Summer is right around the corner which means more time spent outdoors, and more time exposed to the sun's harmful rays. To help protect yourself and your family please visit the Environmental Working Group's web site for a list of top-rated sunscreens with the fewest chemical ingredients.
There is some controversy about chemical sunscreens and whether or not those that contain vitamin-A actually speed the growth of cancer cells. Your best bet for fail-safe sun protection will always be a hat and lightweight clothing, but when you must expose your skin to the sun consider using natural sunscreen products that contain either zinc or titanium minerals.
Surf's up!
I read all those silly novels from the 19th century that promoted women being 'pale and white' as a sign of breeding and class. Yet, every time I looked at my friends at school, especially the Hispanic girls, I envied their beautiful golden skin. Then I met some women from Africa whose skin was almost bluish in their darkness and I sighed more. I'm a blonde, blue eyed, European background American and no matter what I do I still end up fish-belly white or slightly pink. I cover up with sunscreen and hats and those really cool shirts that have UV protection, and continue to envy those who tan. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteIt just seems wrong to me that the thing I hate to do (cover up) is the right thing to do.
But, I also see my older sister (who does tan) who has fried herself on the beach in FL over the years. She's 4 years older and looks about 14 . . . leathery but loving. So thank you Erin for this reminder. I wish I could claim some virtue in covering up, but it's actually resignation that if I didn't, I still wouldn't have gorgeous dark skin!
SLM: I am the "almighty whitey" so I know how you feel. I don't tan, I freckle. Sometimes when the freckles get stacked really really close together, I almost look tan, if looking from a distance of course. Not unlike Impressionistic paintings that are comprised of small dots but actually look like something from a distance :)
ReplyDeleteGood reminder...especially in the Mile High City. No matter how much sunscreen I put on myself and the kids, we still get farmer's tans. Sigh.
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