outdoor.skin

The climate in California is pretty much perfect. It can bring great weather, long summers & snowy winters. This is why the golden state is a top vacation & recreation destination for the world. (Hence the reason so many people move here). Well, it's time you learned how to take care of yourslef while outdoors. Skin care may seem for sissies, but it will not only make you skin look better but also save you from the skin neglecting behaviour. You gotta stay as good looking, as long as possible!

All Natural Insect Repellent Insect Repellent Wipes The Best Sunscreen Benadryl Itch Relief Great for Backcountry Packing

vitamin D sun exposure The best sun exposure is in California. Your body craves the sun and the warm natural vitamin D that comes from afar. This vitamin is better absorbed outside thru skin - than with foods or supplements. Only 20 minutes a day will satisfy your needs. Longer than that; you best take protection methods seriously. Hat, visor, long sleeves, creams.

the best sunscreen The latest medical reports can question whether high dollar sunscreen & SPF are really all that valuable, but we all know one thing... if ya don't wanna get fried - cover up with clothing and hats, or put some sunblock on. A rating of 25 SPF is adequate in most cases. If you're the fair skin - freckly type, you may wanna go higher. Just don't forget to bring some - or you may end up paying twice as much for some cheap crap at a mini market in route. Neutragena is one of the Total Escape favorite brands. The CoolMist Sunscreen Spray is excellent! Keeping sunscreen in your vehicle is not a bad idea either. You will always haver some on hand when you need it. You may wanna take precautions on explosions & seal it in a ziplock bag as well.

Wilderness Washing

Bathing in the Wilderness used to mean, jumping in a cold mountian creek. These days you are lucky to find a stream that isn't dry. Then you worry about biodegradable soaps & the fish down stream. Check out our Camp Soaps selection & the educational Camp Rules for what not to wash in the river.

wipes: Wet wipes are progressing into more that scented 'baby wipes'. Over the last few years many brands have jumped into the market with their newest cleansing cloths. Everything from Make Up removal to Auto Detailing. Just make sure not to use the Armour-All ones on your face!

Make sure to carry some around at all times in the case of an emergency bathroom stop behind a bush. And come on people.. take your litter with you. Nope! The rangers do not get paid to clean up after us. Nor is the woody owl volunteers combing every road side field in search of trash. A ziplock bag or small brown paper bag is a super handy item to have around for such occassions. Pack it In, Pack it Out! Keep California Clean!

A bunch of these new wipes on the market have moisturizer built in. Pefect for the dry conditions your face will experience while out & about. Dove Clothes Kleenex Cottonelle

And if you must bathe emersed in water every day, you may wanna invest in an inexpensive handy camp shower. Just lay this puppie on top of your sunny vehicles hood or roof (for most of the day) & you can have a warm shower at sundown.

all natural insect repellent

All Terrain Kids Herbal Armor DEET-Free Insect Repellent, 4 Ounce, Safe for Sensitive Skin, Effective Bug Spray Formula with Natural Essential Oils, Great for Travel, Camping, & Outdoor Activities Amazon.com's Price: $5.39

Kids Herbal Armor Natural Insect Repellent Spray Family Size 8 Ounces Amazon.com's Price: $13.49

Coleman 100% Deet Insect Repellent, 100 Max Continuous Spray 4oz (98.11%) Amazon.com's Price: $12.50

Coleman 100% Deet Insect Repellent, 100 Max Pump Spray 0.5 oz (98.11%) Amazon.com's Price: $3.21

Kids Insect Repellent Spray 4oz, 4pk

insect repellent wipes

REPEL Sportsmen Mosquito Repellent Wipes, 15 Count Amazon.com's Price: $3.86

Ben's 30 Deet Mosquito Tick Insect & Bug Repellent Field Wipes - 24 Pack Amazon.com's Price: $14.95

Natrapel Mosquito, Tick and Insect Repellent Wipes, 12 Individually-Wrapped Wipes Amazon.com's Price: $5.99

Ben's 30% DEET Mosquito, Tick and Insect Repellent Wipes, 12 Count Amazon.com's Price: $4.54

Avon Skin So Soft Bug Guard + Picaridin Towelettes 8's Amazon.com's Price: $10.25

insect repelling tips

• Clothing is the safest bug repellent. Make sure that your neck, ankles & even wrist are protected.
• Wear light-colored clothing, which is less attractive than dark clothing to biting insects
• Stay away from perfumed lotions, as certain 'nice' smells can attract even more bugs
• Check clothes regularly for bugs. Protective netting around sleeping and eating areas is a good way to keep the bugs at bay.
• When visiting an area with a large insect population, always use some type of bug repellent.
• To avoid skin irritation, apply insect repellent to clothing. (but test the repellent on a small area to determine if it will blemish the fabric)
• Whenever you are in mosquito, sand fly, or tick territory, chemical insect repellents are necessary.
• The most effective repellents contain real chemicals like DEET, Indalone, Rutgers 612 and DMP. (R-326 is useful against biting flies).
• Use repellent on exposed skin and use sparingly only ­ no more than two times a day. Do not use on sunburned skin.
• Despite their popularity, bath oil or skin stick provide only one hour of protection against bugs compared to products containing 25% DEET which last for seven hours.
• If using both sunscreen and bug repellent, apply the sunscreen first and wait 30 minutes
  before applying the bug repellent.

To avoid toxicity from insect repellents:

• Apply repellent sparingly & only to exposed skin or clothing.
• Keep out of eyes.
• Avoid high concentration products on the skin, particularly with children.
• Never inhale or ingest repellents.
• Wear long-sleeved clothing and apply repellent to fabric rather than to skin.
• Wash repellent off your skin after the risk of being bitten by an insect is gone.
• Repellent should never be used on children's hands because they are likely to rub their eyes with them or put them in their mouth.
• Children two years old and younger should not have insect repellent applied to their skin more than once in a 24-hour period.

after the fact itch relief If you have no oinments or sprays to soothe you while in the wild, then try a washing all the sweat & dust off your body, then apply a cool wet cotton cloth. Bandanas are super cheap & work well for this kinda stuff. If you have a large family, someone is likely to get sunburned, so bring some kinda aloe or itch relief lotions.

wounds & first aid Curad has new technology out for Scar Therapy. So if you are known for accummulating some battle wounds on your excursions, you may wanna look into these. A First Aid kit should be something everyone should have stored in the car. You never know when you are gonna need to get that splinter outta your finger, clean & bandage a minor wound. You will never be stranded with 'yuk mouth', if you store an extra toothbrush & paste inside. Re-stocking your first aid kit should be done every year. Other items great to store in your vehicle: bottled water, flashlight, extra batteries, blankets, jacket, boots, extra change of clothes, snack items.

The Poison Ivy, Oak & Sumac Book

Is it Poisin Ivy?

Wilderness 911: A Step-By-Step Guide