While I have yet to discern the secret behind why Egyptians don’t perspire, I have been able to find a solution to my own outpourings, and it comes by the name of Under Armour. Essentially they make athletic clothing, hence my being unawares of their existence. A friend here told me of their “HeatGear” clothing line which “wicks” away moisture (i.e., prevents sweat stains). Dubiously I purchased a t-shirt from their outlet section and I am delighted to announce that after a two-hour excursion wandering around Maadi, temperatures reaching 101 degrees – performing various errands such as “Buy red pen,” “Visit iron welder furniture maker,” “Look for small trash can with lid for ‘compost’ trash” – I arrived home with not a drop showing on my new magical shirt. Now, my hairline was soaked and my forearms looked like they’d been dunked, but I could not have been happier with my new miracle shirt. I promptly jumped online and bought three more (from the outlet section, of course).

While I’m sharing my new-product joys, I would also like to tell of two other products that I’ve found very useful in high-heat and astronomical-temperature situations. Coppertone sunscreen makes UltraGuard: Continuous Spray. It’s great because it’s 50 SPF, it’s applied via an aerosol, so there’s no goopy lotion, it’s waterproof, kid-friendly (so I’ve been told), offers broad spectrum (UVB and UVA) protection, and it doesn’t make you all oily. (I found that a similar product from a company named after a yellow fruit monkeys love, cannot assert the same non-oily claim.)

Neutrogena’s Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock, SPF 70, is great for faces. It’s also non-oily and essentially feels like a face cream. Now, I am receiving no endorsements from any of these companies, but felt I’d like to pass along my positive experiences with their products (and if anyone has connections that could lead to possible endorsements, please feel free to pass along my contact info).