An Important Ingredient At Any Summer Cookout

Laurie just wrote a great post about grilling fruits and veggies, but there’s one other thing you need for a healthy and humane cookout: cruelty-free suntan lotion.  Like most PNNers in their mid-30’s or so, I used to baste myself with baby oil and stay out in the sun for hours on end. My aunt and I even had “tanning contests” to see who could get the deepest shade of brown. I was pondering this while applying sunscreen at the Norfolk Tides game yesterday. Although I don’t think I did any “real damage” during my tanning years, I do have what seems to be a small age spot on my right hand. I’m “only” 36, but the hands are supposedly one of the first places to show signs of aging, and I’m sure sun damage just makes things worse.

So, here’s yet another reminder apply to sunscreen liberally! But, in case you don’t know, many common brands (like Coppertone) are made by companies that test on animals. Fortunately, there are lots of cruelty-free options too. Pangea has good selection of non-animal tested sunscreens, sunless tanners, wipes, insect repellents, and other summer skin care products.

I use Alba Botanicals SPF 20 facial sunscreen--on my whole body. My skin is clear now, but I had acne left and right when I was a teenager, and I’m still paranoid about breaking out when I put new products on my face. The Alba facial kind doesn’t give me big zits—a big plus.

Enjoy your cookout or whatever else you’re doing to celebrate the 4^th and summer in general; just take steps to save your life by using sunscreen--and help save animals’ lives by using cruelty-free sunscreen.