Women's Health Magazine featured an awesome article on their top summer sandal picks. It made us think about what our favorite summer sandal options are for the season. Whether hitting the beach, or taking a well deserved vacation you can find our favorite sandals for any occasion below! (Dont worry guys, there are even some great options for you!)

-Happy Sun-Blocking!

tags: sam edelman, dolce vita, sychells, havaiana, TOMS, B.P., Coach, Rainbow, Sanuk, FitFlop, Vans, Volcom, Reef, Oakley

Summer has always been our favorite season here at COOLA. It represents long, sunny days, warm nights, tons of outdoor activity, and plenty of time in our swimsuits! And although we know that sun protection will never go out of style we are finding that swimsuit styles definitely do! We took a little stroll through the decades and found that just like big hair bands and tye dye t-shirts, some trends dont last forever in swimwear either!

1920's - The Flapper Era, where modesty was everything and swimsuits were actually considered unisex garments!

1950's - The Era in which Marilyn Monroe and Pin-Up Girls were everyone's style icons. Corset style one pieces flooded the market.

1960's - Two piece bikinis were finally introduced. Femine, yet modestly styled swimsuits became popular during this era.

1970's - Farrah Fawcet. Charlie's Angels. Bond Girls! The 1970's marked the era where swimwear became more than just something to wear to the beach. It became its own category in fashion!

1980's - 80's swimwear trends became revolutionary in the fashion industry. Neon colors, high waist lines, and bold hardware started to make an appearance in this era.

1990's - Similar to the style of the 80's, the 90's era introduced the "barely there bikini"!

2000's - This is the era where we started seeing swimwear make more fashion statements. No longer consisting of solid colors...bold prints, polka dots, and different textures start to become popular.

Today - The interesting thing about swimwear is that just like so many other fashion categories, we find that "history repeats itselt". Today there are few rules in swimsuits, and we are seeing everything from animal prints, to the highwaisted bikinis inspired by the 60's. Even one pieces are making a comeback! 

-Happy Sun-Blocking!

Skin Cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States.

Over 3 million Skin Cancers are diagnosed annually. 

1 in 5 Americans will develop Skin Cancer during the course of their lifetime.

We know these facts. We have heard them before. So why are so many people still choosing not to wear sunscreen?

People don't like the way sunscreen feels, or reacts with their skin! And people want to love the products they use every day. As shocking as it may seem, even scary statistics wont scare people into using a product that they dont like, and unfortunately, all too often sunscreen products are not designed with skin care in mind. That leaves you with a product that breaks you out, leaves you greasy, or clogs pores.

COOLA believes in making healthy sunscreens people love to wear! All products are not only designed with 70%+ certified organic ingredients, but with ingredients that actually treat your skin condition.

A product you love to wear on your skin, protected skin all year round, and sunscreen that doesn't feel like sunscreen!

Love your sunscreen! Love your skin! Choose COOLA!

-Happy Sun-Blocking

Coconut Oil

This luxurious oil has long been known as a beauty secret in many parts of the world. It is now being found in beauty products, hair treatments, and even in the kitchen. It is a wonderful skin and hair conditioner, and contains an abundant source of Lauric Acid, which helps the body combat sickness. 

Why we Love it in our COOLA products: We love to incorporate coconut oil into our products, especially our Sport Collection for its high content of antioxidants, and great skin smoothing factors. In addition, it is known to help speed the healing process of burns. It also gives our Pina Colada Spray its amazing smell!

Coconut Water

This vitamin B enriched super hydrator is packed with minerals and trace elements like Zinc, Selenium, Iodine, Sulfer, and Manganese. These vitamins are vital for enzymatic reactions your cells need in order to function. Even better, it is low in calories, nearly fat free, and very low in sugar. Amazingly enough, the benefits don’t end there! It is rich in plant hormones known to fight aging and cancer in humans!

Spice up your morning smoothie with coconut water: Try this recipe to turn your basic morning smoothie into an antioxidant packed super drink:

Mixed Berry Coconut Smoothie

Ingredients:

½ Cup Frozen Blueberries

½ Cup Frozen Strawberries

1 Frozen Banana

5 Fresh Dates

1 Cup Coconut Water

Blend together until smooth and enjoy! Serves 1

Enjoy! And Happy Sun-Blocking!

-COOLA

No longer confined to Sunday Brunch, mimosas are showing up everywhere, from citrus colors in swimwear and clothing to the amazing citrus and grapeseed ingredients in some of today's greatest skin care products and sun protection. You can be sure that this summer will be all about the mimosa! Weather in San Diego this weekend is reported to be sunny and warm so we are grabbing our favorite Citrus Mimosa products and heading to the beach! We hope to see you there with your COOLA! Have a happy mimosa weekend!

