A smell can bring on a flood of memories. And because we encounter most new odors in our youth, smells often drum up childhood memories.
Growing up, I was lucky enough to have a pool in my backyard. During the hot summer months, it was my family's refuge. But while I was splashing in the shallow end pretending to be a dolphin, my mom was perched on the sidelines in a lounge chair. You see, pool time was her relax time. If you know my mom, relaxing is not something that comes easily. But in the heat of the summer, with her family close by, she would do just that. But before any relaxing could take place, she had to "grease up". Yep, that's what she called it. Greasing-up involved copious amounts of Bain du Soleil cream. If you haven't seen this stuff, think orange gel. Or better yet, think slightly solidified bright orange oil.
The orange goop has been around since 1925. According to the Bain du Soleil website, "the famous, trend-setting Coco Chanel, sporting deeply sun-bronzed skin, turned tanning into a fashion statement" back then. To capitalize on that fashion trend, "Monsieur Antonine of Paris developed an Orange Gelée dark tanning formula". Then "the silky sensuous gel" made its way to North America as Antoine's Bain de Soleil.(translated as Antoine's bath of the sun).
"Bath of the sun" - my mom was sold! She loved the greasy orange formula. She never used anything else. Prior to lounge-time, she would take a whopping handful and slap it all over her body. To make sure she did not miss a spot, she always asked me to her apply the slick stuff. Happy to help, I would pop out of the pool, grab the greasy bottle and smear it all over her back.
This is where the smell-memory stuff kicks in. To me Bain du Soleil smells like both my mother and sunshine. I know that's not really what that "orange gelee" smelled like but that's the association I made back then. If I were to find a bottle right now and inhale deeply, I am certain I would suddenly feel seven years old all over again. I think I loved the smell of that stuff because to me it signaled a time when my mom was calm and quiet. She would be content on her lounger all "greased-up".
But let's now go beyond the childhood memory stuff. Looking back, I am surprised my mom's skin didn't set fire once that stuff was on her. It was basically roasting oil. There was no sun protection in that bottle whatsoever. Sure by the end of summer, she would have the deepest, darkest tan but one could argue she's paying for it now.
So that brings me to my second product review. Let's tackle sunscreen shall we!
By now most of us are well versed in sun safety and the importance of sunscreen. Every year in Canada, its estimated that more than one hundred thousand cases of skin cancer are diagnosed. So, I hope that sunscreen has become a staple for most folks.But as you may have guessed not all sunscreens are created equally.
The US-based Environmental Working Group (EWG) has been working on this issue for a while now. For the past five years, they've created a "Sunscreen Guide" for consumers. They basically look at the ingredients of a sunscreen and evaluate the product. This year they rated more than two hundred brands and close to two thousand products.
According to the EWG many sun-protection products are poorly labeled and make erroneous claims. According to the group, the US Food and Drug Administration has not yet finalize all sunscreen standards. That goes for Canada as well. I believe it was just this summer that the US FDA introduced label standards for what "broad spectrum" actually means. Health Canada is still working on this. With the regulators still sorting this out, it can be difficult to know if your sunscreen measures up.
Before this post gets too complicated, I am going to suggest something. If you are interested in learning more about labeling or the sunscreen debate check out the EWG's website.You can also see how your sunscreen is rated but checking their database.Here is the link: http://breakingnews.ewg.org/2011sunscreen
For my purpose, I wanted a sunscreen that works but also contains minimal harmful chemicals.According to Gillian Deacon author of "There's Lead in Your Lipstick", sunscreens can contain some nasty chemicals. Here are some of the ones she points out:
Para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA): According to Deacon, research out of Oxford shows it may damage human DNA, making it more susceptible to skin cancer. It is also might be highly allergenic.
Oxxybenzone: Deacon says this chemical is worrisome because " it's been implicated in allergies, hormone disruption, cellular damage and low birth weight"
Polyethylene glycol (PEG): Deacon says "PEG's open up pores for better absorption of the chemical sun protection, but in doing so also open those pores to whatever other toxins may be present, stripping skin of its natural immunity"
So once again confronted by chemicals, I decided to try a kinder more natural product this summer. To be honest, deciding which product to use was not that difficult. That's because I didn't find a lot of products on the shelf where I was shopping. I tried a smaller natural product store this time, so there was limited selection.
