I have exciting news! You can read all about Rhonda Sparks, the Founder of UV Skinz, in the December issue of All You Magazine. She is featured in a full-page article sharing her life before UV Skinz and how she turned a tragedy into an inspiration. The admiration that I have for Rhonda is huge. No matter what, I have noticed how she always puts her family first! Her kind heart, courage, and entrepreneurial spirit makes her such an awesome person. Rhonda deserves this and much more!!
Good sun protection habits must start at an early age. It’s kind of the same idea as the admission process for a Santa Monica preschool; if your kid isn’t on the waiting list shortly after birth then you might be out of luck. Likewise, if you don’t teach good sun protection habits from an early age the harder it is to enforce them down the road. All joking aside we know that 80% of your entire sun damage occurs before a person reaches 18-years-old. This statistic is one of the reasons that Rhonda Sparks created UV Skinz swim shirts; “To Get Kids Covered” and protect them from potential skin cancer.
It can be a challenge to get your toddler or preschooler to stand still long enough to slather on sunscreen, that is why UV Skinz swim shirts are so awesome especially for the wriggly little ones! Each shirt is soft, comfortable, has a UPF of 50+ and they come in designs cool or cute enough to please everyone.
Here are some tips to help teach your children great sun protection habits:
1. TEACH BY EXAMPLE! No matter what the habit–children learn by example. If they see you wearing sun protective clothing, applying sunscreen daily, wearing sunglasses and wide-brimmed hats then they are more likely to pick up on those good sun protection habits.
2. DON’T STRESS! Now there is one thing that I have learned as a Mom and that is that stressing out my children or scaring them into doing something doesn’t have the right outcome, ever! If you are more relaxed about the expectations you have about sun protection and make it fun then children will be more receptive. The last thing you want to happen is to have your child think the sun will burn them into dust if they miss a spot while applying sunscreen! Just take them to the UV Skinz website and let them pick out their favorite UV Skinz swim shirt. Make sun protection as easy as slipping a shirt on! (Because actually it is!)
3. MAKE IT EASY! Teach your children the “ABCs for FUN in the SUN.”
A = AWAY. Stay away from the sun in the middle of the day.
B = BLOCK. Use SPF 30 or higher sunscreen.
C = COVER UP. Wear a T-shirt and a hat.
S = SPEAK OUT. Talk to family and friends about sun protection.
Take a look at this! UV Skinz was featured at EcoBabyWorld!
“EcoBabyWorld is the place for the eco-conscious families. This is a one-stop information source that also includes a shopping portal for anything and everything natural and organic for your baby, and where new companies have a chance to launch their eco-friendly products.”
Business of the Week interview:
Business name: UVskinz (www.uvskinz.com)
Year launched: May 2005
Location: California
Owners: Rhonda Sparks
Hobbies: “My four boys. I enjoy knitting and reading business books and Inc. magazine.”
Products: UV protected swim shirts/outdoor shirts and accessories. “Our swim shirts are as great for the playground as they are for the ocean. The swim shirts come in a variety of colors and designs. Anything ranging from butterfly, t-dye to camouflage print. We also go up to 4XL for adults”.
How it all began: “I lost my 32 year old husband three days after September 11, 2001 after a 5 year battle with melanoma. Based on that experience I wanted to make a difference, and help people understand why sun protection is so important. We used to bring back rash guards from Hawaii (A rash guard also known as a rash vest is a type of athletic shirt made of spandex and nylon or polyester), and our friends kept asking us to bring some back for them. There were no swim shirts back then and all of a sudden I just realized “This is a no brainer, and the idea to UVskinz was born.”
New products in development: “We are launching a full zipper swim shirt for people with limited movement or disabilities.”
Inspiration: “My husband and his battle with melanoma. Prevention at an early age is so important, and I wanted to create an easy fix for parents and their children.
Proudest moment: “We have lots of them. Having Marcia Cross from Desperate Housewives endorse our swim shirts was a great one. I love when I receive letters from customers and read how thankful they are for our products. A lot of people have no idea how dangerous it is to be outside in the sun without protection, and it makes me happy when I read that we have touched somebody’s life”.
What do you want your customers to know about your business: “We are dedicated 110%. We are trying to change the way people think about sun protection, and that is what I feel that we do with every piece sold”.
