How to Make Yourself ENJOY Wearing Sunglasses

I don’t know about you, but I used to have a hard time shelling out more than $12.99 on something that would likely get squashed or lost by the end of the next park visit. Then, one Spring day in 2015 on the North Shore of Hawaii, my life changed forever. I found a way to MAKE yourself enjoy wearing sunglasses.

I tried on a pair of these bad boys… SOOO comfortable. LIFETIME warranty. Totally affordable! Cute too, huh? (Just fyi- this company, Peppers Eyewear, makes shades in every style you can imagine… These ones are actually a pair that my husband doesn’t mind borrowing from me!)

So I bought ‘em, vowing to make a habit of protecting my eyes that summer. Easy-peasy with these! I loved wearing them and found myself less “worn-out” by an afternoon in the sun. Miraculously, I still had them in my possession a year after buying them (I have a tendency to lose things :/ ).

Then, one evening at the park, the inevitable happened with our crazy life:… I rolled all my lbs on top of them on the picnic blanket, and they snapped. (Insert hand slapping forehead!)

By the time I got around to pulling out the warranty paperwork from the filing cabinet, I’d lost the half of the sunglasses that broke off… But I mailed in the half I had, quite hopeful they would still give me a replacement. Peppers seemed like a cool company… and I was right! Within about 7 days, this (pictured below) is what arrived! Oh how I love them…

My previous experience buying sunglasses was that I would just buy cheap sunglasses, end up not liking them, and if I ever looked for a nicer pair with a warranty, they are always way too expensive! I feel lucky to have found a company that 1) manufactures quality sunglasses, 2) doesn’t cost a ton, AND 3) actually honors their warranty.

There’s actually a FASCINATING reason behind why it’s so hard to find a great pair of shades that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg: There is a gigantic monopoly! Almost every brand of mid-to-high-end eyewear (eye-glasses too) is all designed, manufactured, and sold by ONE Italian company! 60 Minutes did a super-interesting 13 minute report on the company. Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDdq2rIqAlM

Peppers glasses are not made by that Italian company: Luxottica, but Peppers USA out of Pennsylvania. Yay for small businesses that rock!!!

K, so how exactly, do you make yourself enjoy wearing sunglasses, if you aren’t yet it the habit?

Step 1: Remind yourself about how smart it is to wear sunglasses. These are my top 5 favorite reasons:

5) You can see comfortably and clearer with a good pair of polarized shades. Which should make you less “crabby” at the beach, right? 😉 No pun intended (less headaches and eye-strain).

4) Sunglasses help prevent macular degeneration, cataracts, skin cancer of the eyelids/ surrounding skin, and sunburn of the eye: which can feel like sand is stuck in your eye…ummmm- I’d rather skip those…

3) Prevent wrinkles around the eye since you don’t have to squint!

2) Safety when driving, skiing, biking, etc. They reduce glare, dust and little bugs from getting in your eye. PLUS- Exposure to even 2-3 hours of bright sun during the day can make driving at night more hazardous because your eyes have a harder time adjusting to the lack of light.

1) They can make you look like a super-attractive celebrity while hiding tired eyes from a hard night with the kids!

Step 2: Decide you’re going to invest in the best pair of shades you can get your hands on. As you’re shopping for the perfect pair, look for these features:

They’re polarized
The sides are thick enough so they will block the sun from the side. Aviators aren’t ideal because they let the light through when the sun is low, and you’ll get that annoying glare that drives you nuts when you’re trying to drive!
You like how they look on you!

Step 3: Buy them! Keep them clean.

Step 4: Decide where you’ll keep them so you can easily grab them when you’re out and about.

You’re done! Enjoy the results! You’ve converted yourself to be a “sunglasses girl”. If I can be converted, then you can too! Do you have a favorite glasses brand? Let’s spread the word about cool companies!