Skin. It’s kind of amazing. The fact that we have this enormous, visible organ that we can manipulate and change is fascinating to me. We can tan it, tattoo it, color it with makeup, pinch it, squeeze it, freeze it, watch it stretch as a human grows behind it. Hell we can even stick needles into it and paralyze it!

Ok but seriously, our skin is pretty incredible. So why aren’t we more diligent about protecting it? If your heart was on the outside of your body, would you bake it in the sun for hours?! Probably not.

I know that’s a drastic comparison but in all seriousness, the American Academy of Dermatology estimates that over 9 THOUSAND people are diagnosed with skincer. Every. Single. Day. That number is astonishing to me and it’s part of the reason why I go to such great lengths to protect my skin as an adult. Yes, I had my fair share of fake and bake years, but trust me, I did not yet know the power of sunless tanner.

We all like to put words like “cancer” in the back of our mind until it becomes something that we have to face. The beautiful thing about living in 2018 is that we now have access to incredible products that make us look and feel younger, while also protecting our skin. My sweet friend Elaine was kind enough to share her personal struggle with skin cancer. She’s a young mama just like me and is living proof that skin cancer is not something any of us can hide from.

Elaine’s story:

“I grew up in the south and was outside all the time. I burned frequently as a kid, because back then they didn’t have waterproof sunscreens. I tried my hardest to tan in high school and college, and although I hate to admit this, I used the tanning bed frequently each spring to get my base tan. I’d also visit the tanning bed before special occasions like proms, formals, and even went right before my wedding. I do have a family history of melanoma but no one thinks about that as a twenty something in college.

In 2009, while I was pregnant with my daughter, my husband Pat found a spot on my back. I didn’t have time to deal with it until my little girl was several months old. I had several, general practice doctors diagnose me with multiple issues, none of which really stuck. Eventually, I was sent to a dermatologist who immediately told me it was squamous cell carcinoma. I had five spots taken off that spring, one being quite invasive to the local area. From that year on, I have had several spots removed every year, to include pre-melanoma, squamous cell, and basal cell cancers. I also had a lot of pre cancerous areas caught early and burned off before they developed. Last summer, I had so many of those on my face that I was treated with topical chemo. It blistered and burned my face and the pain was agonizing. My skin cancer has been just about everywhere I was burnt…face, scalp, chest, shoulders, arms, and back. It even showed up on my HAIRLINE! It has been a very rough road and I am committed to spreading awareness through my story and products I love.”

Stories like Elaine’s remind me that protecting our skin should rank just as high as diet and exercise. The best part about being an entrepreneur with a company you love, is meeting people who are equally as passionate about their endeavors. Elaine knows my love for beauty products and introduced me to what has become one of my favorite go-to products, Beauty Counter’s “Dew Skin” tinted moisturizer.

If you have followed my blog, you know that I ditched foundation a while ago and transitioned to only using protective tinted moisturizers. Elaine’s product solved one of the biggest problems I was having, which was finding a tinted moisturizer that provides good coverage and an SPF that wasn’t sticky like sunscreen. Dew Skin gives me the coverage I need, especially when it’s set with a mineral powder with additional SPF. It has a beautiful, light citrus scent and is perfect for all skin types, primarily those who struggle with sensitivity. Oh, and when applied with a beauty blender, one tube will last you a LONG time. Perfect little combo if you ask me! It was also ranked on Allure’s best of beauty list which is one of the first places I look to find new beauty products.

Click here for the direct link to read more about the product.

BONUS! Elaine has decided to help you protect your skin and will be giving away a Dew Skin for FREE! There are two ways to enter:

Instagram:
1. Visit thisanchoredlife here
2. Follow our insta page
3. Like the picture that goes along with this post
4. Tag two friends!

OR

Facebook:
1. Go to the homepage for thisanchoredlife found here
2. Like our page
3. “Share” this blog post on your timeline

Must be a subscriber to this blog to win! Deadline is Sunday March 11th.

Supporting small businesses has definitely become something I am passionate about, and when those small businesses are run by people you love, it makes it even better! Thank you Elaine for sharing your story. I hope it helps readers think twice about the sun and their skin.

Xoxo, Meg