Reviews and News

I am often asked to review items.  Books, websites, food - I am always honored to be asked.  Like my opinion is all that great, or important - hey, at least someone thinks so!

But having ads up presents a bit of a dilemma - I can't have blog ads and get paid for reviews.  Some of my reviews aren't paid, but some are, and it's a tough nut to crack sometimes.  So, like many others on the Ad Network, I've begun an offshoot blog, one devoted to product reviews and such.  It's titled Scrutiny by the Masses - pretty apt title, I think.  Go on over and check it out - I've posted three new reviews today, for The Fairy Chronicle books, Yahoo! Answers, and Mamasource.com.

I'm also up over at Larger Families today.

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Sun for yourself - yay or nay? 

This weekend I was outdoors for a good chunk of time, and didn't sunblock.  Some of that was on purpose - I KNOW, I KNOW, it's so bad for you, but I'm totally stuck in the 80's mindset that pale skin is ugly and the only attractive color for skin is the darker, the better.  I have NEVER in my life tanned - I do develop a line of color that varies from bisque to bone, but other than that, I really don't tan, for some reason.

I have TRIED and TRIED various sunless tanning lotions and creams and end up streaky or blotchy, with darker patches.  Yes, I exfoliate, yes I moisturize, yes I let it dry completely, yes I wash my hands after.  I am a MISERABLE failure at any form of sunless tanning.  It is sooo embarrassing.

I am uber vigilant about sunblocking my kids, but horrendous about myself. I know that, once school is out - seven days - we will be swimming every day.  Do you try to get some color for yourself, or keep in the shade and covered up?

Comments

[Photography for Fun]

I am oh so bad as well. I tan. At times I visit a salon and use a tanning bad, I lay out, etc. I have to build up color very slowly though because I burn, burn, burn if I don't. But, when I do tan if I don't stay at it, it fades so fast! It's very frustrating! I tanned for a month and a half for a big Valentine's event and went back for a couple of week's after the event then stopped. ALL OF IT HAS FADED COMPLETELY. So frustrating!!!!

[tracey]

I am a bad person. I tan easily and I love it. And people love the way you look, too. Don't deny it! Don't you all say that you love the pasty white skin you have after being outside with 45 spf on for 8 hours straight. People just think you're a Northerner with bad genes. Truly! Of course, TOO tan and they think you are going to a tanning salon and "paying" for it (Ack! The indecency of it!) The fact is, we look healthier (strangely) with a tan. A tan says: this person is outdoorsy! This person loves to be having fun and has skin that is slightly taughter (sp?) and less pimples and highlights in her hair (erm, a white streak, actually) and throws caution to the wind! (come and get me, melanoma.)

So, sadly, I don't protect myself. But my kids? My kids are a beautiful white on white!

[Karen Patrick]

I hate burning. I can't stand the feeling of laying out "baking" in the sun. I once went to a tanning salon in college and darn near thought I was going to die. Not fun at all.

I get a tan....a nice farmer's tan! :) But if I know I'm going to be out swimming or in the sun like that, I sunscreen. :)

[Brandy]

I sit in the shade. I don't tan, I burn. Badly. Sun posioning badly. So, I tend to be a tiny bit jealous of those who tan, and try to validate by not having to worry about skin cancer.

[Leslee]

I cannot tan. I have tried and tried over the years but I just burn and fade back to white. My husband is from Malta abd works outside so is constantly tanned and all my children seem to be able to tan very easily so when we are on holiday I slather sun cream on all of us, they go off and play/swim whatever, I sit under the umbrella, keep covered up and try to convince myself that I am the healthy one.

[deborah]

sign me up! I love to try stuff. And as far as the lotion goes - lather it on!! The rays are not what they were when kids were our age. (whoa, I am sounding like my parents!) it's so true though. They really need the protection. me, too.

[DeeDee]

I use a facial moisturizer with sunscreen year -round, and that's it. I rarely use sunblock on myself. I start out the season using it on the kids religiously, and by the end of the summer, I'm terrible at it.

The funny thing is, I'm constantly looking at my freckles, moles, etc., and thinking they look like melanoma. I should really just go get them checked.

[Melene]

I am very fair and never tan when in the sun, only burn, without sunscreen. I do my best to put it on and reapply. I use sunscreen in my facial moisturizer and makeup all the time and I use the lotion that gives your skin some color on my arms, legs and feet. It works and it's so much easier than the self tanning stuff. I like the Oil of Olay and the scented kinds from Bath and Body works.

