dryers, styling products and chemicals, there’s no reason you shouldn’t help out those tresses as well. Luckily, Redken has stepped up to the plate with their Rescue Shimmering Defense. This leave-in product uses mica to guard your hair against drying elements, while the UV filter helps deflect the rays. It even contains vitamin C to restore shine and vitality. Best of all, there’s no heavy sunscreen smell.

Price: $12.95

Get It Now: Amazon.com

By the time I came home, the combination of antibiotics and direct sunlight made my faint freckles morph into gnarly brown blotches, also known as melasma. Common among pregnant women, it can also come from birth control pills or the combination of some topical antioxidants or antibiotics and sunlight. But whether it's the flip side of your pregnant glow or it's the result of too many days at the beach, it's definitely not hot.

Below are some safe, effective products that will treat your skin and get you back on track. 

Best Skin Care Regimen: I love Murad's Essential-C Regimen ($163). It started toning down the blotches quickly, and it includes sunscreen.

Best Mask: If you don't want to change your skin care routine or add another step, Mario Badescu's Whitening Mask ($24) can be used 2-3 times a week. Instead of  alpha-hydroxy acids, it uses natural ingredients like kojic acid, licorice, and mulberry so it's safe to use on skin with acne.

What: Bioelements Urban Detox, $37

Why: Because I live in a city where I get dirty just leaving my apartment and walking to the subway. Because I feel the need to wash my face the minute I escape the urban jungle at the end of the day. And because everyone needs to detox — country and city-dwellers alike. 

Bioelements Urban Detox protects your face against damage caused by the environment – specifically a bustling one. It creates an extra barrier against smog, dirt, and all the nasty stuff that just seems to sit in the air in the city, and can also reverse some damage already caused. Plus Urban Detox 'boosts the efficiency of your sunscreen'.  Now I don't know if that's true, but it couldn't hurt to add an extra layer between the sun and my face. 

Bonus: Put in the fridge and then use under your eyes as a cooling eye gel. Amazing.  

Get Yours: amazon.com

Dr. Zein Obagi, creator and namesake of ZO Skin Health, a new skincare line, was not the chit-chatty, complimentary presenter we are used to encountering at press events. He basically told us most women treat their skin all wrong, and just about shot down a reporter when she challenged one of his points.

I was wondering if his PR folks knew about this sort of performance before it happened, so I scoured the press materials afterwards. And there it is, in paragraph three of a sheet called THE VISIONARY: “outspoken and almost evangelical in style.” Ok then. Evangelical. Moving on.

He said moisturizer ruins skin by making it weak, and that skin cells “become lazy and slow down” as we age. He said lots of companies buy dermatologist endorsements and twist around lab data (ok, that one I definitely believe).

He said his products have the highest concentration of wrinkle-fighting retinol available over the counter, and basically that they’ll make you look younger, longer, and they’re what we should be putting on our faces.

I didn’t try the hardcore anti-aging stuff (but Product Fiend really liked it); I did use the Oclipse Sunscreen + Primer SPF 30 ($85) and the Offects Exfoliating Cleanser ($45).

The primer is great. It’s tinted and provides just a tiny bit of coverage, plus the silicone-based formula melts right into skin – Obagi used the word “velvety,” and I’d have to agree. Makeup goes on beautifully on top of it, and my skin looks a whole lot more even at the end of the day.

The exfoliator is ok – not quite rough enough for me, but I understand that my addiction to ground pumice and chopped-up seeds isn’t necessarily good for my face. Still, I’m not sure it’s $45 good. If you’re going to spend more money than you should on a ZO product, I’d stick with the primer – or try your luck with that $325 face cream and get back to us.