It's Sunshine Awareness Week at Kitchen Stewardship! I'm burned on half my body as a result of testing natural sunscreens...be sure to check all this week's posts for the scoop on what works, what doesn't, and when (if?) we need sunblock at all, along with over $400 in sun protection giveaways. Check out the natural sunblock review for the scoop.
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It’s really easy for moms to forget about themselves when it comes to sun protection (or healthy eating, or getting enough sleep, or, or, or — fill in the blank, right?). We’re givers and caretakers who rarely take good care of ourselves.
I always want to make sure my kids get the safest treatment, whether that be the best mineral sunblock, sunshine to make Vitamin D, or shade and sun protective clothing to keep the rays away. My husband has such light skin that when we intertwine our fingers at the end of the summer, we look like a multi-racial couple because of my tanned olive complexion. He’s worn a rashguard and “black tarp” SPF 60+ chemical sunscreen for years.
It was easy for me to seek out sun protective clothing for them. It was sort of an unexpected treat to get something for me as well. 
Oh, I swore I wouldn’t use this picture in a post. It must be getting late and I’m punchy. Look out, you don’t want those pipes to punch you! Sigh. I’m such a dork. 
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Tags: giveaway·sun protective clothing
Yep, just sleeves. It’s a rough economy, folks, we can’t afford to be giving away the whole shirt! 
Nantucket Sun’s arm sleeves are a unique product, and they afford you the opportunity to hide your skin from the sun in the heat of the day after grabbing some Vitamin D in the earlier morning hours. They stretch from the wrist up to the mid-bicep (or armpit if you’re only two years old) and stay up fairly well through activity.
My son thinks they are SO. Cool. He’ll wear them even when he doesn’t have to!
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Tags: giveaway·sun protective clothing
Time to see Katie do a handstand again!
Yes, the sun protective wear really is comfortable and cute. 
We’ve already talked about how I feel about sun protective clothing in general and trying to strike the balance between getting some sun and not getting burned, and yesterday I walked you through my review of products manufactured by Coolibar and Nantucket Sun, two Made in the USA companies.
Today I have some goodies from three more companies, and they are a bit different because they resell other brands. It doesn’t necessarily imply that the clothing is lesser quality, as some of the fabrics are made in Australia where they have very strict sun standards. It’s nice to have options!
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Tags: product review·sun protective clothing
I’ve had a couple readers say that they don’t put much weight in the expense of sun protective clothing and would rather just allow their kids to wear T-shirts while swimming.
A soggy T-shirt may more or less do the job – most fabrics are about an SPF 15, although once wet, a white T-shirt is going to offer even less protection. Beyond sun protection, I think the special UPF wear has some nice advantages:
- It dries quickly and evenly
- It looks like a swimsuit and is attractive even when wet
- It doesn’t sag on the body when wet
- They are a specialized item that goes with the swimsuits in the drawer or wherever, so it’s harder to “forget” that you need to pack them
Regular bathing suits always seem to cost more than it feels like they ought to, so I’m not surprised to have to pay very similar prices (for more fabric) than buying a bikini.
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Tags: giveaway·sun protective clothing
Right about the time you think you have it all together, your five-year-old son talks you into skipping the swim shirt and hat and using sunblock instead.
I thought, “At least he’ll understand how much of a pain reapplying sunscreen can be, and then he’ll choose the swim shirt in the future.”
Now that he’s sunburned on his chest and back, I feel like the bad mom and wish I hadn’t given him a choice! (The sunblock, rated “KS Recommends” at the natural sunscreen review, did a decent job, but the white skin, direct sun, and pool time was just too much for it, along with the fact that I only hit the shoulders and upper back with the reapplication.)
Sun Protection vs. Embracing Sunshine
There’s much to be said for the health benefits of Vitamin D, and there’s even evidence that if you have enough Vitamin D in your diet, that too will protect your skin from sunburns. Many people claim we shouldn’t hide from the sun at all but rather seek out unprotected exposure to increase our Vitamin D intake. But if you haven’t gotten enough base tan by slowly working up to maximum sun exposure, who wants to risk a sunburn?
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Tags: product review·sun protective clothing·sunblock
To sun, or not to sun, that is the question.
When I asked companies to partner with me on this sun protection review project (see the natural sunblock review as well), they had no idea I was not only reviewing their products, but the idea of sun protection itself.
I find myself dangling between the two extremes. I applied sunscreen daily when I put on my toddler’s clothing a mere four years ago, but I am now rather deep into the traditional foods world, and with it a body of people and research that is generally skeptical of chemicals and highly in favor of natural Vitamin D from the sun. Many advocate zero sunscreen use and claim that with a proper diet, particularly healthy fats, along with a modicum of shade during the heat of the day, one should not get a sunburn. They would scoff at the big hats and full coverage swimsuits and sun shirts we’ve been testing the past month.
When I first put a short-sleeved, short pant suit on my toddler daughter and slapped a hat on her head, I had an uncomfortable feeling. Does it look like I’m afraid of the sun? Is this geeky? Is it over-cautious? Or am I an awesome parent doing the safe thing?
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Tags: product review·sun protective clothing
I love sharing! If you’re starting here, do back up a bit and read about my search for the best natural sunscreen. I’ve got 28 bottles, tubes and jars tumbling around my house, and I give you the scoop on all of them, from the $1/ounce to the $40/ounce. Um, yeah. $40/ounce. I couldn’t in good conscience recommend that one unless it also cooked, cleaned house and did dishes for you!
Today I get to share five natural sunscreens with you in a little more depth and offer the chance for five lucky folks to pretend they live with me and test out a new product. I tell people who know me in real life, “You can use my sunscreen, but you have to wear two kinds, one on each side. This is just how life is at the Kitchen Stewardship house!”
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Tags: california baby·giveaway·kabana·miessence·product review·sunblock·sunscreen·trukid sunny days
Oh, I swore I wouldn’t use this picture in a post. It must be getting late and I’m punchy. Look out, you don’t want those pipes to punch you! Sigh. I’m such a dork. 
