4 ounces- Pour the oil over the walnut husks or shells, place in an airtight jar, and let stand in a warm
place exposed to sunlight for about three months. - When the three months is up, pour the mixture into a small coffee press to divide the husks
from the oil. - Meanwhile, steep the green tea in very hot water for 10 minutes. Cover the cup to prevent
beneficial green tea antioxidants from escaping with the steam. When the tea is deep golden
in color, remove the tea bags. - Melt coconut butter in a shallow stainless steel pan.
- Add the pressed (deep brown) olive oil, steeped green tea, vitamin E, and beta-carotene.
Briskly whisk to combine all the ingredients. - Now add the mineral shimmer, and your tanner is ready. Pour it into a nice pump bottle and
apply sparingly. It won’t stain your clothes or sheets, and the glow is unbelievable! The tint
stays for up to four days, if you don’t apply a body scrub.
Smart Tanning (Yes, It Can Be Done)
For those who choose to tan, dermatologists recommend the following preventative measures.
Choose a broad-spectrum mineral sunscreen. Once in my lifetime, I had to face the fierce sun in
southern France after a glycolic acid peel. While I usually rely on old-fashioned zinc oxide, to avoid
uneven pigmentation I applied a layer cake of sunscreens: an organic zinc oxide baby sunscreen as a
moisturizer and a Mexoryl-containing (yes, not quite organic, but water-soluble) product on top. This
way, the sunscreens joined forces, and even though Mexoryl didn’t penetrate my skin thanks to the
highly occlusive, greasy baby sunscreen, my skin remained cool, blemish-free, and interestingly pale
under the merciless July sun.
Apply sunscreen generously. To enjoy this process, pick a product that is a pleasure to use.
Profit-oriented cosmetic manufacturers and dermatologists have routinely promoted a heavy
application of chemical sunscreens for skin cancer prevention. This has not been proven by
laboratory tests or epidemiological studies, yet common sense tells us that sun protection creams need
to be applied frequently to make a difference. The sunblock must not disappear in the skin like a good
foundation. A walnut-size blob may be enough to cover one arm; a hazelnut-size blob is sufficient for
the face. If you are unsure of how much product to use or you plan to spend a lot of time in the open
sun, use a product with minimum SPF30.
Reapply sunscreen every two to three hours and after swimming or sweating. When playing sports,
and for babies splashing in the pool, the sunscreen should also be water-resistant. Waterproof
sunscreen doesn’t exist in nature. According to FDA, sunscreens are neither sweatproof nor
waterproof. Most sunscreen formulations don’t dissolve in water or sweat, but can be washed off or
rubbed off during swimming and other sport activities. Thus, FDA insists that no sunscreen, green or
synthetic, can be marketed as waterproof, and that cosmetic manufacturers can label their products
only as water-resistant or sweat-resistant.
Famous brands of sunscreens claim to protect your skin from UVA and UVB radiation, but the