Le Soleil

Today was 81 degrees and sunny. It was amazing. I walked around Central Park for not-long-enough (20 minutes). I had been outside for maybe 1 1/2 hours in all, much of it spent in the shade, and I started to turn a little pink. After putting on a little sunscreen this morning as always. It got me to thinking.

A week or two ago a mystery commenter asked me to write a blog about sunscreens (being an official Seph0ra consultant), since summer is coming up. BAM, delivered.

First, here are some fun facts I have learned through my company's education program:

- up to 90% of the visible changes commonly attributed to aging are actually caused by the SUN. The NUMBER ONE thing you can do to prevent aging is use a sunscreen every day.

-melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in young adults aged 15-29.

- one blistering sunburn in childhood or adolescence more than doubles a person's chances of developing melanoma later in life.

- one in five Americans will develop skin cancer during the course of a lifetime.

The majority (94%) of UV rays that reach the earth are UVA, the rays that caused skin wrinkling, leathering, sagging, fine lines, uneven skin tone, hyperpigmentation, breakdown of collagen and elastin, etc. UVA rays can and do penetrate through cloud cover, and UVA rays are also emitted by computer screens and indoor lighting, which is why it's important to wear SPF EVERY DAY (not just in the summer, and not just when you go outside). UVB rays are the rays responsible for burning. (So when a tanning salon tells you that your skin won't be harmed by the rays they are using, the UVA rays which don't burn, what they're really telling you is that the rays they are using are AGING rays so you will lose that lovely elasticity in your skin all the sooner. LOTS OF DAMAGE, DON'T GO TO A TANNING SALON.)

The SPF rating tells you how long the sunscreen has the ability to protect, not the potency of the protection. Reapply EVERY TWO HOURS as a general rule. The recommended amount is 1 TBS for the face, 1 oz. for the body. Using less will cut down the amount of time you can wait before reapplying. SPF ratings apply to UVB rays, which cause skin to burn, and not to UVA rays. Therefore, in order to get adequate protection against both rays, you must use a sunscreen that provides broad-spectrum protection, not just a sunscreen with a high SPF. All physical sunscreens (titanium dioxide, zinc oxide) are automatically broad spectrum. Not so with chemical sunscreens, they usually protect against UVA or UVB, not both simultaneously. This is why products often have more than one sunscreen ingredient in them.

Using a moisturizer that has SPF 15, and a foundation that has SPF 15, does not = SPF 30. It will only equal the highest SPF in one or the other of the products, in this case 15.

Here are some of my favorite sun products, in no particular order:

This is the must-have-in-bag-at-all-times item. It's a powder that you can buff on over your makeup. In the morning I think it's easiest to slather on a good lotiony sunscreen, and after putting so much effort into my makeup in the morning, why would I want to disturb said makeup with a sunscreen lotion? Enter PTR Mineral SPF30! And it mattifies to boot.

This was our Best of Seph0ra sunscreen last year (and the year before I believe), which I think is saying a lot. That's when our clients vote for their favorite sunscreen. It's easy, powerful, and doesn't weigh heavily on the skin. Shiseido in general has a lot of fantastic sunscreening products, such as a sunscreen for the delicate eye area, a sunscreen for the lips, (one of the areas most prone to skin cancer since people forget to protect it and some lip glosses and lipsticks augment the unhealthy effects of the sun), and sunscreens for the face and body.

For those clients who prefer to stick to Natural skincare products (myself included), my favorite natural sunscreen is by Ole Henriksen. He actually created two, the one you see here for dry skin with green tea and grapeseed oil in it (great antioxidants for further free-radical protection), and shea butter for moisture. And one with chamomile and algae extract for oily skin. They feel great, and look great, and are free of parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrance, synthetic dyes, petrochemicals, phthalates, and triclosan.

For those with oily or acne-prone skin this is a great choice. Dermadoctor always has a great blend of ingredients that utilizes plenty of antioxidants for free-radical protection. This product also has willow bark extract, the natural form of salicylic acid, to help clean out your pores. And it mattifies to keep your skin from getting oily. Very multi-tasky.

This is an easy choice for the body. The bottle sprays 360 degrees, so you can turn it upside down while you spray your back or your legs. Quick and easy.

This is not a sunscreen. This is the best after-sun product. It's a Yogurt Cooling Gel from Korres. Korres is one of my favorite skincare brands because they're natural, and they're from Greece. Korres started in the pharmacies of Greece, and uses homeopathic remedies from its homeland. Yogurt is very soothing and hydrating for the skin. After a few days of 60-90 degree weather in NYC, countless people have been walking through our store doors with sunburns, and I just want to hand them all this. It's so soothing, especially if you keep it in the refrigerator, and helps a burn heal faster and with less peeling.

Bottom line: wear sunscreen every day, and reapply regularly. Your skin and vanity will thank you in 20 years, and you will spend less in the future on anti-aging products trying to fix the damage you let happen to you.