Find these fun mimosa inspired products by following the links below:

COOLA Organic Suncare - Mineral Sport SPF35 Citrus Mimosa and Sport Spray SPF35 Citrus Mimosa

L*Space Swimwear - Fringe Bikini in Citrus Orange

J Crew - Summer Straw Hat in Stripe

-Happy Sun-Blocking!

The COOLA team is packing our bags and heading to the Big Apple for this years IECSC New York. With weather predictions all over the place promising rain, sun, wind, and everything in between you can be sure we will be packing our favorite SPF products as well as some great versatile apparel.

Check out our inspiration and the COOLA picks below!

Shop this look:

COOLA Organic Suncare - Face SPF 30 Plant UV and ER+ Fresh Relief Face Serum

Prana Apparel - Georgette Cross Body Tote

Oakley - Becon Sunglasses in Tortoise

Quiksilver Clothing - Starfish Stripe Poncho

Tieks - Blue Patent Ballet Flats

-Happy Sun-Blocking!

We see it everywhere these days...that porcelain white skin that everyone would die to have. It's not just Snow White who is sporting the flawless look, we are seeing it more and more on runways, a-list celebs, and hello...Twilight anyone? But there is more to this look than just effortless perfection. Skin that is protected from a tan is more likely to be healthier skin! We love the fact that due to this trend more and more people are turning to their favorite suncare products and saying "Au Revoir" to baby oil, tanning beds, and metallic reflectors! 

Want to get the porcelain look? We recommend wearing an SPF 15 or higher every day! Make sure to reapply every 2-4 hours and stay out of direct sunlight between the hours of 10am and 2pm. Our favorite picks for summer time? SPF 30 Cucumber Face and SPF 45 Mango Sport!

Check out these Porcelain Beauties...

...and in honor of Easter and the guy who rocks "pale" better than anyone else...

-Happy Sun-Blocking!

In 2013 the FDA released a new monograph which plays a huge roll in the labeling of suncare products. We have been getting a lot of questions regarding these new regulations so we thought it would be helpful to share some of the most common answers! Check out the diagram below and welcome to Sunscreen 101! We promise, everyone will get an A+ in this course! 

-Happy Sun-Blocking! :)

If you haven't already heard, COOLA has launched our newest product, the Sport SPF 30 Unscented Spray and we are excited about it for so many reasons. Offering Broad Spectrum SPF 30 protection, this Farm to Face (tm) sourced spray will nourish, repair, and hydrate the skin with over 70% certified organic ingredients like Cucumber, Algae, and Strawberry Extract. Organic Red Raspberry Seed Oil is a natural sunscreen, rich in omega-3 and 6 and is packed with anti-inflammatory properties. Have your fun in the sun and then some! Check out the entire Spray Collection here!

Check out our Instagram Collage we made giving a shout out to this great new product and follow us @coola_suncare

-Happy Sun-Blocking!

Valentines Day is tomorrow! So what better product to feature than our COOLA Rose Essence Tinted Moisturizer. This is a lot of people's favorite product in our line and here are a few reasons why:

• It smells amazing! With Rose Flower Oil as one of the ingredients in this formula this product has a very light rose scent that smells wonderful on the skin!
• It's a 4 in 1 product! With all the recent hype on BB and CC creams it is important to know that the Rose Essence falls into that same category. It is not just a great UVA/UVB Sun protector, but moisturizes like a day cream, gives you a light tint for flawless, even looking skin, and is rich in anti-oxidants which actually help fight the signs of aging!
• It's Natural! The Rose Essence uses Titanium Dioxide as its Active Ingredient, is 98% Natural and incorporates 70% Organic Ingredients. 
• It doesn't feel like a sunscreen! You wont believe you are wearing an SPF product when you apply this extremely light weight, blendable formula onto your skin.

Just for fun, here are some Valentines Funnie's to get you excited for the big day, whether you are spending it with a loved one, best friends, or boycotting it completely! :)

-Happy Sun-Blocking!

Summer is coming! And as an Organic Sunscreen company based in San Diego you can bet we like to spend a lot of our time outdoors. In addition to staying protected this summer we also want to look great doing it, so we are all committing to a healthy habit that will have us looking and feeling great by June! 

Check out the Healthy Habits from the COOLA team below!

Was your New Years Resolution to take better care of your skin? COOLA's Environmental Repair+ Collection can help you achieve those goals using Eco-Certified Organic Ingredients, Powerful Antioxidants, and Intense Hydration in a three piece Skin Defense Collection including the Clear Recovery Foam Wash, Fresh Relief Face Serum, and Calm Glow Eye Gel.

–Happy Sun-Blocking!