So what did I choose?
Product Review #2:
What: Sunscreen
Brand: Badger SPF 30+
Price: $19.99 (I chose the unscented one)
Now we all know that the best sunscreen is no sun at all. But when you live in a country known as the "Great White North", you can't help but want to soak up summer warmth while you can. So, I turned to Badger to help me stay safe while enjoying summer.
Badger is made by a family in New Hampshire. Yep, it is a family run business. Interested in the company? Check out their website - http://www.badgerbalm.com
The Environmental Working Group lists Badger's sunscreen as one of the best on the market. It is a zinc-based product. Deacon says "when physical covering is not an option, you want to use a mineral or physical sunblock. For this, the ingredient to look for is zinc oxide or titanium oxide." What this means is the product sits on top of your skin, blocking the sun's rays from penetrating. Basically, the experts say that once this baby hits your skin you're getting instant protection.
Immediate protection is great but you should know there's a wee downside to this. Some of you might recall a certain summer image from the 80s. Remember the sunblock lifeguards and surfers wore on their nose? It was colored zinc oxide. Think bleach-blonde dude with a neon pink nose. That stuff was thick and goopy. There was nothing transparent about it. Now, never fear Badger is not neon in colour, but it is white. While zinc-based products have come a long way, I noticed that Badger leaves behind traces of white residue after application.
First time I put this product on my face, I looked like I was dressing up for Halloween. I was a big 'ol white pasty face. I did not like this at all! But, after a couple applications I learned how to apply it more evenly and sparingly. Remember - a little Badger goes a long way! I also found that if I patted instead of rubbed the product it absorbed better. If you don't mind being a bit pasty, then this will not bother you. If it does, then just remember to test the product a couple times before going outside. It is not an easy, fast application process but I did get used to it. I have been wearing this stuff on my exposed bits for more than a month now and no one has asked me if I am ill! I must be getting it right.
Another wee issue for me, is the product's smell. Now, I chose the non-scented variety. It is supposed to be odorless. I beg to differ. It does have a smell. The smell is not horrible, nor is it delightful. It is just there. In the morning my nose sort of flairs when I apply it. I liken it to taking vitamins. Sometimes vitamins have a bit of a foul after taste. But you tolerate those vitamins because their good for you. That's how I feel about my tube of Badger. I have read (on some websites) that what I am smelling is the natural shea butter in the product. Perhaps that's it. But I still needed a couple days to get used to it.
Aside from the tricky application process and the slightly off-putting smell, I like this product. Prior to moving to Toronto, I was living in Newfoundland. While in St.John's, I did not see much sun. Toronto sure as hell change that. We got a lot of sun here - a whole lot of very strong sun. But you know what, my little tube of Badger did make me feel safe. When I had it on, I did not burn. To me that's the whole reason I am using this product. I can tolerate the smell and white-residue, as long as I am protected. This tube of gooey white stuff is not my mom's Bain du Soleil. No, it is nothing like mom's orange gel. But that is a VERY good thing!
I also have to say that the product does last. When I shelled-out a whopping twenty bucks for the small bottle, I was worried I would run out after a week. It has lasted me more than a month now. To me thats good bang for my buck.It is also water resistant, certified natural and not tested on animals. And heck, there is a cute picture of a badger on the bottle. Yep, right at the top of the tube is a cartoon picture of a momma badger and her baby. I am a total sucker for packaging!
In summary, I like this product. I am content with my Badger sunscreen. It makes me feel good. I feel like I am getting solid protection without the harsh chemicals. I am not sure it will be for everyone, but I encourage you to try it. Badger does sell small sample sticks. I think they are called face sticks and run around ten dollars. If you are worried about the smell or application process, you can invest in the smaller product. You can test it without being overly committed. This product is a little tougher for me to rate. For sun-protection, I am give it a full score of 5 kisses out of 5. But considering the smell and difficult application process, I am giving it an overall product rating of 3.5 kisses out of 5.
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