Darkening up Without the Nasty Chemicals & a Brief History of "The Tan"

Current price of natural sunless tanners at Whole Food, spring 2012

I am one of those gals who never tans; I’m a quintessential light(ish) haired freckly gal who burns after approximately ten minutes in the sun. Well actually if I allow myself to get repeated sun burns I may darken a tick or two before the end of summer, but why risk the damage? We all know skin cancer is real, and it’s not just the pale guy and gals who are susceptible. People of all shades and color skin can develop skin cancer. So why bother getting darker? Well truth be told, even when we know skin without a tan is perfectly healthy, darkened skin now speaks to being active and fun outdoors.

There is an interesting cultural shift among western white folk that has occurred the last hundred years, and I’m not going to give you historical footnotes here, but this is what I remember from past research. At least as far back as the Renaissance pale skin, especially for women, was seen as highly desirable. Reasons were both classist and racist. Having light skin allowed a women to distinguish herself as wealthy, as evidenced by any lack of a tan she would surely have were she poor and forced to work in fields. Additionally, it announced her “purely” European ancestry by denying and mix of subjugated people’s in her background. This was the status quo for centuries until the advent of the Industrial Revolution. With the proliferation of factories and women’s subsequent employment in them, the average white working-woman was now, as a rule, pale. Couple the desire of the wealthy to maintain class distinction with the rise of “leisure time” (sports, bathing, and tourism) and suddenly being tanned became a status symbol of vitality, youth, health, and wealth.

And now that we’re all feeling ambivalent and uncomfortable because of the unpleasant history of skin tone preference…Let’s just admit most pale light-skinned folk, myself included, would like to be tan. But, we’d like to do so without increasing our risk of cancer or our exposure to nasty chemicals contained in conventional sunless tanners. Nature’s Gate and Alba each make a naturally derived sunless tanner. I have tried both, and was actually happiest with the less expensive Natures Gate. The lotion has a dark tint, making it easy to see where you have already applied, and it gives a nice warm natural looking glow. The Alba is slightly orangey looking and because of the clear nature of the lotion, I had increased streaks and missed spots. Now, Alba says it has improved the formula, so it may be better than last year. Both last about a week and can be purchased at Whole Foods, Amazon, and hopefull Essene Market and Cafe on S.4th Street will have some coming in soon.  So, if you are looking to darken up without loading up on cancer causing ultra violet rays or crazy chemicals (the affects of which we do not know) try Nature’s Gate! And whatever your skin shade, go ahead, love yourself and slather on that sunscreen!

Can we take a moment… and welcome my new CareWearShare partner, Melissa?

Melissa and Marcie in Fay's car, c. 2001

   Picture it… Perkasie… 2000. Two young ladies, who had been in classes together for years, finally saw one another- finally recognized the insane amount of latent friendship potential within. Melissa and I began our acquaintance in Junior High, at the famed Pennridge Central Middle School. Sitting in the lovely Mrs. Kosa’s English class I remember thinking, “aw, this bobbed hair smiley girl is so cool…” Me?  Not so much. Or rather, I was “o cool” inwardly, but was fighting a formidable shyness and lack of a centered self back in those days. But, I digress…

    Aside from a few interactions in Mr. Daniels’ Barbershop select Chorus and the time on a field trip to six flags when riding a roller coaster (which I hate doing by the way) I happened to look over and see her holding the hand of the boy I liked * insert heinous pop song depicting woeful teen heartache* we didn’t have much contact. We moved in our own little spheres until in twelfth grade, life and Mr. Denton Ponzle’s AP Euro History flung us together. With our friend Fay we created a little triad of fun and mayhem.

     Together, we may have shed the shackles of our upright rural exultance; we may have run just a wee bit amuck. We may have left school to go swimming in-between classes, or called out sick and gone to Philly. We may have seized the day and engaged in little glorious acts of rebellion that can only be savored by those whose lives were as Green Gables-sque as you’re likely to find this day and age. Way may have been just about as bad ass as one can be and still make the honor roll ;) And if we were, I have to say it was good for me.  My relationship with these gals and my other high school friends helped me to open up, be freer, and be more me.

     Fast forward ten years and you’d get to the point in the story where our once joy-filled friendship had dwindled to nothing. With the college and subsequent life we had lost contact, until out of the blue I happen to see a message from my Mel-iller saying she was moving to Philly and asking to get together. I made my reply in the affirmative, but it was not without a little trepidation, “What if things were awkward. I mean it had been like ten years….” I had my fears, but on that fateful spring day in 2011 when I opened my door and saw that same bobbed hair and smiley face, I knew it was the same! In these many months since our reunion I've come to see Melissa being back in my life is such a huge blessing! I’ve gone through my share of rough times, and the rekindling of my friendship with Melissa has been an incredible reminder to be open to the unexpected blessings the good Lord may send my way, even in the midst of chaos. Thank you Melissa! And thank you to all of my friends who bring me so much joy!

