I am one of those girls who is '1/2 Mexican' (& 1/2 Welsh), and has very little experience actually speaking Spanish (nor Welsh!). Sure, I can string a few Spanish words together, and on occasion I sound like I really know what I'm saying-! The point is, I've got mexican blood and am a little brown-skinned by nature, but when I lived in Ireland from the ages 14-24, I spoke no Spanish and I had the lightest skin I had ever seen myself in. When I came back to visit my friends in L.A they wondered if I was sick. "Nope, just have not seen the sun in YEARS!" I would exclaim. Yes, I actually became Madonna white- and after ten years in the grey and rainy climate of Irish landscapes, it took a minute to develop a base tan again.
Lemme lay it on the line for you- I LOVE BEING my natural skin tone; light brown- and I also love being a darker brown too! But I will not spend endless hours in a sunless tanning salon, slaving away under weird bulbs. Well, maybe I will from time to time. Like when my boyfriend said he was taking us to Mexico for a week (there goes my Spanish again- thank goodness he can speak fairly well). I admit I did some 'pre tanning' but shhhh don't tell him. I tried to space it out so it would look natural. I had to meditate the whole time I was in there- and surround my skin and organs with a sheathing of protective energy because I couldn't stop thinking of the huge waiver I had to sign to use the tanning booth. It definitely made me feel freaky on the inside.. like; If I have to promise I will not sue anyone for getting in this tanning booth- WTF?
I will say- I love lazing in the sunshine and working on my tan. And I know- you are saying NOOOO Tuesday- its badddd for youuuuu! Well, maybe you are saying that.. But funny, I feel like after spending 10 years in Ireland with NO SUN, I now have a little time I can clock up in the sun, especially if I play it cool. And by 'play it cool', I mean play it carefully. I know if I had lived in Cali for those formative years, I would have probably spent much more time in the sun and would have possibly used up all my play it safe in the sun tokens!
Funny, many Yogis advocate the spending from 15-20 minutes naked in the sun to absorb vital life force elements into the body and aura. I say YAY! Naked in the sunshine, if you can manage it somewhere with privacy and calm, are absolute peace-giving sources of joy and restoration. I used to lay nude on my yoga mat in the living room. There was a specific time of the day the sun would come through the window and I was there a couple times a week. It was private and as I usually did my meditation before hand, it was a nice way to further absorb and reflect universal light.
My absolute favorite discovery is a product called MAUI BABE. Just so you know- it contains NO spf. I found it at Target a couple months back- and fell in love. But they don't seem to carry it anymore and so far, I can only find it online. A bit pricey for the tiny bottle, but if your serious about a natural product to tan with, this is the one! And you can use it with your fav spf lotion too! Since it is so natural you can practically eat it (I didn't tell you to do that)- I use it for my pre tanning lotion lay out before I apply spf, and mmmmm- it begets a nice brown that will leave you feeling like you do not have to lay out all day long to get the nice tan you want; If that s what you want.
Ok, so- as you know.. what you do in or out of the sun is up to you. One thing that is for sure- I always wear a hat if I know I will be in the sun for longer than say- 10 minutes. I have a baseball cap hat and a wide brimmed hat and interchange them often! In fact- my bod will get brown when I tan- but my face stays lighter because of my hat addiction in the sun. Look, I smoked heavy ciggs in Ireland for ten years, then when I came back to the US, I kept smoking them for another ten years. Then I started yoga and well- you can read my other blog entitled 'Confessions of a Spiritual Apprentice' by going to http://www.tuesdaymaythomas.com/#!blogs/c1k2m. (Start at the first post!)
I know smoking can age the skin, increase wrinkle-age, increase bone loss.. and do much more harm than that. I am forty-one years of age and intend to feel and be youthful in my appearance and attitude. Hence the hats! -Plus my fav natural 'Fake n Bake' product; Natures Gate Sunless Tanner. This stuff is the best in terms of its natural look and natural ingredients. You can keep your tan even looking and still keep your face out of direct sunlight! Make sure to exfoliate face and neck very well before applying. Use a thin coating and see results the next day. Best to apply at the end of the eve before bed. If you wish to darken your look, apply another coating to your liking!
I like to wear 70 spf on my face when in the sun (under the hat), or just day to day out and about, especially around my eyes and in areas I experience pigmentation. I know its not so 'natural', but so far- it seems to work the best for my body. Maybe it will for you too. It comes in small tubes, easy to carry in your clutch or backpack and goes on light, without leaving your skin chalky.
Enjoy the sun, but don't over do it! Listen to your Beautiful Body and nurture it thoroughly..
As promised, here is a link to a couple of new 1 minute Body Beautiful home workouts. Scroll to bottom of page for videos!
Enjoy & Be Blessed. Here's to You- Loving Your Beautiful Body more each and every day.
I am not a certified nutritionist, doctor or therapist. Please consult your healthcare professional before participating in any
lifestyle changes you may feel are questionable to your health.
I am not responsible for any action you resume.
© Tuesday May Thomas 2013
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