A dear friend of mine had a melanoma (skin cancer) removed from her forehead this week. G-U-L-P. She and I are the quintessential Irish girls with the fair Irish skin who lived for the summer sun. A bad, bad combination! She is even more fair than I am. Her nickname is “Pinky” because when she is in the sun she turns…yes, you guessed it: Pink.
The Silver Lining news is that her doctor excised it all, with clear margins, etc. Thank heavens. Her scare is a wake up call to me about the need to take every precaution against the sun’s dangerous rays. As much as I loved (note the past tense…AND the use of the word tense!) being tan, it’s just not worth it. Between the potential for skin cancer, guaranteed unsightly wrinkles and unattractive age spots, it’s just not worth it.
This summer, I am wearing my new favorite and amazing hat from my new favorite company, Chance Co. If you haven’t heard about the company yet, I’m so excited to introduce you. Julia Leach, the founder, was the creative director of Kate Spade for 11 years. She’s so chic and gorgeous. And nice. And talented.
Now onto products. I really like the Environmental Working Group (EWG) website. To begin with, they say that the best sunscreen is a hat and a shirt. Check and check.
They (at EWG) go through rigorous testing to determine which products penetrate the skin and provide broad-spectrum (UVA and UVB-sunburn) protection with fewer hazardous chemicals.
For me, the world of cosmetics and creams is incredibly overwhelming and intimidating. On a side note, I know that there is NO WAY that I could ever be a beauty editor. I would likely be curled up in a ball in the corner of some office somewhere in the shadow of thousands of products! Therefore, I depend on the Environmental Working Group as well as the wise counsel of trusted friends in the industry to direct me to the safest and best products.
Right now, I am using the SkinCeuticals (paraben free) sunscreen. It has some tint in it, which usually makes me cringe, but not in this product. It’s actually fabulous and feels incredibly light and great on my skin.
Fortunately my complexion is as white as can be after several days in the mountain sun, which means that this product is actually working for me (Silver Lining). No matter what product you use, I hope that you will have a UVA-UVB-skin cancer-free summer this year and that you go to a board certified Dermatologist for check-ups!
Health is a relationship between you and your body.
~Terri Guillemets