               *Marcie

A Toast, To Getting Older

On a muddy riverbank south of the Thames there is a pub called The Ship. I am thinking about this pub today because it is my birthday, and because last year this time I was living in London, toasting white wine and sharing a plate of chips with good friends there. My 7th grade crush, now a US air force pilot, came to celebrate with two of his buddies from the force. They were stationed in Germany and up for an adventure to London. Then there were my Aussie friends, who always represent on a night out. Friends who I've worked with, studied with, danced with were there. My friends whose shoulders I cried on re: relationships that weren't working out, they were there too. When I think of all the friends I've had over the years I am overwhelmed. The more I move around, the more my friends begin to represent all that I've done in my life.   


So a year on, my life looks completely different. The setting, my hairstyle (long hair, bangs), not to mention the age (29 gasp!) have all changed. In the past year I have 1) resigned from a career, 2) moved from Europe back to the U.S., 3) become a full-time student, 4)gone from being single to being in a relationship, and 5) felt serene about all of these changes.  Like a river rock, never surrounded by the same water but still a rock (with bangs) - that is how I feel right now. It's as if I have reached a new plane of emotional wholeness I didn't know I was capable of reaching. Getting. Older. Is. Awesome.


Marcie and I often find ourselves taking moments to appreciate what is going on in our lives. When one of us begins to say, "can I just take a moment..." our partners inevitably roll their eyes at our sentimentality. But talking about stuff we appreciate is a way of life for us, and no degree of mocking will stop us. So now I'd just like to take a moment... to appreciate all of my friends old and new, and wherever you are in the world. May you drink deeply from the Starbucks cup of life and never want for adventure. 
                             
                                  Love,
                                  Melissa
       

Sugar Body Scrubs! Last minute gifts you can make in a hurry!




Easy to make sugar body scrubs! *Phot by my friend Anyelis

As Christmas is fast approaching, I wanted to do just a few more posts on some last minute ideas. At the beginning of November one of my girlfriends, Anyelis, hosted a sugar scrub making party.

Now, I certainly love a party, and this was a good one. Anyelis gathered some friends, created a facebook page, where we divided who would bring what ingredients and what toppings for our ice cream desert. Introductions were made, and we set to work creating yummy smelling scrubs to give as Christmas gifts. You probably don’t have time to get a party together before you light the Yule log, but you can still whip these bad boy scrubs together before the 25^th! The whole process can take you way less than an hour, and you probably have allot of the ingredients already. Anyelis found a good recipe and great instructions for making and decorating at Maybe Matilda.



If you have mason jars, excellent, but if not you can recycle any nicer looking glass containers and lids which may at one time have contained, oh let’s say pickles or spaghetti sauce ;) I believe the jar I used once housed specialty goat cheese. Just wash thoroughly and remove any paper labels. Next you whip up your scrubs, for which several bloggers have their own recipes but Rachel from Maybe Matilda recommends:

- 3 cups white sugar

- 1 cup + 2 Tbsp. good quality oil (I used olive oil, but you can use any nice, non-smelly oil)

- 10 drops of yummy-scented essential oil per jar (I went with mandarin, peppermint, and lavender)

                                                                                                                                          Rachael-

 

Body Scrub Party! Beautiful and yummy smelling presents you can make in a flash!

At the party we went to town and created various scrubs with lots of different scents and colors. You can avoid chemicals by purchase organic food coloring from local natural food stores or Amazon, but since this the pre-Christmas time crunch if you just use any old food coloring have laying around I’m not going to tell…. Mixing is simple; just use a little bit of the coloring at a time to get a hue you like.



Mirelis, Nilda, Carolina, Anyelis, Katie, and Lina decorating their jars.

 You can also add cocoa powder for a sweet chocolate smell and rich brown color. Anyelis also suggested we add vitamin E. Next, decorate, decorate, decorate those containers! Go all out!  Have fun, and have a Merry Christmas!

                                 *Marcie






 

Tis the Season to CHILL OUT(!) and Escape the Vortex of Materialism!

Lake George, New York as seen through my parents' window. 

   With out a doubt Christmas time is my favorite time of year. I love the snow, the lights, the cheer, the decorations, the time with family, the time for God, and the time for reflection. And I admit I have loved the presents…. preeeessssents… so many preeeessssents….. As a child the excitement of waiting for Santa and seeing what he brought me was probably the very best thing about Christmas.  Seeing as I was just a wee babe, this is understandable, but it’s also a tad pretty depressing.

    Sure, giving gifts is a sign of love, and it’s wonderful to recieive these gifts and to feel special. But why do we need to many gifts to feel good? Why such expensive gifts to feel special? When did we develop this sense of entitlement? How on earth did a gift-giving traditon, which was indended to honor the Magi presenting presents  to the poor and underprivileged baby Jesus, morph into this vortex of materialism? I mean sure, the little guy received some pretty snazzy gifts- gold, frankincense, myrrh- but you know his mommy probably had to sell them so the family could have food….

