pool

If you are on our blog, chances are, you love soaking up the sun poolside and/or beachside as much as we do. It’s only natural. There have actually been studies conducted proving that the sun makes us happy, and that lack of sun can cause something called Seasonal Affective Disorder (also known as SAD , or winter depression), which occurs when the body produces less serotonin due to lack of sunlight. Serotonin is the chemical that makes us happy, so soak that stuff in! When I was in college in Massachusetts, and the winter months led to gray skies and early sunsets, I actually had a classmate who had to sit under a bright light as therapy for his SADness. And I have to say that the sunny skies are a big reason that I have stayed in Miami. There is nothing like walking outside and feeling the sun on my shoulders mid-November. It just feels good.

However! There are things to keep in mind while sunning to make it the most pleasant and healthy experience it can be. Below are some tips to happy tanning:

*Always wear sunscreen! Not only will this help with unsightly and painful burns, but it will protect your skin from skin cancer! Practice safe sun! Reapply after taking a dip in the water.

*Remember that you will be warm sitting in the sun, and prepare for that by not forgetting a cold drink to stay hydrated, and bringing some deodorant to stay sweat-free!

*Remember to be careful with wearing swimsuits during your period! In addition to a tampon, I never wear a white bikini when I have my period, just in case. Also, don’t sit around in a wet swimsuit! This can cause infection.

*Something that many of us may forget until we are actually on the beach, mid-taking off our shorts. Shaving and/or waxing! I had never gotten a bikini wax before moving to Miami, but now it is a monthly ritual, just because there is a much higher chance that I will end up on the beach than when I lived in New York City (and a much MUCH higher chance than when I was living in Massachusetts). It hurts a little, but not as much as it hurts your pride to be on the beach looking like a scarecrow, with tufts of hair peeking out of the corners of your bikini. You can get pretty much any part of your body waxed these days, but regarding the “bikini wax” that we’ve all heard about by now, here’s a quick overview of the types you can get:

-Regular/Bikini Line Wax – exactly as it sounds, this type of waxing is along the traditional line bikini line, getting rid of any out-of-bound pesky hairs above and to the sides of where a bikini would lie.

-Triangle/Deep Bikini Wax – again, the name helps you picture the result. It like a regular bikini wax, but imagine the bikini being very, VERY small, and only a triangle being left behind.

-Brazilian Bikini Wax – Everything taken off, except for what is known as a “landing strip” (lol!), which is just a rectangle of hair on the front of the bikini area.

-Full Bikini Wax – Nothing there at all! To me, this is the best, because you can wear ANYTHING worry-free.

So, these are the basics I live by when I know I’ll be in the sun. Live them and love them! The next step, is, of course, picking the perfect bikini at TheOrchidBoutique.com