I’ve been obsessed with the idea of getting a tan this year. Part of the appeal is being able to relax and lounge in the sun, and the other part is getting that amazing glow. Subconsciously, I might be trying to make up for my vitamin D deficiency from the Canadian winter. But needless to say, COVID restrictions and my condo’s limitations have only amplified my desire to bake in the sun.
Last weekend, we finally had the opportunity to head to the beach. The patch of beachfront we found on Lake Erie barely had any sand, but no matter, lots of people have been sunbathing on their towels in public parks in downtown Toronto, so who was I to judge?
Well it turns out that there are a lot more obstacles and side effects to getting a nice tan than I anticipated. For example, I’ve been noticing more and more freckles on my face as I age. I used to be outdoors all of the time when I was a kid, and never had a single freckle! Now, I seem to be growing them exponentially whenever I’m out in the sun, sunscreen or not.
Which brings me to my next point: sunscreen can be an oily nightmare. Don’t put on enough (SPF15 does absolutely nothing) and my skin is peeling at the end of the day. Slather on SPF60 and reapply when necessary, and my pores get clogged. I’ve tried different brands, too. Coppertone, Vichy, Banana Boat, Aveeno…Perhaps there is a secret adjustment phase that I am missing out on? Like, use sunscreen daily for 30 days, and your pores will automatically clear themselves?
Either way, it turns out that the largest barrier to getting a nice tan for me is that I am already tanned (by western standards anyway). Now this issue is twofold. If I asked Nick for his thoughts on my tan, he’d tell me that he couldn’t see a tan at all. But at the same time, I am telling you…those sandal tan lines on my feet that I got years ago…they never seem to fade!