     Whether you celebrate Christmas as a religious remembrance or as a more general family holiday, I think it’s time we all reined ourselves in a little. Let’s hold our horses and take some steps out of the destructive path of insatiable consumerism. Let’s stretch ourselves through showing constraint. Let’s appreciate the little things, the acts of kindness, the acts of charity. Let’s spend less and have it mean more. Let’s resist the urge to give something, anything {like inexpensive sweatshop crap or overpriced indulgences} to absolutely everyone we know just become that’s what’s done this time of year. 

     Let’s realize it’s not a contest, but an opportunity – an opportunity to teach ourselves and our kids the virtues of giving to those who need it. It's an opportunity to demonstrate how to graciously receiving what we’re given. It’s an opportunity to direct our gifts to those who really need them and to celebrate love more while spending money less.

   This holiday season Kia and I will be posting fun low-key gifts, jolly party ideas, festive local shops, fair-trade options, and links to meaningful charities.  We hope you have fun, enjoy the process, and find ways to help others through your purchases and time. Remember, there is nothing historic, helpful, or holly jolly about going into debt for the sake of celebrating Christmas! Quite the opposite! 

To loc, or not to loc.




Image from: i552.photobucket.com/.../hairmilk/locsbarbie.jpg

 

  Every 3 months I complete a ritual of hair doing. I’ve done this since I was 15 years old. Every 3 months I braid my hair in the same exact style; waist length braids with a part done the middle. I’m not complaining about the style, I love the style it’s my trade mark.I am complaining about the process of maintaining the style. 

   I wear extensions to create my length and it takes me at least 4 hours to take my braids out. I have naturally very tightly curled hair (AKA nappy), so it takes me an hour to wash my hair. It also takes me an hour to dry it and straighten it in preparation of re-braiding it.  I then have to braid my hair, that takes 8 hours or 2 chick flicks, 4 Sex And The City episodes, and 2 hour long shows most recently Mad Men (Don Draper is so dreamy). Thankfully I only do this every 3 months or I’d shave my head bald. Now that I have a toddler it is even harder. A 2 y/o and pampering yourself for 14 hours don’t mix.

   So I have been contemplating over a year now about locking my hair. I know there is maintenance but at least I don’t have to take my hair out anymore. It is permanent but I’m fine with that, I’ve had the same hairstyle since I was 15 and I’m 33. So my only hold up is the length. I don’t have waist length hair but I love the look on me. Ah, decision, decisions. What are you doing with your hair? 

 

*Kia 



 

Halloween Party Time!

Robot Ben H. proud winner of the night's costume contest

The other week friends of ours, Jenn and Dominic, hosted a Halloween party, complete with costumes, tasty treats, mauled cider, and a trip to the State Penitentiary. Now, as I do love Halloween, but do not enjoy being frightened I had no plans on joining the party into the bowels of the prison. Ah, but things seldom go as planned {but more on that later…}

Jenn, the hostess with the mostest

Earlier in the week I acquired an 80’s jazzy jazz witch top at Past and Present in Mount Airy, which I coupled with black stretchy pants, a classic witch hat, and a wee little broom.  Jenn was keeping her costume a surprise. And when my boyfriend, Ben (who wore IN-Security guard jacket of his own creation ;) arrived at the fete, we discovered Jenn had created a cute and appropriately creepy baby-doll persona. 

Dominic's so scary, I want my mummy!

Her dress was a carefully chosen secondhand little number. Her boyfriend Dominic donned a homemade mummy costume, constructed out of long-johns and ripped cloth. 

Jake's Lederhosen made with love, by Grams!

I was quite fond of the costume worn by Jake,an absolutely lovely lederhosen sewn decades ago by his grandmother. Apparently it was not leather, but one of the first pleather incarnations! Hats off to Grandma because anyone who sews knows what a pain working in pleathure can be!

PCOM partygoers! 

Naturally this party had a costume contest, which brings me to the most creative costume of all, the robot by Ben H {pictured at top}. Inspired by LCD Sound System’s video for Home (video is great, but not suitable for young kids), Ben constructed this costume from cardboard, venting, duct-tape, and silver spray-paint. It was an industrial masterpiece, in which he managed to do everything, from dancing to traversing the haunted halls of the Penitentiary.  The only thing he couldn’t do was sit….

dance dance party party

 By the time I took the picture at the top the haunted halls had taken their toll, and  our robot friend showed some signs of wear and tare. But, as you can see even in this condition, R2D2 and Johnny Five would still be proud! Both at the party and in the prison Robot Ben, seen to your right -------->
busting a move, was quite the hit! 


Then this party moved our costumed behinds to the Penitentiary... {more to come...}

Mr. "In-Security" and I

                 *Marcie