For most people, “Here Comes the Sun” is a feel-good anthem by the Beatles. For me, it’s a warning shot. A threat. A personal attack. I hear that first cheerful strum and instinctively panic, and reach for my UV-protection driving gloves.

Last week, The Strategist published a piece I wrote about the frankly deranged arsenal of tools I use to protect myself from the sun. Reactions were mixed. Some readers applauded my unwavering commitment. Others accused me of being “ageist,” “vain,” and “vapid” — largely because I dared to express fear over sun-induced aging. One commenter helpfully summed it up: “The vapid intro on this gave me the ick. Not up to par with the usual writing.”

To the haters I say: I’m not ageist so much as I am anti-myself-becoming-ugly. I think there’s a difference.

And to the rest of you, my fellow shade-dwellers slash premature-aging paranoiacs, here are a few more of my favorite sun protection tools. Because the sun never sleeps. And neither do I.

Supergoop Hand Sunscreen

In this house, we don’t stop at facial sunscreen. We protect the most fragile, betrayal-prone part of the body: the backs of our hands. That thin, papery skin tells all. If I’m not wearing my driving gloves, you better believe I’m slathering on hand sunscreen. Bonus: this one from Supergoop doubles as hand cream, with hydrating ingredients I’m too lazy to Google but assume are doing something.

Scalp Sunscreen

If you’ve ever experienced the satanic sizzle of a scalp sunburn, you know the importance of scalp sunscreen. f you’re going hatless (bold choice) and have any exposed scalp — your part, your hairline, whatever — do yourself a favor and spritz a a protective mist all over your head. I’ve heard great things about this one from Coola. Scalp burns? We don’t know her.

Baseball Cap

Yes, wide-brimmed bucket hats are the gold standard of head-based sun protection — but sometimes they just don’t vibe with your outfit, and I respect that. I have a deep bench of beloved baseball hats stashed everywhere: my car, my purse, my desk, because I need a backup hat at all times. Lately I’ve been loving the hats from Good Shirts — they’re high-quality, affordable, and hilarious. This The Nanny x Yankees crossover hat is my current favorite, but honestly, they’re all bangers. Scrolling their hundreds of options is my favorite way to waste 20 minutes.

UV Protection Umbrella

On really sunny days, my already borderline-psychotic sun protection routine just isn’t enough , and I have to go full sun goblin and bust out my UV umbrella. Key thing: a sun protection umbrella needs to be tiny and lightweight enough to live in my purse. This is not a rain umbrella. It doesn’t need to survive a storm, just block the sun while I sacrifice my dignity in broad daylight. I like the look and size of this one on Amazon. It’s absurdly small, kind of cute, and perfect for losing the respect of your loved ones forever.

Mineral Sunscreen for Dryer Skin

In my Strategist piece, I raved about my go-to mineral sunscreen from Skin 1004, which is the only one I’ve tried that doesn’t turn my face into a BP oil spill. But for my dry-skin girlies, I called in reinforcements: my driest friend, Esther Povitsky. Her pick? Good Weather Skin’s The One Mineral Sunscreen. It’s packed with clean ingredients, hydrating enough for the flakiest faces, and the packaging is chic as hell. Dry skin approved.

Tinted Mineral Sunscreen

On the days I’m too lazy to layer foundation over sunscreen, I reach for this god-tier product from one of my favorite brands, Tower 28. It’s a tinted mineral sunscreen with clean, sensitive-skin-friendly ingredients that never break me out. It’s especially clutch post-microneedling, when I need mineral protection but also want to cover my raw, tomato face. It’s on the more moisturizing side, so on summer days I usually follow up with oil sheets or powder to keep the shine down. Still, an absolute godsend.

Tinted Lip with SPF

I don’t usually stress about SPF on my lips, but if I’m heading to the beach or pool, I always pack a tube of Supergoop’s Lipshade. It’s a tinted balm with mineral sunscreen (SPF 30!) that lets me protect my lips and have a little color. Just because I’m at the beach doesn’t mean I’m going bare-lippe, and this products checks every box. I use High Five (a warm terracotta), but honestly, all the shades are cute.

That’s all my bonus sun recommendations! Are you a sun goblin like me? What other tools and tricks do you use to protect yourself from the sun?

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