We have been wondering what the hot makeup look is going to be for New Years Eve, so we did a little beauty research! What we found is that the hot trend this year is BIG lashes and BOLD lips! Check out how we're getting the look with favorites from our makeup drawer!

Ok, so we know COOLA is all about sun protection, but our Matte Tint does double duty as one of the best primers around! Its silicone finish is perfect for masking fine lines when worn under makeup, and the light tint is just enough to give you a flawless base! We recommend using a cream blush for the cheeks like Josie Maran's Argan Creme Blush. It's lightweight, and sheer, giving you that "airbrushed" look.

Now for those bold, beautiful lashes! We suggest you start with a deep black eyeliner. Our friends at La Bella Donna make an amazing naturally derived mineral-based option that has major staying power and a super soft, easily blendable tip! Next, dramatically thicken your lashes with our all time favorite mascara, Trish McEvoy Thickening Mascara. This tubular formulation doesn't smudge, clump, or flake! (no really, it doesn't!)

Finish off the look with the boldest New Years lip using Urban Decay's Super Saturated Lip Color. This rich, and creamy lipstick with a high-gloss shine will last you well past the countdown! (midnight kiss not included!)

Lastly, dont forget to start 2013 off right by removing your makeup with COOLA's Eco Certified Organic Clear Recover Foam Wash. Not only will it cool and tone the skin, but natural ingredients like Soap Berry, Willow Bark, and Lavender Flower will reduce inflammation and minimize the appearance of age spots! 

We want to wish everyone a Safe and Happy New Year! See you in 2013!!

-COOLA Suncare

When the weather outside is frightful, and the fire is so delightful...our skin can pay the price! Weather-dried skin is always an issue during these dry winter months. Here are some of our favorite products that will keep your skin looking and feeling soft right into Spring!

1. COOLA Lotion Bars

COOLA Lotion Bars maintain a solid form at room temperature. Once gently rubbed, the natural warmth of your body softens the bar just enough to apply the perfect amount of product, which quickly absorbs into the skin leaving it feeling soft and silky. The unique formulas contain an exclusive blend of Shea Butter and natural oils and emolients to moisturize and revive even the driest of skin. 

2. Intraceuticals Moisutre Binding Cream

Don't just hydrate this winter season, lift and tighten with Intraceuticals Skin Care. Our pick is the Moisture Binding Cream. This protective cream combats surface dehydration and defends from free radical attack. 

3. COOLA Liplux

Get kissable lips for under the mistletoe! Our vitamin and antioxidant enriched formula soothes and nourishes, while our unique blend of fruit butters like Raspberry and Avocado hydrate the delicate skin of the lips. Our lusciously refreshing Peppermint Vanilla scent will make you want to say MUAH!

4. Salt of the Earth Cabana Boy Salt Glow

Slough away dead skin with our favorite bath and body goods from Salt of the Earth. Their signature scents are hand mixed with natural ingredients like salt, sugar, and grapeseed oil, making each concoction customized just for you. Our fave is the Cabana Boy Salt Glow. Just stir, scoop, and gently smooth over wet skin. Rinse with warm water. Now all you need is the tropical cocktail!

5. MOROCCANOIL Intense Hydrating Mask

Don't forget your locks! Your hair can really suffer during these dry months, but Moroccanoil's antioxidant infused, nutrient rich formulas are the solution for you. Hair seeking extra moisture will benefit from the Intense Hydrating Mask 5 minute revival treatment. It will not only deeply hydrate and condition, but dramatically improve hair texture and manageability. 

Let’s face it! Its rather difficult to pass up any opportunity to soak in any Vitamin D you can get in this cool November month. We tend to forget that even though it is no longer the middle of summer our skin still needs sun protection! Lucky for you, we are going to give some tips to stay naturally protected, hydrated, and beautiful during this winter season…and shhh…we will even let you sneak 5 minutes a day to soak up any warm, sunny rays mother nature makes available to you!

Pre Sun-Exposure Treatment – Before spending any time in the sun, try this DIY food mask!

A lot of the time, the ingredients needed to make a natural facial mask are right in your kitchen! This Avocado Mask will give you the extra hydration your skin needs. For added benefits treat skin with COOLA's ER+ pre and post sun skincare line (highlighted below in the Post-Sun Rehab section). This collection does double duty in preparing skin for the outdoor elements, and with natural SPF boosters it is a perfect compliment to your daily SPF!

Sun-Exposed Skin Must Haves – Anyone going out in the sun should not leave the house without a natural sunscreen! (Even if it is only for 5 minutes) Here are our winter must haves!

