Thursday, May 6, 2010

Protect your Skin!

Here Comes the Sun!
May is Melanoma Month

Your skin is your body's largest organ and there are no refunds -- you live in it your whole life. You need to protect it both internally and externally. It is essential to apply sun protection everyday to avoid environmental damage.
A SPF (sun protection factor) of 15 is suitable for daily use but when you are spending many hours in the sun it is important to up the SPF to 30. One of the biggest misconceptions of using a SPF higher than 30 is that you will have higher or longer protection. In reality there is only a 2-3%difference in protection. You should re-apply every two hours (increase frequency if you're sweating, turning pink or swimming).
Skin cancer and blistering aside ~ sun damage is the #1 cause of premature aging, wrinkles and unsightly discoloured skin. This damage can lay dormant for 10-20 years... just in time for you to be worrying about "looking your age"! Put sun damage at bay with these tips from our resident Skin Expert Tazeem Jamal:

1. We're repeating ourselves because it's important: slather on the sunscreen and reapply frequently. If your in and out of the water or vigorously exercising then apply every 1-2 hours, otherwise at least every 2-3 hours. Remember according to the AAD (American Academy of Dermatology) not using enough sunscreen and not reapplying it is almost as bad as not wearing it at all because the product starts to break down in the environment it creates more free radicals. People with lighter skin color have lower amounts of melanin which causes them to burn more easily... If you're alabaster, re-apply faster!

2. Use a broad spectrum sun product with a physical screen such as titanium & zinc oxide, because these will cause little or no irritation to the skin or eyes. Check out our extensive collection of sun-care products that contain the physical screens that are recommended by AAD, including our latest product, Tinted Mineral SPF 15, that contains Smart Colour Technology, to blend in with your skins natural pigment.Another added way to give the skin protection is mineral make up~ Check out our CRUSH make up line or come in for a complimentary application.

3. Choose your diet wisely, including supplements and increase your consumption of lycopene (tomatoes are a great source) and green tea. Antioxidants help fight off free radicals. GliSODin Skin Brightening Formula is very high in lycopene and helps addresses already existing skin pigmentation too! Check out our May promotion for up to $20 OFF!

4. Take extra precautions around water, snow and sand as they reflect the damaging rays of the sun a lot more and can increase the chances of burning. You can easily get burnt in overcast weather if you stay in the sun for too long

5. Avoid the tanning beds at all costs. We call them "glass coffins" as the UV radiation can damage the skin cells. These beds provide a false sense of protection - at least the sun provides vitamin D! If you really must use them before a vacation, then cover your face & wear a sunscreen on your skin BEFORE tanning.