Have you ever gone through the summer issues of beauty/fashion magazines and noticed that for every photo of a sunkissed girl happily playing volleyball, there is a sidenote on how to protect skin from the harmful UVA/UVB rays of the hot, hot sun?

Then have you ever noticed how editors like to divide these sections up by age brackets and then like to point out the aversion that most 20-somethings have to skin protection because they are invincible to the suns powerful rays and hot damn, a tan just looks good?

I am not that 20-something. I am the 20-something with a very large amount of melanin who still gets a little anal retentive about what goes on her skin all twelve months of the year. Not just the epidermis of my appendages and face but also my lips. In fact that's the one part that I must have covered with some sort of SPF protector every single time I leave the house because what if my lips burn off?? It's not like I'm slathering SPF 55 on my lips and then attempting to make out with some unsuspecting gentleman caller who wants his lips covered in chemicals. It's more like "How about a little SPF 15 for the smackers to prevent chapped and sensitive lips?"

For years I've been using Bobbi Brown Lip Tint with SPF 15. I probably sound like some sort of commercial or something but it's the perfect non-sticky/gooey/gross gloss with the added bonus of lip protector and moisturizer. I got hooked on it when I received it in my Christmas stocking (a four pack of tiny tubes of lip gloss!) and realized that this is what had been missing in my life: the perfect lip gloss that plays to both my girly yet overly anal retentive sides. I also like stuff that looks natural and the colors are sheer enough that I never leave the house looking like a hooker. It runs $17.00 and can be purchased from most high end retailers (Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus and some Macy's). And for those who would rather not get a second mortage for lip gloss no matter how wonderful it makes your lips look Neutrogena has a similar product for $6.99 with SPF 20. I find that product a little stickier than the Bobbi Brown product but the point is that you are protecting your lips. And really there's nothing like beauty and safety all rolled into one.