skincaregoodies

Oh, that is just so not true.  Please don’t fall for higher SPFs!

Goodness, the sun is flaming hot in this picture.

According to CosmeticCops.com, there are three types of ultraviolet (UV) rays:
UVA rays - penetrates skin deeply and enough to alter pigmentation on your skin to give you that tan you have always wanted

UVB rays -  primary sunburn rays because they are capable of damaging our skin’s DNA and cause all sorts of problems such as skin cancer and photoaging; 

UVC rays - absorbed by the atmosphere and doesn’t reach all the way to the ground

Be SPF smart!

Use  SPF(SunProtectionFactor) of at least 15.

SPF 15 blocks 93%
SPF 30 blocks 97% (magic number as some people say)
SPF 50 blocks 98% 

Now the truth
HIGHER SPF DOES NOT MEAN BETTER SUN PROTECTION

Just a few more tips

Sunscreen needs to be reapplied every few hours and throughout the day even if it’s a cloudy day.

Layering with SPF products does not make a “sum” of SPF protection.  Say you use a moisturizer with SPF15 and then a foundation with SPF15 - that does not add up to SPF30!!  You are still getting a protection of SPF15 but you’re just doubling the amount of SPF applied, so that just means your skin is better protected.

Now that we have demystified this myth: Is SPF100 really necessary or better? Nope, doesn’t make that much difference because SPF50 already protects 98% of the UV rays.

Learn more about the sun from my previous posts by clicking here and here!

Source: http://www.cosmeticscop.com/true-or-false-20-beauty-myths.aspx

Picture courtesy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun

Just a quick Food for Thought: Organic food is defined by the way “farmers grow and process agricultural products “ and such practices are “designed to encourage soil and water conservation and reduce pollution”. (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/organic-food/NU00255)

 When the words ORGANIC and NATURAL are used in skin care, it is actually not as “organic” and “natural” as it sounds.  

Natural ingredients are derived from naturally occurring compound and not altered/changed artificially through synthetic processes.

Organic ingredients are derived from plants grown without the use of synthetic chemicals such as pesticides and inorganic preservatives. But this says nothing.   

Skin care product labeling is not very well-regulated so sometimes these labels can be deceiving - that’s okay, you’re not  the only one; I was deceived too.

Sure, their ingredient list would list natural ingredients but here’s a few things to look out for:
1. Order of listing - Usually, the  first three to five ingredients in product labels  are highest in concentration and tells you most of what makes up the product.  If these natural ingredients are listed almost at the end then you would have wasted money thinking that you are getting the most out of these natural and organic ingredients.

2. Natural & Organic Ingredients - Even if the ingredients are listed in higher concentration (higher order of listing), it still doesn’t mean better because even natural ingredients can be irritating or even UNSAFE on our skin. Click here to see the list of unsafe natural ingredients.

3. Not as stable as you think - sometimes, active natural ingredients such as yogurt may not be as stable and are harder to preserve against bacteria than synthetic raw materials.  (Cosmetic Cops)

4. Product Labeling - Organic products have the USDA Organic seal on it and any product with the word “natural” loosely translates to a product with natural ingredients that could or could not be safe for usage on skin.

Just an FYI:
“The FDA defines a natural ingredient as one that is extracted from a plant or animal product (instead of being formulated synthetically, or in a lab). However, because the process for labeling natural products is not regulated by the FDA, any company can label a product as “natural” without clinical data that supports the efficacy or safety of its claims.” (http://www.skinmedica.com/beautytalk/natural-skincare-ingredients-the-truth-behind-the-buzz)

Sources:
http://www.cosmeticscop.com/are-natural-and-organic-ingredients-better-for-your-skin.aspx
http://www.skinmedica.com/beautytalk/natural-skincare-ingredients-the-truth-behind-the-buzz
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/organic-food/NU00255

Picture courtesy of:
http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/simplegetfile?dID=89443&dDocName=STELDEV3015012&url=/stelprdc5/groups/internet/@amspw/@nop/@nopgeninfo/documents/web_content/steldev3015012.jpg&sGroup=Internet&dType=WEB_CONTENT&wf=
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KVt_qCScBs0/Tb7g6BFGoKI/AAAAAAAAA0Y/N2N55NYQMfU/s1600/Blog-NATURAL-SKIN-CARE-PRODUCTS.jpg 

I once read somewhere that applying toothpaste to acne will kill it. If you ever tried it, which I did, toothpaste gives you a burning feeling after application. I should have known better after my unpleasant experiences with astringent products. Toothpaste actually contains many whitening and bleaching ingredients - imagine applying that to your face, no wonder it’s irritating.

Picture courtesy: http://www.ecoerth.com

Source: http://www.cosmeticscop.com/true-or-false-20-beauty-myths.aspx

I love (almost) everything about Sabon - the packaging, shopping experience, body scrubs and body moisturizers. 

My first Sabon experience was in Boston, but unfortunately the store closed down… So here I was again in Sabon but in NYC.  The Sabon experience is typically a set of procedures where the sales walk customers through a series of exfoliation and moisturizing by their handcrafted Jerusalem stone fountain in the middle of the store.    

