Should I moisturize?

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I am asked this question often, usually by men and women with oily skin so I thought that I would address it here for the benefit of everyone.

“Should I moisturize my face?”

The answer is yes, everyone should moisturize.

Men and women’s skin differ in many ways because of the facial hair in men and hormone levels in women which can affect the skin. However, on a very basic level, human skin needs to be cleansed, toned, and moisturized twice a day – first thing in the morning and before going to bed at night.  

Moisturizers work in many ways, but they primarily:

1. Hydrate the skin

2. Replenish the natural oils lost from the skin after cleansing

The type of moisturizer you choose would depend on your skin type and skin condition.

A quick guide for choosing a moisturizer:

Normal -Dry skin: Moisturizers for this skin type are usually called ‘creams’. They are of a thick consistency (do not flow) and are better suited for dry skin as they contain the oils that dry skins lack.

Normal – Oily skin: Moisturizers for this skin type are usually referred to as ‘lotions’ or ‘fluids’. They are water based and have a fluid consistency. These products indicate ‘Water/ Agua’ as the first ingredient on the list of ingredients on their label. This means that, by volume, the product contains mostly water. These products are ideal for oily skin (skin that lacks water)

Combination skin: It is not uncommon for combination skin to feel drier during some parts of the year (ex. winter) and oilier during other parts (ex. summer). Generally lotions or fluid type moisturizers work well for combination skin, however during there are times when cream moisturizers would be better suited.

If you are unsure of what your skin type is, a qualified esthetician can assist you through performing a skin consultation, which is normally offered as a complimentary service.

Hope this helps!

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Slip, Slop, Slap, and Wrap

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We’ve all been there.

 An advertisement highlighting the damaging effects of the sun comes on and we think back to the time we wanted  a tan so badly we slathered our limbs with baby oil and beached ourselves on the sand.

 We’ve since, hopefully, learnt that this is not a good idea, and so we retired the baby oil and moved to the tanning  oil, the SPF 2 one.

Someone mentioned that this upgrade wasn’t a really much of one so we further upgraded to a SPF 15, the only problem is that we never remember to apply it the how-many-hours-before sun exposure and the how-many-hours-after being exposed to the sun.

We usually find some crafty reason we didn’t use sunscreen this morning with/in our moisturizer but the truth is that we really don’t think it’s that important because we protect ourselves otherwise, besides it’s not like we are beaching ourselves on the sand for the whole day. 

I was researching some info for SunKissed beauty the other day and came across this interesting list of sun exposure myths on sunsmart.org.nz .It’s a website from New Zealand (trust me to find it) so I’ve adapted it a bit. They have identified the top sun exposure myths as follows:

It’s not possible to get sunburnt on cloudy days.

False. You can get sunburnt on cloudy days as some ultraviolet radiation (UVR) penetrates cloud cover. Under partly cloudy skies UVR levels can be high, and even increase, due to reflection from clouds.

The wind burnt me, not the sun.

False. It is UVR from the sun that causes skin to burn. Wind lowers the temperature of the air making it easy to forget that the UVR from the sun is still strong.

I tan easily so my skin is less likely to be damaged.

False. Any exposure to UVR has the potential to cause skin damage. Burning and peeling are signs some damage has already occurred – even if it turns into a tan. The tan you develop won’t protect you from the harmful effects of the sun.

I can’t get sunburnt through glass.

False. Glass reduces but does not block transmission of all UVR. It typically transmits about 10 percent of the UVR. People who spend long periods in a car, or next to a window receiving direct sunlight should use sun protection.

I have had sunburn but now I protect my skin, so I am safe from developing skin cancer.

False. You can’t undo any damage that may have already occurred to your skin but you should prevent future sunburn to minimise any further risk.

Sunscreen blocks out the sun.

False. Sunscreen should not be used as a means of staying out in the sun longer. When exposure to the summer sun is unavoidable, sunscreen is the last line of defence to reduce the risk of sun damage to your skin. No sunscreen will completely shield you from the effects of UVR. Many people apply sunscreen at less than the recommended thickness, so reducing its effectiveness.

People with tans or dark skin don’t sunburn.

False. If your skin turns brown it is a sign of sun damage – even if there is no redness or peeling. If you tan easily or have dark skin you are still at risk of skin cancer and should use sun protection.

‘Burn time’ is 20 minutes therefore I am safe in the sun within this timeframe.

