Oh, cruel irony. What the sun giveth, the sun taketh away. The "youthful sunkissed glow" quickly evolves into darkspots, crowsfeet and an appointment with a dermatologist to make sure that mole isn't something nefarious. Bronzed limbs become ground zero for dry, flakey, ashy skin. Naturally-highlighted hair looks gorgeous - until it starts splitting and breaking.

Personally, we're a little tired of the sun mocking our attempts at seasonal beautification. We want - nay, we deserve - to enjoy our time in the sun without looking like we're on the way to a casting call for the next California Raisin commercial.

We're onto you, Sun. And we're not going to take it any more. You're a big, bullying ball of gas (Yeah, we said it. Gas!). We're calling "eclipse" on your monopoly of summer. We're going to block you, fake you and, when needed, fix what you've messed up. We have a whole arsenal at our finger tips! (Yes, the play on "arson" was intentional - because you're continually trying to burn us.)

Block the Sun
Our moms were right. "Mess with the sun and you're gonna get burned." (Or something like that. We weren't really paying attention because we were very busy rubbing baby oil onto our skin to fry - whoops, we mean "tan" - our legs.) But what we know Mom said for sure: "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." With that in mind, throw on a hat, spread on sunblock and choose the patio table with an umbrella.

San Diego Hat Company UPF 50+ Sun Hats
Stylish and functional, these fun brimmed accessories are a must-have to enhance sun protection during summer months. Bonus: You'll feel a little Southern, and a lot feminine, when donning these beauties.

SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF
Offering broad-range protection from environmental pollutants, free radical, and UV rays, this miracle in a bottle offers anti-aging and anti-pigmentation properties. Plus, it will not wash or rub off once applied and will provide hours of protection even after sunblock has worn off.

Elta UV Clear SPF46
A non-greasy ultra-sheer sunblock perfect for sensitive, rosacea or acne prone skin, it boasts an ingredient to calm down inflammation and redness in the skin.
Products available at DermaCure Medical Aesthetics; 257-8400 www.dermacurevalencia.com

Undo the Damage
To your Face
We're fine with getting older. It's the whole "premature" part of the aging process, though, that really lights our fire. And the summer sun seems to add insult to injury; while we're fighting off wrinkles, the heat sends our oil glands into overdrive. Now we get to battle crowsfeet and zits simultaneously. (We guess it's the sun's way of saying, "Look - I haven't screwed you up that bad. In fact, your skin still thinks you're 15! Look at the size of that pimple!") There's only one way outta this conundrum: get those pores closeup-ready clean and keep turning over those cells to reveal younger-looking skin underneath.

Clarisonic
Sonic cleansing benefits include removing six times more makeup than manual cleansing; leaving skin feeling and looking smoother; removing impurities so that creams and serums can penetrate better; minimizing the appearance of visible pores and reducing oily areas, dry-skin patches and blemishes.

Murad Vitamin C Line
Let antioxidants fight your battles with a Vitamin C Cleanser, Active Radiance Serum and Essential C Day Moisture SPF 30.
Available at Massage Envy Valencia and Stevenson Ranch; 259-0878 255-ENVY (3689) www.massageenvy.com

To your Hair
As youths, we sprayed lemon juice or - if we were going for broke - hydrogen peroxide on our hair, then sat in the sun to encourage the chemical reaction to erode our locks, one Sun-In-drenched strand at a time. Blame it on global warming or aging or both, but we've noticed that our coif isn't nearly as capable of recovering from a day in the sun as it used to be. Here's the short- and long-term fix.

REVIVE Leave-In Conditioner
This revolutionary leave-in conditioner increases flexibility to decrease damage during styling. In addition, REVIVE Leave-In Conditioner has aloe extract to sooth the scalp from the summer sun and green tea extract to protect from the damage that summer can cause to the outer layer of the strand, which makes the hair dry and brittle.

SUNdition
The lifesaving scalp sunscreen (You'd agree if you've ever burned your scalp so bad that it peeled for two disgusting weeks. Or, um, so we've been told.) provides SPF 15 UVA/UVB protection without the greasy residue, so your hair looks great and your scalp is protected.
Available at Hair Loss Treatment Center; 294-6880 www.hltcnow.com

To your Body
Quenched skin is happy, smooth, pretty skin. Which begs the question: If you were desperately thirsty, would you want to guzzle natural concoctions made from lemons and avocados, or a science experiment gone wrong, filled with metha-whatsit-nasty-cantpronounceits, parabens and fake, chemistry-derived fragrances? Yeah, we're opting for the lemon goodness, too.

Limoneira Lemon Avocado Body Butter
The rich, moisturizing skin softener immediately soothes and hydrates. Made from certified organic ingredients like green-tea extracts, shea butter and jojoba oil, and laced with avocado extract and lemon balm, this treat for the skin smells good because it's made with, you know, things that smell good.

Limoneira Lemon Hand Lotion
Your hands receive the brunt of summer sun abuse. (Seriously, think of how careful you are when putting sunscreen on your face. Do you give your hands the same treatment? Really? Because no amount of Botox can detract from the fact that your hands look two decades older than the rest of you. Just sayin'. So until some plastic surgeon invents a "hand lift" to reverse the psychological damage that having Crypt-keeper hands has levied upon you, be a little more generous with the sunscreen, won'tcha?) And do what we do: Keep a bottle of Limoneira's pesticide- and preservative-free hand lotion on your desk. Yes, you only need a little to keep skin soft all day, and continued use has been shown to visibly reverse the aged look of skin.
Available at Limoneira; 866-321-8222 www.limoneira.com

Glow On
Yes, you can avoid the sun and appear to be wearing it, too. Contrary to what the cast of "Jersey Shore" may want you to believe, fake tans come in a variety of shades in addition to "burnt orange."

Infinity Sun Bronzing Spray + Anti-Aging Treatment
The professionals' absolute favorite sunless tanning solution is this all-natural bronzing and anti-aging treatment, full of antioxidants and essential vitamins to give your skin a flawless, golden glow that lasts 10 to 14 days. The solution, which is used with every Faking it Flawless tan, is a must-have for A-list celebrities like Eva Longoria, Brooke Burke and Jessica Alba. The two-part sunless tanning treatment first nourishes your skin with a ph-balancing spray to ensure even, natural coverage and then is followed by a gorgeous, glowing sunless bronzer to give your skin an instant vacation glow in only 30 minutes.

South Seas Tan Extender
For clients looking to extend the life of their sunless tan, this product contains DHA (the color component found in all sunless tanning products) to enrich your sunless glow and help you maintain a flawless, even tan for up to two weeks. South Seas Tan Extender is recommended for daily use and does not contain harsh sulfates or parabens, which cause premature fading of your sunless tan.
Available at Faking it Flawless Custom Airbrush Tanning; 476-4922 www.fakingitflawless.com