From a marketing standpoint, this is a great way to convert sales since customers get to try the product on-the-spot and trust me, their body scrubs really are amazing and makes you want to buy them!

The Sabon Experience

Step 1: body scrub trial on hands - jasmine and rose tea are my personal favorites

Step 2: creamy scrub - carrot - not as harsh and their salt particles are smaller

Step 3: lavender body oil - absorbs very well on damp skin and great body moisturizer for dry skin in winter

Step 4: organic shea butter

Step 5: facial cream which I do not remember

Step 6: eye cream which I do not remember either

The scrub treatment effectively exfoliates your layer of dead and dull skin and the best part is you can immediately feel its effect.  Your hands will instantly feel softer to the touch.

The body oil and organic shea butter were both great complements to the body scrub as your hands will absorb that moisture after exfoliation.

My only concern is their facial products because of the strong fragrance and their website only lists key ingredients, which is not very helpful because it could mean it is included in the product in small concentration or there are other irritating ingredients.

I am loving my purchases, although I wasn’t sure I liked the shea butter smell at first but I got so used to it now that it doesn’t smell so bad anymore.

Shopping at Sabon reminded me so much of how I want to work in the skin care industry and one day be able to provide the best of all worlds: great and EFFECTIVE product (without fradulent claims) and help customers become smart shoppers. If you haven’t heard or tried, go see for yourself!

Picture sources: http://sabonnyc.com/

DIY Hydration Hair Mask
3 tbsp olive oil + 2 eggs

1. Apply

2. Wrap with plastic wrap, shower cap or plastic bag

3. Careful of the dripping!

4. RINSE THOROUGHLY.

IMPORTANT: Rinse thoroughly with shampoo several times if necessary. Wash with anti-residue shampoo if needed.

Note: I accidentally used canola instead of olive oil but my hair still felt rather moisturizing.

Why it became a mess when it shouldn’t be? I was in a hurry to class and did not wash it off properly which left an oily “aftereffect”.

My thoughts? Rather moisturizing but not good enough.  Boston is really too dry.  Thinking of trying out formulas with almond oil or avocado (check out http://www.organicauthority.com/delicious-beauty/diy-homemade-hair-mask-hair-treatment.html)

Source: http://www.beautyhigh.com/care5-easy-diy-masks/)

If you are in your early twenties, like me, anti-aging does sound a bit intimidating.

But think again, on average, women’s skin starts “going downhill” (aka losing skin elasticity and slowed collagen production) anywhere from your mid- to late-twenties. Now I’m scared because that means I only have several more years of youthful skin before it’s too late (well, nothing’s too late, but you know what I mean).

So…anti-aging. It makes sense, those products help you anti-age and is not meant to be used when you are experiencing aging skin.

Besides products, there are some measures you can take to delay aging skin:

1. Sunscreen
I cannot emphasize any more on the importance of sunscreen. I used to hate sunscreen because it was so greasy, but not until I found matte sunscreens like Peter Thomas Roth’s uber dry sunscreen spf30 Sunscreen helps protect from free radicals wrecking havoc on your skin. Remember, SPF30 is the magic number.

2. Moisturizing
When your skin ages, it loses elasticity, moisture and collagen, so naturally your skin would sag. If you have dry skin, take action now! If you have oily skin like me, consider yourself blessed because your excess oil production aka sebum keeps your skin naturally moisturized and delays wrinkles.

3. Beauty from Inside-Out
A healthy diet, of course, helps your skin stay youthful. Remember to load up on foods with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants such as fruits and vegetables. Finally, anti-aging does not so bad after all.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?When-You-Should-Start-Using-Anti-Aging-Products&id=4668043

Just kidding:)

Sleeping positions can lead to wrinkles, says the American Academy of Dermatology.  When your face is resting against the pillow in the same position for a long time, lines will start forming.  At first, the lines will disappear for a while, but once you continually sleep on your side, the lines will come back!

Please don’t fret.
Remedy #1: Adjust sleeping postures
I was sad to learn about this because I am a side sleeper too! But sleeping on your  back will be the easiest way to prevent sleep wrinkles.

Remedy #2: Rotate sleeping positions
Sleep on your back.
Sleep on your right.
Sleep on your left.
Rotate.
Okay, really, we are not that mechanical, but if you can, it might just help prevent sleep wrinkles.

Remedy #3: Soft pillows or silk/satin pillowcases
Soft pillows and silk or satin pillowcases put less pressure on your face while sleeping.

I would probably go for this one. Soft pillow, check. Silk pillowcase, nope - feels like a bit of a luxury when the things I use are not that fancy, but I might try that out sometime.

Source:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/177990-the-best-way-to-reduce-sleep-wrinkles/#ixzz1r6Ymrqcr

Picture from:
http://www.crowsfeetcupcakesandcellulite.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/sharpei-puppies.jpg 

As previously mentioned, the sun emits harmful UV light rays are absorbed by our skin, UVA and UVB light.  But don’t underestimate UVA, it can actually travel through windows into your office, home and car.  Don’t let the sun induce free radicals and remember to wear sunscreen!!