New York City

Sunscreen-ed

0
20 April 2009

As a child, my summers were spent off the coast of Massachusetts on Cape Cod. In addition to collecting seashells and making sandcastles, my sister and I would develop golden tans – by-products of swims in the Atlantic Ocean, intense games of paddle ball and lunches on our matching Mickey Mouse towels – that would make Donatella Versace proud. This was in spite of the fact that my mother applied sunscreen to our bodies and faces religiously, a practice which was often met with protests and gawking at the white streaks left behind on our arms and calves. We, with olive skin and freakish Eastern European genes, simply didn’t burn, freckle or peel.TheOnion-Tanlines

That was then. Fast forward to 2009, where natural skin is in, glowing orange faces are out, and applying sunscreen is the norm for January through December – never mind June through August. I spent this past weekend in Manhattan enjoying the (finally) spring-like weather decked out in a t-shirt and sandals as I enjoyed a patio brunch in Murray Hill, shopping on Fifth Avenue and people watching in Central Park. Six sunscreen-less hours later, I discovered I’d developed a mild sunburn on my face, chest and arms.

With an overwhelming amount of products, from liquid foundation to body lotion to lip balm, containing copious amounts of SPF 15 and higher and a bevy of self-tanning products to fake a bake, there was no excuse for my renegade behavior. And, with the promise of warmer weather (finally!) on its way and a wardrobe shift that includes more skin exposure, now is the time for a small public service announcement to The Vogue City readers about sun safety. Thanks to the American Cancer Society for the following tips:

-Cover up (this one can be tough on scorching days in the city when temperatures can push past 90 degrees, but it’s pretty much the most fail-proof way to avoid UV damage)
-Use a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher (I’ll cover some of those previously mentioned products in next week’s beauty post – but, really, SPF is available in just about everything)
-Wear a hat (and let your fedora fetish shine brightly)
-Wear sunglasses that block UV rays (even the $5 Gucci aviator knockoffs on Canal Street carry UV protection; check the lens for a sticker indicating UV protection)
-Limit direct sun exposure during midday (this can be another tough one with our extremely finite summer season; ain’t nothing wrong with sitting in the shade, though)
-Avoid tanning beds and sunlamps (duh)

Besides, tan lines are so 1987.

-Karyn Polewaczyk


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Posted by karynpol at 06:00 AM
bargain news , BEAUTY |



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