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Sunscreen In The Fight Against Aging
It is officially summertime! And while I always always ALWAYS urge my Beauty Mates to wear sunscreen, now is PRIME TIME because I know how many of you are hitting the beach, BBQing, and laying out by the pool. Most of my readers are here for the same reason: they want to take good care of their skin! And a big part of that idea is that they would like to reverse or slow down certain signs of aging. Going beyond the typical cautions of the sun is the fact that it will age your skin significantly if you don't use proper prevention. Don't believe me? CLICK HERE for a video example of the effects of the sun!
WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A SUNSCREEN
Everyone should be wearing sunscreen, whether you worry about aging or not. I'm sure you've heard it all before, but of course I don't think anyone can be too safe when it comes to preventing skin cancer. So, what do you look for when purchasing a sunscreen?
- Always Use "Broad Spectrum", and protects from both UVA and UVB rays! Some will protect against one or the other. And to get a true anti-aging benefit while preventing skin cancer, you are going to need both.
- Choose Products For On-The-Go. For beach days, any size works. But for regular days out-and-about I am incredibly partial to Colorescience Sunforgettable Mineral Powder Brush SPF 50 for retouching my face and COOLA's MineralSport SPF30 Citrus Mimosa for retouching my body. An added bonus? My COOLA Sunscreen smells absolutely delicious!
- Always Read The Directions! I know this sounds silly, but it is important to know how often to reapply your product. This is especially important if you will be splashing around in the ocean or at the pool!
- Use a Minimum SPF of 15! Anything between SPF2 and 14 can only prevent sunburn. This means your skin can still receive damage, and your risk of skin cancer is still there. I personally recommend a minimum of SPF20.
- Wait at Least 30 Minutes before exposing your skin to the sun! Yes, even if the bottle says "starts working immediately". The fact is, it takes 30 minutes for the sunscreen to start providing you protection.
- Shop for Your Skin Type! If you have oily or combo skin, odds are you don't enjoy the "greasy" feel that comes with sunscreens. Opt for an oil free formula, or even ones with "mattifying" properties. One of my favorites is Image Skincare's Prevention+ Daily Matte Moisturizer SPF32.
- Say "YES" to Zinc Oxide. The "micronized" kind will leave you skin looking much better than straight Zinc Oxide, while still giving you fabulous protection.
All in all, you want to get yourself the best protection possible. Luckily for you, there are many products on today's market that work, feel, and smell absolutely wonderful! Some of my personal favorite brands include: COOLA, Colorscience, Eminence Organics, Image Skincare, Epicuren, Dermalogica, Jan Marini, and Rhonda Allison.
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