While I fully support the sentiment of this campaign which is to wean women off their penchant for sunbeds, which we all know are a bad thing, I really don’t love the name of it at all. I can see that it is suppposed to be a hard-hitter, and the fact that I’m reacting at all to it means it is probably doing its job, but I have to say that I strongly object to the word ‘ugly’ used in any capacity surrounding women, beauty and skin. If they’d called it R UV STUPID, I’d be less offended. It’s just not a good word to bandy around and attach to women for any reason, especially from a charity.
Anyway, in conjunction with skin clinic, sk:n, there are free skin assessments in the run up for Christmas that normally cost £25. They’ll use specialist skin-scanning technology to highlight hidden damage to the skin caused by overexposure to UV and sun. The stats speak for themselves when it comes to sun damage – using a sunbed for the first time before the age of 35 increases the risk of melanoma by 75%. Using a sunbed once a month or more increases the risk of melanoma by more than 50%. You do not want a melanoma; at worst it can kill you, at best doctors will carve a huge chunk of flesh out of your face/body in order to contain it and there is nothing in the world that can disguise that.
Now that there is new legislation banning under 18s from using sunbeds, this goes some way I hope to making people think twice before using them. They’re categorically not a good thing; and while you might feel you look better because your skin is browner, in fact you are doing untold damage to your complexion and skin that you will wear on your face and body for the rest of your life. I don’t think, though, that being silly enough to use a sunbed, or past use of sunbeds and over tanning should label anyone ugly. And if you have an assessment and find damage, are you then ugly? I think the problem is that this has been presented in a way that labels the women and their sun damaged complexions ugly and not the sunbeds that caused the problem. Back to the drawing board I think. I also reckon that once sun damage is confirmed, there will be something of a hard sell on products to undo the ‘damage’. I don’t know it, of course, but I’d be surprised if sk:n are doing free assessments with no hope of any gains.
To book an R UV UGLY? skin assessment, please call 0800 822 3037 or
go to Facebook on http://on.fb.me/R_UV_UGLY
To support the campaign, you can also tweet:
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All products are sent to me as samples from brands and agencies unless otherwise stated. Affiliate links may be used. Posts are not affiliate driven.
5 comments
Wasn’t aware of this campaign, but I totally agree with you on the use of “ugly.” I also really hate text-speak! Shiver.
I would consider stupid much worse than ugly! I suppose it depends whether you’d have your looks or brain insulted.
I completely agree; it’s a nasty way of getting a good message across.
Afternoon BBB
I agree could have worded better
I am pale &pround, but don’t have the pressure young women are under now!
The only good thing about not sunbathing & sunbed use is I hardly have any wrinkles
joy x
I agree that no woman should be called ugly, especially not by a campaign, but wholeheartedly disagree that being called stupid wouldn’t be as bad. I value my looks, but I like to think I value my brains just as much!
Lovely blog all in all though! I stumbled across this while researching release dates for the Naked Palette 2 in the UK and have been excited to read UK specific beauty news!