It's August and if you haven't already left on vacation, your mind has probably already started wandering off to that magical moment when you'll turn on your automated 'out-of-office' e-mail reply, lock up your office and switch off your Blackberry. Mmmmmmmmmm. I don't know about you but I've had the hardest time focusing on anything other than my upcoming holidays. Which bikinis will I pack? One kaftan or two? How many pairs of Louboutin's can I reasonably fit in one bag? There's absolutely nothing wrong with this kind of daydreaming of course but I did read two disturbing pieces in the New York Times recently that had me rethinking my 'must have' holiday list. First, an article distinguishing between the different types of skin cancer had me looking more closely at my moles. Then, a second article questions both the efficacy of sunscreen in protecting your skin from harmful solar rays and the overall safety of certain chemical sunscreens (namely oxybenzone) once they've penetrated the skin. Great! Science being science, the findings are not conclusive but just to be on the safe side, please limit your sun exposure this summer. Personally, I've invested in a chic straw hat (the tighter the weave of the straw, the more protection it affords) and a few pairs of quality sunglasses (make sure they filter both UVA and UVB rays). Combined with a good sunscreen (anything with an SPF over 30 just contains more chemicals and doesn't afford that much more sun protection) and moderate sun exposure, they should do the trick. Nothing, and I mean nothing, will keep me from enjoying my holiday. Be chic, be safe. Bon voyage!
Sincerely,
The Luxe Chronicles
Photographic References:
Left to right: Straw hat by Patricia Underwood; Bikini by Red Carter; Beach towel by Missoni. All photos courtesy of Elle.com.
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