You may remember 1999, the year Baz Luhrmann’s sunscreen poem played endlessly on the radio. The lyrics were catchy and just about everyone walked around quoting them. Nine years later, I’m here to offer some similar advice.

Wear sunscreen.

Although Seattle weather hasn’t gotten the press release, summer is right around the corner. In a week’s time, many of us will be far away from this rainy city. It’s going to be hot. And sunny. And very harmful to your skin.

So please, wear sunscreen.

All winter long, I saw people with unseasonable tans and thought to myself, “why are you doing this to yourself?” I cringed to think about what color they’d be in the summer.

Honestly, I don’t understand the appeal.

If the aim is beauty, it’s not beautiful to be orange, especially not in the winter. In my opinion, it’s much less beautiful to be 30 and have wrinkles than to be 20 and pale.

Forget the beauty aspect. Maybe some people like wrinkles. Maybe they were planning a Botox party all along. Think about the health problems. Good morning, melanoma!

I’m writing this reminder now as the sun becomes more visible in our lives, but you should know that it’s important to wear sunscreen all year long. The sun may be hiding behind the clouds in the winter, but it’s still harmful.

You may be thinking that I’m just a jealous, pale girl with a conspiracy to keep the dark from getting darker. That’s not the case. I would encourage you to go out in the sun, get your healthy dose of vitamin D and obtain a summer glow. Just don’t over do it and remember that sunscreen doesn’t prevent tanning – it just decreases the sun damage.

So here are some tips for safe tanning. Apply often, because the sunscreen wears off. Apply the screen half an hour before going outside to give it time to start working. Don’t use old sunscreen; it has a shelf life of about two years, so be careful to check the date. Use a higher SPF for areas of the skin that get more sun exposure, such as the face and shoulders. If you can, avoid going outside in the middle of the day when the sun is strongest. And remember – anything under SPF 15 doesn’t count!

Hope you all have a great summer. And when you go outside, think of 1999 and this year take Baz’s advice.