Burn, Baby, Burn

I'm one of those very lucky girls who has three levels of tan: ghostly, burnt, and I'm-so-burnt-it-hurts-to-wear-clothes-and-should-probably-go-to-the-hospital. Yet summer after summer my vanity kicks in and I wrongfully assume that I can safely get a tan by laying out for "just a little bit" sans sunscreen. Cue the lobster look. This year I finally realized that I'm doing major harm to my skin and putting myself at risk for all types of cancer, so I finally gave into the pressures of SPF30 (which I've learned is the minimum a blonde Irish/Polish gal like me should be wearing).

Most sunscreens can be a pain in the ass to apply every few hours, which may have something to do with my previous aversion, but this summer a new trend in spray-on sunscreens is rocking my world. They are super quick and easy to apply, and it's actually possible to do your back on your own. This unfortunately takes the fun out of asking random hotties to do it for you, but there aren't usually random hotties on your NYC apartment's deserted roofdeck and sunscreen is too important to skip. Most of the major brands have come out with spray sunscreens, but I like Coppertone Sport Continuous Spray SPF 30 for the protection (no burns yet this summer for me!) and the yummy smell (according to my roommate). It retails for about $9.99 or more in major drug stores, but the can does run out much more quickly than its cousin in a bottle. This can def add up, so I've found a great cheapie alternative at Harmon Discount Beauty (a godsend if you live in the tri-state area!) in Harmon's Face Value Continuous Spray Sport Sunscreen SPF 30, only $5.99 in Harmon stores or online. Notice how there are zero similarities in the name or the bottle......sneaky bastards.