False. A time indication for how long it will take your skin to burn is not accurate, so really there is no such thing as ‘burn time’. People have different skin types and therefore some burn quicker than others. 

Suntans are healthy.

False. There is no such thing as a safe or healthy tan. It does not improve your body’s ability to protect yourself from the sun. Some exposure to the sun for vitamin D is healthy, but most people get enough vitamin D through normal daily activity – even with sun protection.

I’m sure this was not a mean attempt to freak people out but it might as well have been.

They do suggest that you slip, slop, slap and wrap…. Interesting, I like i.e. 

SLIP on a shirt
SLOP on some sunscreen
SLAP on a hat and
WRAP on a pair of sunglasses.

Reminds me of that ‘SlapChop’ commercial on TV where the guy says “Making America thinner, one SLAP at a time!” LOL. If only.

Source: SunSmart

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Sunkissed beauty 

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Sunkissed beauty

Fall is here and the last of the brilliant summer days have long gone. For my fellow temperate climate earthlings, this is an unfortunate reality. For everyone basking in tropical paradise on permanent vacay… live it up!

The body does need sufficient amounts of UVRs in order to generate Vitamin D. A study by the University of California-San Diego School of Medicine shows that vitamin D has been found to help boost the immune system in its attempt to heal wounds (here), good stuff! Low levels of Vitamin D/ light have also been found to be associated with depression (here), not-so-good stuff. So this is not meant to address moderate sun exposure but rather sun-exposure as a sport.

What are ultraviolet rays?

The sun gives energy in the form of light waves of different lengths and intensity. The sunlight we see is called visible light. Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is located just above visible light. UVR is divided into different energy levels from longest to shortest wavelengths: UVA, UVB and UVC. (Olay)

UVA rays can be considered as ‘Aging rays’ (Think A=Aging). They have the least energy but penetrate the most deeply into the skin. It has been reported to be the least associated with skin cancer, but if delivered in high dosages can cause skin cancer, allergic and non-allergic sun-induced eruptions, darkening and pigmentation of the skin (a skin condition of great concern for darker skins, also seen as ‘freckles’ on fair to medium complexions), and acceleration of the aging process. After chronic, long-term exposure, the skin may appear dry, scaly, spotted, wrinkled and leathery.

UVB rays can be considered to be the “Burning rays” (again think B= Burn). They are the rays most responsible for imparting what is referred to as a ‘tan’, the bronzing effect. In excess, these rays can cause sunburn and can also lead to the development of certain skin cancers and are the most potent rays to reach the earth.

Which brings us to UVC rays. These rays are of the shortest wavelength, carry the most energy and are the most damaging. Fortunately they are blocked out by the ozone layer, as there is no defence against these rays by the skin. The degradation of the ozone can of course be an issue in the future. Makes you think.

The skin and its response to ultraviolet rays

One of the fundamental properties of skin is its ability to respond to UVRs. UVRs emitted from tanning beds can be just as damaging as those emitted from the sun, or even more so as you are less likely to be concerned about the effects of the UVR when you are paying to get it. Who doesn’t want to get their money’s worth? How about that complementary extra 10 minutes at the tanning salon?…

Redness, also known as erythema is the skin’s first visible signal that the skin is in jeopardy. The first *DING DING DING* alarm. It signals to the individual that you may want to head inside now and shows that the immune system is active and that the healing process has begun. Redness is usually more visible in skin types I to III and less obvious in skin types IV to VI. In the darker skin types, however the individual may experience a warming sensation on the skin.

Tanning is the second pigmentary response to UVR rays and is really a signal from the skin saying:

 “Okay then… you wanna play it like that and ignore me, fine. I’ll have to bring out the battalion.” The alarm has been sounded; all defences are up. Skin is now in overdrive.

During tanning, the skin facilitates the development of darker skin on regions of the body exposed to UVR rays. The lighter the complexion, the more the skin has to compensate for it than it does for darker complexions, all UVRs being equal. This is because darker complexions can have up to as much protection as a sunscreen of a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) 15. Sunburns are a result of the skin being stretched beyond its capacity to repair itself.

The term ‘healthy tan’ is an oxymoron; a combination of two normally contradicting terms, which in this case is normally said in error.

Didn’t think getting bronzed ‘n sexy was so complicated huh?

Tropical paradises are lovely. There is something about the yummy-ness of feeling we get when the sun hits the body, that ‘happy’ feeling… sigh.

Moderation the key. So let us act like we know.

Sources: Olay,  SunSmart, Vitamin D, Notes.

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