what is a tan? A tan is your body's way of protecting itself. Skin has melanin, the pigment that gives skin its colour. The more melanin your skin contains, the darker it is. As your skin's melanin increases, your skin darkens and does not burn as easily. But, a tan still damages and dries out your skin, causing premature aging. Everyone loves a bronze glow, but there really is no such thing as a "healthy" tan.

what is SPF? SPF means "Sun Protection Factor". This indicates the length of time you can stay in the sun. For example, SPF 4 means you can stay in the sun 4 times the length of time you could before burning without the protection. SPF15 means 15 times, and so on. Remember, fair skin usually burns faster requiring a higher SPF.

how do I apply sun protection properly? Sun protection can take about 30 minutes after application to become completely effective. For best results, apply it to your skin about 30 minutes before you head outside.

Apply your sun protection generously to your whole body including the hairline, ears, neck, and feet (ouch-you'll only forget to do that once). You'll need at least one ounce of sunscreen or sunblock to cover your entire body.

Your sun protection will wear off, both over time, and due to perspiration or swimming, so don't forget to reapply often.

is it ever safe to be exposed? Sun is the strongest from 11am until about 2pm. This doesn't mean you can't go outside, but it does mean your skin will burn a little quicker. So, be even more diligent with your sun protection during these hours.

Cloudy days still expose skin to harmful uva and uvb rays because these rays can penetrate the clouds. Try to make sun protection a daily habit.

how can skoah help me? Using the face skotion 30 or dewlux lite 30 daily will prevent premature aging. This light lotion won't clog your pores and cause breakouts. Load up on high protection sunskreen 45 to protect your whole body. Vitamins e and c are included in all our 'get protected' products to fight free radicals and heal damaged skin.

final note Use your common sense. Everyone loves to have a tan, but be good to your skin by using sun protection. Most skin care professionals now believe that aging skin and wrinkles are due to sun exposure more than any other factor, including heredity. No, you don't need to be 80 and wrinkle free, but we can all do our best to 'preserve' our skin.

Get protected. Your skin will love you for it!