Top Tips For Protecting Your Child (and yourself!) From The Sun

 

Pale baby Sarah in the swim shirt of the 80s.

I am pale. VERY pale. Pale to the point of translucent. I would be an excellent heroin addict because my veins are laid out like a Google map. When I was little, I hated my skin because my mother was always pullng me away from the fun to slather me in sunscreen. When I was in high school, I hated my skin because all my friends were tan, tan, tan and my mother threatened to take away my car if I so much as looked at a tanning bed. 

It wasn't until I was in college, surrounded by other pale girls, that I began to embrace my pale skin. Then came Nicole Kidman and Julianna Moore and Emma Stone and my paleness stopped seeming like a curse and started seeming more like a gift. Not to mention, avoiding the sun like the plague has left me looking years younger than some of my more sun-kissed classmates. 

Still for all its beauty, pale skin is a HASSLE and years of dealing with it make one an expert on sun protection. May is National Skin Cancer Awareness month and UV Skinz (who is hosting our awesome giveaway this week!) is raising awareness by giving away a FREE BABY SWIM SHIRT with every order! Not to mention they are also donating swim shirts to hospital maternity wards and pediatrician offices across the country so that babies born in May will be covered from day one. 

In the spirit of awareness, I thought I would share my tips for sun protectioin.

1. SWIM SHIRTS! I remember the first time I saw one of these. All the fights and squirming and crying over sunscreen as a child flashed before my eyes and it suddenly seemed so unnecessary. The truth is some ofnus are so pale no amount of sunscreen will really do the job unless we are re-applying every five seconds. I used to wear black long sleeve t-shirts when snorkeling because that was basically the only way I wouldn't end up burned. Thank God there are better options these days.

2. SUNSCREEN! That being said. I put on sunscreen every day and I've finally gotten in the habit of doing the same with my boys. I keep a bottle in their dressers next to the diapers/underwear and rub them down when I get them dressed. I also have a sunscreen stick in my purse at all time for a quick apply across the bridge of their nose. 

3. Hats are your friend. I worry a lot less about sunscreen re-application when my boys are wearing hats and if you put them on them from birth, they eventually get used to it. Also, I've found if you let them pick out the hats themselves they are way more likely to wear it. (Hello, garrish Elmo hat!)

4. Seek shade. I pick pools and play areas based on how much shade there is. I am highly unlikely to spend time in a place with no shade. I might make it an hour in direct sun but it is unlikely. If there is no shade, it just isn't for us.

5. Avoid peek hours. Technically peak sun hours are 10am to 4pm but that's basically the entire day. Usually I avoid being ouside (especially if there is no shade!) from 11am to 1pm at the very least. It's an easy time to take a break and grab some lunch (or naps) anyway. 

So, go out and enjoy the sunshine just think like a pale girl while you do it!

If you want to stock up on awesome sun protection gear from swim shirts to hats and sunscreen, UV Skinz is offering a 15% discount to Salt & Nectar readers! Use the code BLOGS15 and don't forget you'll also get a free swim shirt!

~ Sarah Stewart Holland 

{Featured Friday Review & Giveaway} UV Skinz

While the year-round sunny weather of SoCal is one very big perk of living here, the downside is that one has to be religious about applying sunscreen and cautious about protecting against skin cancer. But sadly all sunscreens are not created equal—some are sticky and thick (even staining wood patio furniture), some wear off too quickly, others have too many chemicals.... So, it's always great to find another way that offers reliable sun protection in addition to the block I carry in my purse and diaper bag.

The UPF 50+ UV Skinz rash guard with long sleeves is perfect for my son because I can quickly pull it over his head—just like a sweatshirt—to keep him cool and covered at the beach. It's even roomy enough that I can slide it over a t-shirt when we've popped outside to play in our backyard. We've used many rash guards over the years, and I particularly like this one because sand does not become enmeshed with the fibers of the fabric and the material doesn't snag or pill after being washed. Best of all? You can roll it up into a tiny ball so it takes up zero space in your bag and it's always there on the go—even when you forget your hat or sunscreen.

UV Skinz Giveaway

This giveaway is now closed.

Congrats to Alexis (comment #3), who was chosen at random as the winner!

UV Skinz is going to give one Salt & Nectar reader a UV Skinz swim shirt of his or her choice!

To enter, leave a comment below telling us how you protect yourself from the sun.

As always, we will use Random.org to select a winner. The contest will run from today until next Friday, May 4th at 12PM PST.

No purchase is necessary. Odds of winning are based on number of entries received (duplicate entries will be deleted and only one will be counted). This giveaway is open to US residents 18 and older only.  

To learn more about or purchase UV Skinz, visit its Web site, "like" it on Facebook, and follow it on Twitter. 

Neither Sarahs nor Salt & Nectar were paid for this review. It is our own opinion based on our use of the sunwear, which were supplied by UV Skinz for the purpose of an experiential review.

~ The Sarahs