[Jennifer]

I have what my husband refers to as "cheap Irish skin"! I freckle easily, then all the freckles melt together which looks like a tan, but really is one giant freckle. I sunscreen my face & shoulders, but that's about it. My kids FORTUNATELY inherited my husband's dark skin and tan and minimally freckle (so far).

[Kelly]

I am Casper the Ghost white for a good part of the year, then summer hits and we head to the lake. Of course I do not want to put the dreaded "suit" on as Casper, so I get the brainy idea to go tanning a few days before we head out and always end up getting red! When will I learn to gradually do the tanning thing?

[mcewen]

I am a mole, and I live in a hole.....actually, I screen but it doesn't stop the freckles [sun kisses] but they're getting shoved out by the age spots.
Cheers

[meanie]

i saw a nutritionist yesterday and my vitamin d levels are super duper low - he asked if i used sunblock, and i do, religiously. he suggested not using it before 11 in the morning and not after 3 in the afternoon, as we all need a little sunshine in our lives. i'm going to take the approach with my kids (within reason of course). i think we over-sanitize and over-protect our kids so much, they do need a little dirt and a little sunshine in their lives too!

[Megan]

I tan. And I love love love the sun. I need the seratonin, and vitamin D.

I get my freckles/moles checked every year, and even my Dr. said that I probably don't need to use sunscreen. (I want her to put it in writing.... I can't believe she said that!)

My kids get lathered up religiously at first, but as they get tan, I use less and less. They hardly ever burn.

I love living n the south!

[Katie]

I burn, peel, and freckle. I tan a wee bit but am still really pasty white compared to everyone else. I sunscreen myself and the kids if I'll be outside for more than an hour, otherwise I think a little sun won't hurt (plus the vitamin D thing).

[Stephanie C.]

SPF 30 for me whenever I'm out on all exposed skin. And I wear a 6 inch brim hat that blocks out the UVA rays.
My kids do sunblock, too, esp. for soccer practice.

[rae]

i sunblock if i'm "laying out" which is pretty much nil...who has time? if i'm swimming, forget it. generally i wear skin moisturizer with sunscreen in it to protect my face. at almost fifty the results are beginning to show when i'm around others who don't use sunscreen. HOWEVER...i love getting nice and tan and brown when i can...it makes the dark circles under my eyes disappear!

[amy]

I do not mean to be a spoilsport, but getting a tan is very dangerous. I know many people who have had melanoma -- a deadly and horrible skin cancer that is not curable unless it is caught in its early stages. I actually found a melanoma on my best friend's back when we were only 30 years old. Because I was vigilant about her mole, she went to a plastic surgeon (my uncle) who removed it and found it to be stage 2 melanoma. She is still alive today at the age of 49 -- Thank god because it was caught early. It was on her back right where we always tanned ourselves. Do not tan. Please use sunblock. Because I grew up in a family of physicians, I can tell you first hand that tanning also leads to early wrinkles and age spots in addition to skin cancer and melanoma. In my opinion it is not a sign of beauty to be tanned. Stay well and stay out of the sun. And of course protect your children especially from bad sunburns. Even one bad sunburn can damage the skin and lead to cancer later. It is a cumulative "disease". Ok I will stop ranting now!

[FishyGirl]

My aunt had melanoma and my grandfather had numerous less serious skin cancers removed more than a dozen times over his life and I am a whiter than white girl, so it's all sunblock, all the time, for all of us, except my husband, who has Cherokee blood and doesn't burn but does turn that dark reddish tan color, and could I write a longer run-on? Oy. So, yes, sunblock. Ahem.

[sky]

I am allergic to sunscreen, it affects my skin worse then sunburn, so with skin cancer in mind I try not to be out long enough to burn and wear long sleeves and jeans if I am planning on a lengthy time in the sun.
I tried Mystic Tan a couple of times. It's expensive but worth every cent(Typically $25 per time) You stand in a booth and get sprayed. Results in about two hours; Beautiful! You look like a sun goddess without skin cancer!
They have different sprays to use for different skin types and different tones.
Simply Mahvelous!
And as we all know tan skin hides ALOT of imperfections!

[Sandra]

I am albino white year round. I burn, peel, freckle and then turn a shade of cream! LOL I do use self tanners to get some color and have been doing the Malibu tan.

[pleseeque]

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