Swimming With SPF (Win! A $120 Vichy Idéal Soleil Sport Prize Pack!)

What better ambassador for a sunscreen than an Olympic swimmer? With its performance SPF, Vichy Idéal Soleil Sport has partnered with Swimming Canada to help Olympian Penny Oleksiak and her teammates train for the upcoming 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. We chatted with Penny about her athletic career, living the Olympics dream and the importance of sun protection in her sport. —Noa Nichol

Hi Penny! Tell us a bit about yourself to start!

I’m an 18-year-old athlete, born and raised in the east end of Toronto. Most people know me from Rio 2016, which is an event that changed my life forever after I came back from my first Olympic Games with four medals, and had the honour of being the flag bearer for Canada. But deep down, I’m also just like any other teenager!

The Olympics is a huge achievement! How does being the official face of Vichy Ideal Soleil compare?!

Being the face of such a remarkable brand and seeing myself on the packaging of Vichy Ideal Soleil is honestly still so surreal. My friends send me photos of the Vichy displays they come across in Shoppers Drugmart and it still blows my mind! It is truly such an honour.

How does sunscreen/sun protection play a role in your daily and training/competition routine? And why is good sun protection important to you?

The products truly resonate with me because Ideal Soleil sunscreen is something I truly use every day. There are days when I use it more casually as part of my morning routine, before going for a run outside, or seeing my friends. There are also many times of the year when we train outside in hot climates in outdoor pools, so in those instances it is amazing to know that Ideal Soleil Sport is both water and sweat resistant for up to 80 minutes, keeping me protected throughout our practice.

Your thoughts on Ideal Soleil? What are the benefits of use for athletes and non-athletes alike?!

I would say the benefits of using Ideal Soleil exist for anyone: athlete or non athlete. I love that it helps protect my skin to save me from sun spots, sun damage and added wrinkles down the line, not to mention the risk of melanoma. Everyone playing outdoors in the lake or pool this summer can benefit from the Idéal Soleil Stick for Sensitive Skin Zones SPF 60, which I love to use on my lips, which are one of the most easy areas to burn if you aren’t careful. Ideal Soleil Sport is also great for being active outdoors, either swimming, sweating or just playing.

When fully protected, what’s your favourite thing to do in the sun?

Check out a music festival with my friends!

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Win! A $120 Vichy Idéal Soleil Sport Prize Pack!

We have a winner! Congratulations Yasmin V. of Vancouver, who won a $120 Vichy Idéal Soleil Sport prize pack including Ultra-fluid mineral tinted sunscreen lotion, Idéal Soleil sport ultra-light refreshing (SPF60), Idéal Soleil after sun milk and Idéal Soleil after sun sos balm!