Sunshine Superman: How to Do Sunscreen Like a Hero 🧴

Get out and play, and always practice safe sun

4-5 min read

WELL ON HEELS

Spreading some sunshine for another lady kicking ass in the name of wellness, Tanya Walker, founder of BlackWomenWho.com.  An outdoors enthusiast and avid kayaker who wanted to encourage more women who looked like her to get out on the lake and in nature, her mission is to educate, empower and equip black and brown women with the knowledge and skills to engage in outdoor activities safely.  Recently BWW partnered with Global Wilderness school NOLS to send two members on an eight-day expedition to Yellowstone via a GoFundMe campaign to cover airfare, lodging, meals, and emergencies. You can help to empower these women to embrace new experiences and broaden their horizons by donating to the campaign here.

HERE COMES THE SUN

May is Skin Cancer Awareness month so it’s time to get serious about sun care. Some less than sunny truths: an estimated 9,500 people every day in the US are diagnosed with this cancer, and having five or more sunburns in your life DOUBLES your risk for melanoma. This is why we can’t have nice things: we’ve depleted the ozone layer with greenhouse gases and other toxic chemicals, making the sun’s UV rays more damaging than the glamorous days of baby oil and tanning reflectors. And where tanned faces used to whisper of a life of extravagance and endless vacation, the new Quiet Luxury aesthetic is about dewy skin with a faux glow (though not all heroes wear SPF). Thankfully sunscreens, gear and UPF clothing have kept pace and allowed us to move freely outdoors while protected, but it’s not all sun and gloom- ten to 15 minutes of unprotected exposure is still a must for adequate Vitamin D absorption.

MOREL SUPPORT

Yes that was a mushroom pun, and now that I have your attention, a brief PSA:  Many of you have shared that you’re loving the newsletter in its new format (🙏🏻), and some of you have said you can’t see all the info, i.e the discounts and product details that come after the Tip.  A quick refresher: there are two versions of the newsletter: free and paid. As an All Too Well subscriber, you automatically get the free version. But maybe let’s be friends with benefits? This is an entirely reader-supported publication, meaning you are the reader and you are supporting meeeeeee.

A paid subscription for $6 a month or $60 a year and up helps me provide you with all this fun and digestible wellness intel with zero annoying ads. And upgrading means you don’t miss a single pearl of wisdom or any dumb music puns.  

"But, Erica...why buy the coconut if we get the milk for free?” Glad you asked. For less than the cost of a green juice, you get exclusive content and benefits that aren’t available at the free level (see details here) AND you get that healthy glow that comes from doing a good turn, with no damaging UV rays.  

And now back to our show.

HERE’S A TIP, MAKE THE CHANGE

Sunscreen is tricky. It’s key in protecting your skin from damage, but two issues to consider: ingredients matter, as does correct usage.  While shielding you from UV rays and burns, it absorbs into your skin (AKA your largest organ), and along with it, whatever potentially harmful ingredients it contains, sigh. So here’s what to look for:

• Many sunscreens use chemical UV filters, some of which have been shown to be the dreaded endocrine disruptors, gah! The main ingredients to avoid: oxybenzone, PABA, octinoxate, octisalate and avobenzone.

• Non-toxic sunscreens are safer: look for products that say mineral-based or contain ingredients like zinc and titanium dioxide, which don’t absorb into skin.

• Look for “broad spectrum protection” which blocks both UVA and UVB rays.  

• Higher is not always better: anything above SPF 50 is just expensive banana oil. And not the kind made by Banana Boat.

Be well, have fun, and don’t be a hero, slather up and get out there. Premium goodies ahead.
xo

DON’T BLAME IT ON THE SUNSHINE

Blame it on the sunscreen. Now that you know what to shop for, give these suggestions a whirl, along with a sweet discount (for paid subscribers only, remember what we talked about?):