The Sunscreen and Moisturizer Duo That Saved My Skin on a Massively Hot European Vacation

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I grew up a fair-skinned redhead in Southern California. I've had my share of painful sunburns. Believe me when I say I understand the importance of a good SPF.

Now, I'm a beauty and fashion editor, and my job is testing sunscreen and skincare options that will work for everybody. 

Many products I test become staples in my routine, but one sunscreen and moisturizer duo has truly stood out. I even brought it with me on my summer vacation to Greece, where it kept my skin hydrated, bouncy, and protected from the sun's harsh rays, even during open-ocean kayaking in the Aegean Sea!

Here's everything you need to know about the sunscreen and moisturizer duo that saved my dry, acne-prone skin on a massively hot European vacation.

Freaks of Nature Daily System: What to Know

The Kelly Slater-helmed brand is inherently cool. I mean, come on, it's a skincare brand by a pro surfer!

It uses bio-based ingredients derived from natural sources such as plants, minerals, and microorganisms. The products are vegan, cruelty-free, and reef-safe. And not only is the blue, vaguely pill-like packaging cool, it's made from 100% recycled Oceanworks plastics.

The skincare brand utilizes ingredients that are gentle but effective. Its bio-based ingredients didn't irritate my sensitive, acne-prone skin, and didn't run into my eyes, even when my face was drenched in sweat from sightseeing in 100-degree heat. 

Deeper Dive moisturizer

Its Deeper Dive moisturizer serum gel is made from a blend of skin microbiome-balancing post-biotic bacillus ferment, brown algae collagen for plumping and elasticity, and moisture-locking hydration from vegan shark squalane.

My skin loved slurping up this collagen-filled moisturizing serum. I feel like the more I fly, the more I tend to break out, but the Deeper Dive moisturizer seemed to create a weightless layer on my face, reinforcing my skin barrier so acne-causing bacteria had a harder time penetrating.

Daily Defender sunscreen

After using the serum, I kept topping off with the Daily Defender sunscreen. It boasts up to 40 minutes of water resistance and is made with a blend of vegan shark lipid squalane, pollution-repelling vegan spider silk protein, and non-nano zinc with vapor-dispersion technology, so you never have a white cast or look patchy. There's an SPF 30 and an SPF 50.

This sunscreen is such a delight to apply. The pump is easy to use on the go, the consistency feels hydrating, and I love that it's fragrance-free. It definitely saved me from several painful sunburns I would have likely received during my summer trip, had I not delighted in applying and reapplying this sunscreen.

Wrapping Up: My Verdict on the Skincare Duo

Summer's not over yet! And you always need to keep protecting your skin with a good SPF year-round.

No matter if you're on the market for a new sun protection product or just browsing, I'm here to say you need to add this Kelly Slater skin protection duo to your skincare routine. It will help keep your skin safe from common summer travel woes such as acne, dull skin, dry skin, and sunburn. Plus, the bottles are cute enough to just toss into your bag and go! 

Shop the duo below.