Are You Ready For Sunny Days?

by Aimee Amodio | More from this Blogger

27 Apr 2007 01:41 PM

I don't know about you, but we've had some WEIRD weather the last few weeks here in New Jersey. A little over a week ago, it snowed. Seriously! Monday, it was sunny and in the 80s. Over the weekend, we had a pair of gorgeous days with blue skies and highs in the 70s -- just warm enough to wake up my spring fever!

As soon as I saw the forecast and caught a breath of fresh air, I was ready to spend the day outside. I got out the deck chairs, I grabbed a book and a bottle of iced tea, and I dug out the sunscreen and bug repellant. (Yes, I learned my lesson after I got my first sunburn last year.)

Are you ready for sunny days and spring fever?

• Make sure your sunscreen is still good. It should have an expiration date on the bottle.
• Apply sunscreen 20-30 minutes before you go outside so your skin has time to absorb it.
• Use the right amount of sunscreen! Your face, neck, and chest will need about a tablespoon of sunscreen. Your arms will need two tablespoons; your legs will need three.
• Put your sunscreen on before you use foundation/cover up or put on any makeup.
• Remember to reapply your sunscreen every hour if you're sweating a lot. Reapply every few hours if you're just lounging.
• Wear a hat to help protect your ears, eyes, neck, and head from ultraviolet light. This can reduce your risk of skin cancer by a LOT.
• Look for summer clothes that have sun protection built in. Yes, we usually remember to slather sunscreen on exposed skin, but light can pass through cloth to our unprotected skin. A white t-shirt has an SPF of about 7 (and only 3 if it's wet).
• Take care of sunburn if you get it.

Learn more about Aimee Amodio

Aimee is a fiction writer... dog lover... music lover...

View Full Profile | More from this Blogger