Image via Aveeno

I know so many women (myself included, at one time in my life), that see a trip to a beach destination as not only an opportunity to relax, go swimming, spend some time on the beach playing with family and friends, and all that other good stuff, but also as some kind of vanity project--as in, okay, here's my chance to get a summer tan in one go!

Not so fast, missy.

According to new data from Aveeno:

The amount of sun exposure you receive over an entire year is equivalent to being at the beach for an entire week without any sun protection, and in fact, 80 percent of your lifetime sun exposure comes from daily activities.

Now, I realize I'm kind of twisting this information. Clearly, they're trying to send a message about how important it is to incorporate sunscreen year round, and they're totally right. We do get a ton of UVA/UVB exposure just going about our daily business. But the point I'm trying to make is that even the most sunscreen savvy chick (and guy) somehow throws the whole thing out the window when it comes to the beach, especially pasty city dwellers, who seem to suddenly ache for a California Barbie worthy tan and think, "Well, it's just a few days at the beach. What's the harm?"

But if a year of sun exposure is tantamount to one week at the beach then how much does that say about concentrated seaside rays attacking your skin cells?!?

Handily, Aveeno recommends their new broad spectrum product, Continuous Protection Sunblock Spray SPF 70 formulated with Active Photobarrier Complex (technology that helps deliver high, broad and photostable protection), which is great because any sunscreen in spray form is convenient enough to keep reapplying throughout the day, which you need to be doing. But also, especially if you're fair, remember to cover up with a hat, umbrella and other um, "mechanical" sun protectors.

Want a tan? Long gone are the days of the orange fake bake, and there are plenty of awesome products out there that'll give the job done. (Wendy was just raving about this new Jergens one.) But don't fool yourself into the idea that it's okay to sunbathe now and then as long as you don't do it that much. Okay, I'm probably preaching to the choir on this one but anyway...