Rose Essence Tint SPF 20
Better than a BB Cream this hydrating facial formula is made with 98% natural ingredients including Organic Acai Oil, Vitamin B, C, and E, and Sunflower Seed Extract to promote elasticity. And with SPF 20 protection and a subtle tint, this is any gals go to product for day or night!

Plant UV Body SPF 30
Don’t forget about your body! Any, and all skin that is not covered by clothing should be slathered in SPF Daily! Rain or Shine! COOLA’s Plant UV Body SPF 30 is formulated with Plant Protection Technology making it one of the most natural sunscreens on the market!

Post-Sun Rehab – Oh, we've all done it! We've spent more than the approved 5 minutes in the sun, skipped the hat, or gasp! Forgot sunscreen all together...it's ok! Here's a solution for anyone who got a little too much Vitamin D!

COOLA’s ER+ Collection

Damaging UV Rays have met their match. This collection will nourish, hydrate, and restore skin that has been over-exposed to the sun. We blended organic and natural ingredients like Radish Root, Japanese Seaweed, and Alfalfa Extract to craft a powerful skin defense line that has you covered!

-Happy Sun-Blocking!

We get a ton of questions about the difference between physical sunscreens vs. chemical sunscreens. So, in today’s blog we are going to shed some light on both, pinpoint the differences, and highlight the benefits of each! And remember, COOLA offers the healthiest versions of both physical and chemical sunscreens so no matter which you fancy, there will be an option for you!

The active sun protection ingredients are the main difference between chemical and physical sunscreens. Chemical Sunscreens use non-mineral active ingredients (also commonly referred to as “chemicals”) while Mineral Sunscreens use mineral active ingredients (also commonly referred to as “physical”)

Remember this – All Mineral Sunscreens should contain non-nano sized Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide only. Watch out for “Mineral” Sunscreens that are actually blends of mineral and chemical actives. And look for Chemical Sunscreens that are Oxybenzone Free and contain lower percentages of non-mineral actives!

COOLA Mineral and Chemical Sunscreens are blended in luxurious, moisturizing bases which make up about 90% of the product, and 70%+ of this includes certified organic ingredients.

Check out the diagram below for a simple way to determine the difference between Physical and Chemical Sunscreens! 

The Holidays are right around the corner and you can give the gift of protected skin this season! COOLA has teamed up with Hayden Reis and MOTT 50 to offer a Limited Edition Holiday Sun Essentials Kit that includes COOLA's Mineral Face Matte Cucumber SPF 30, Hayden Reis' Water Resistant Bikini Bag, and Mott 50's UV Protective Swim Shirt. $5 of every purchase will be donated to the Melanoma Research Alliance, who's continued efforts to raise skin cancer awareness and find a cure are exactly what we think the Holiday spirit is all about!

This amazing Sun Essentials Kit for $99 (valued at $141) is the perfect gift for Mom, Wife, Sister, Daughter, or Friend and you know she will love to find this under the tree on Christmas morning! Check out the details below!

Happy Sun-Blocking!

What a great and successful trip to ISPA in Orlando Florida this year for the COOLA team! We are so lucky to have met such inspiring, innovative, and wonderful people in our industry as well as connect with old friends! This year, as the show wrapped and the convention room floors emptied we decided to make a little pit stop on our way home to San Diego…and lets just say Alligators, Swamps, Airboats, and Deep Fried Frog Legs were ALL involved! Check out our favorite moments below!

2012 ISPA - Gaylord Palms, Orlando FL

Sandy Beaches and La Playa Sunsets - La Playa Resort and Spa, Naples FL

COOLA takes a Swamp Ride! - Everglades FL

COOLA Gets Up Close and Personal with Alligator Fred - Everglades FL

After searching Pinterest for Fall trends that stood out, this is what our followers are loving most this season!

Tinted SPF’s-

We all know how important it is to wear sunscreen all year round, but there is something about fall that makes us love the “no make-up” look and tinted sunscreen is perfect for that. COOLA’s Rose Essence Tinted SPF 20 and Matte Tint SPF 30 give you just the right amount of color to feel covered up without feeling over done!

Boots-

Time to dig deep into the back of your closets and pull out your fall footwear. Not the same “casual” look anymore boots have been spotted in styles from girly, to glam, and Western to Modern. Boots do it all this fall!

Pumpkin Spice Lattes-

This is the one warm treat that seems to stand above all others- and we find ourselves counting down the days till fall just so we can get our hands on Fall’s Favorite drink. Cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, steamed milk and whipped cream…where do we place our order?

Evenings by the Fire-

What better way to spend the cool fall nights then snuggled up with loved ones by the fire? Whether snowed in at a mountain top cabin, or barefoot at a beach side bon fire you can guarantee to be warmed by the flames. And hey, maybe even throw in some hot totties!