Rhonda Sparks lost her husband, Darren, to melanoma when he was only 32 years old. Armed with the passion of protecting their three young sons from skin cancer, Rhonda sought out clothing that would provide UV protection. This led her to start UV Skinz.

Their family story is tragic, but it has lead to prevention of skin cancer for many people.

UV Skinz has an immense following including Marcia Cross, Tori Spelling, and Matthew McConaughey (and being featured in People Magazine, the New York Times, and Chicago Tribune, amongst others).   

Now they can add me to their list of supporters.

Rhonda sent me one of their new Cheryl zip-up jackets to review.

The jacket, like all of their products, provides SPF 50+ protection. There are no added chemicals, a huge advantage over sunscreen.

The Cheryl jacket is comfortable and is great for outdoor activities — specifically swimming.

The fabric is super soft and made of nylon and spandex. It’s certified by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency.

Besides the women’s jacket I tried, UV Skinz sells a variety of products including shirts, hats, and shorts. Many of the products are geared towards children since skin cancer can be reduced by up to 78% if skin is protected early in life.

I really like the fact that you don’t have to wear sunscreen with their clothing since the chemicals in sunscreen are quickly destroying our oceans and coral reefs.

If you have kids, extra sensitive skin or spend a lot of time in the sun, I would highly recommend checking out UV Skinz.