Sunday, June 24, 2007
Current mood: blah
Category: Life
At this rate I'm going to be an expert on sunscreen; brands, application, length of protection, etc...
I knew I used a lot last summer but I've already gone through one and a half bottles of spray sunscreen and some of a bottle of lotion granted that may not all be on my skin, James of course used some and I did share on the boat trip I think and at the pool I put some on the kids I took with me. It's great, I'm thrilled, the quantity and who it's used on whatever, that's all good. But just think honestly I've been to Disney one day this spring used some then, then there's the fishing trip I just wrote about lots of sunscreen that day a liberal coat and it made me wonder maybe it was a little much and the fish didn't care for that brand? (it wasn't banana boat?/that's another blog for another day), then several trips to the pool in the last couple weeks, fed the birds at the one of the lakes in town and did some geocaching too (didn't wear sunscreen for those last two things but made a note to self to do so next time.) Anyway you get the idea Florida sunshine equals lots and lots of sunscreen or you may eventually resemble some of the native creatures here like the alligators. Personally I think alligator skin really only looks good on alligators or maybe on belts and boots. So if you like spending time in the sun get some sunscreen, and for all the fake and bakers and the sun lovers get some lotion for afterwards for crying out loud leave the alligator skin to the alligators.
So anyway all this sunscreen use before the official start of summer! This is going to be a good summer! I predict more days at the pool and I'm hoping for a day at Universal Studios this summer, I've never been there. I also hope to hit the beach some and if other interesting ways present themselves of getting out into the Florida sunshine then perfect. Some other things I can think of that would be great... an air boat ride, a visit to Gator Land, maybe a visit to the Dinosaur park off of I-4 (Cat mentioned she'd like to check it out with the kids) the best things I can think of would be going to see manatees or swimming with dolphins, kayaking maybe?, a boat ride on a glass bottom boat, oh and I can't leave this out geocaching!
So some observations from all this sunscreen use...
For your face sprays suck, doesn't matter how hard you try it's going to wind up in your eyes or your going to have to taste it.
Tried the new sticks they've come out with for faces... well it's okay but only if you really enjoy feeling like an oil slick landed on your face.
So I'm back to the way I did it growing up the bottle of lotion and rub some on your face, the tried and true method works fine, I should mention here you can do this with the sprays too if they don't dry too fast, but I prefer the lotion.
Sprays are great if your limber you can actually get your own back pretty well, if you have arthritis in your shoulders and aren't so limber - well get a friend (thank goodness I don't have that problem yet, knock on wood.)
My thoughts on SPF protection numbers well, for a couple hours at the pool I want a tan who's kidding who here huh? So SPF 15.
A full day at the beach or out on the water on a boat, kayak, etc... I'm partial to an SPF 30 for those days.
A day at Disney, well think about it, it is a lot of outdoor time but honestly Disney has thought about their guests and really you spend more time in the shade or indoors than you might think, so I actually like an SPF 15 for this too.
Some other parks I've been too though not thought out and planned in the same manner as Disney's done it so anywhere else until I've done it once and been proven wrong I'm not counting on shade so an SPF 30.
I'm not big on reapplication, there I've said it, once it's used up worn off etc I'm probably done doing what I was doing anyway.
You want to know about SPF higher than 30? Okay sure I own some I think... I save it for the kids and my fair skinned friends though, I don't really think I need an SPF 50. So there.
A word on some of the new sprays that protect from UVA and UVB they are a little freaky.
I tried one of those types late last year and have the remainder of that can of spray left, I need to use it up on days we go to the pool and then never buy it again. Let me explain that, I tried this new kind applied it while standing in the parking lot outside of Disney last year, sprayed on fine nothing unusual there but where my arms touched my clothes or if I got it on the neck of my shirt or hem of my shorts it discolored the clothing. Now that all washed out later on but it really kind of sucked starting out the day that way, needless to say I got a new t-shirt out of the deal but I mean really come on... I expected better it was a good brand name product but it had a nasty habit of discoloring clothes you wore once applied. Anywho... moving on.
So I'm set on sunscreen for a couple weeks at least, we hit Sam's club yesterday and I got a two pack of spray! Plus I still have a half bottle of my favorite lotion and yes the nasty can of strange UVA/UVB which shall remain nameless, one of the sticks, plus I have a can my neighbor gave me of combo bug spray and sunscreen (she sells Avon it's a skin so soft thing.) I hear now it's great for short term sun use but bad idea if your going to require reapplication because the bug part of the spray can be a bad thing to reapply to often. Hmm...
So it's late I'm rambling, but well let's face it that's what I do here. You came you saw you read (I'm assuming here, and if you read this statement well I assumed correctly.) I didn't twist your arm, I've semi apologized before and said I'd try to not be so long winded the next go around but that just isn't the kind of thing I should promise because well I'm me and I ramble.
So like always see you later allig8tors.
p.s. Word of advice for your time in the sun don't forget your ears sunscreen goes there too!
If your hair has a part get a hat, and don't spend a full day outdoors let alone an entire weekend camping with your hair in a french braid, just don't.
p.s.p.s. Watch for my next blog it will be about a doozie of a storm!
Currently listening : Big Lizard in My Backyard By The Dead Milkmen
