Are you sun smart?

By Katherine Sargeant  and Cinse Bonino

Not only do all actresses and models in the media seem to be tall and thin, but they also all have an amazing tan! Are they just born with perfect skin too? Definitely NOT! Young girls and women all over the world have started substituting sunless tanners for the sun. Now did you really think that girls like Jennifer Lopez have the time to spend soaking up rays? Of course they don't; they are much too busy for that! Although most of us don't have the make-up artists and stylists to attending to us each morning we can still steal their secret for a bronzed body!

Most teen girls are willing to sunbathe for hours to achieve that dark bronzed body the stars have. However the sun today is stronger than ever and skin cancer is on the rise. Wrinkles and sun spots are too! With these risks sunbathing is not such a hot idea. That is why a sunless tanner is such a great solution; it saves both your health and time! The best part is that your sunless tan will actually look real! The trick is to spread it on your skin evenly to avoid streaking. Trust well known brands that your friends have already used successfully. Some sunless tanners even contain sunscreen for the time you do spend under the rays. Make sure you are protected with sunscreen when you do choose to have fun in the sun.

Self-Tanning Tips
Read your product's instructions well BEFORE you start to use it. Then DO what the directions say. Keep the following in mind as well...

1. Always use a sunscreen when you go in the sun EVEN if your sunless lotion has one. A sunless tan does NOT protect you from the sun. Wear as much sunscreen as you normally would.


2. Using a loofah or a skin scrub (rinse well) before you self-tan will help you to have a better tan.


3. The spray versions are easier to use but you still need to do it evenly.


4. Watch out for bumps! Pay special attention to elbows, ankles, and knees.


5. Wash your hands immediately with soap so that they don't get tanned too!


6. Don't trust self-tanning pills. They aren't safe. Check with your doctor to be sure.

Think using sunscreen and sunless tanning are ridiculous? Still want to play unprotected in the sultry rays of the sun? Skin cancer can appear years after overexposure to the sun. Here is what it looks like. It is most common on the face because the face usually receives the most sun.

Sunscreen Tips

1. Apply every two hours.
2. Always reapply immediately after coming out of the water.
3. Make sure your sunscreen is:

• Broad-spectrum protection (protects against UVA and UVB rays).
• Sun Protection Factor (SPF) 30 or greater.
• Water resistance.