practice safe sun

Oh, that's just me and my friend Giada.

We're besties, didn't you know?

Right after this picture was taken, we spent the afternoon whipping up some homemade pasta and she confessed that she's been reading Sugarlaws every day since I founded it in 2007.

(Oh wait, that last part was only in my dreams...)

I can't believe it's been a year since I attended Cosmopolitan's Practice Safe Sun Awards! This year, they had another incredible group of honorees, including Giada and the beautiful Laura Linney (below), each speaking out about how dangerous and deadly Melanoma can be if you're not careful about protecting your skin from the sun.

In fact, I felt a little terrible asking Giada for a picture ten minutes after she told us all about losing her 30 year old brother to Melanoma (so terrifying). But I'm so happy that Cosmopolitan has taken up this important case, and has committed to getting the message to women in their teens, twenties and thirties that skin cancer is both deadly and preventable.

I know at this time of the year especially, everybody wants to look tan and get that bronze-y glow -- but there is no need to actually expose your skin to the sun to get it! I have a post coming up about fabulous self tanner options, and you can do a better job getting a beach goddess look with makeup than you could with a real tan!

So the next time you're even considering going to a tanning bed, take that $15 and pick up a good bronzer instead.

And on that note, happy Fourth of July! Hope you guys all spend the weekend sleeping in, eating corn on the cob and ice cream, and siting by the pool -- just make sure you're lathered up with sunscreen beforehand!

Many thanks to Jill of Glamamom.com for taking these photos!