Hi,

Sunscreens are an essential ingredient of any skin care regimen. However, there are still many myths and misconceptions surrounding their use. Here are some of the most popular myths that I have come across regarding sunscreens.

Myth: People with Dark Skin don\’t need to use Sunscreens!

Fact: False!
Regardless of the complexion, all people need to wear sunscreen because all sorts of complexion can burn under sunlight. People with dark skin have more melanin and therefore don\’t need a higher SPF as light-skinned people. However, the extra melanin contents cannot protect against the damaging UV rays. They are just as prone to sun damage, premature aging and skin cancer as anyone else. People with dark skin need to wear sunscreen with at least SPF 15.

Myth: Sunlight can give you amazing Highlights

Fact: False!
The sun is as bad for your hair as it is for your skin. The highlights that you get on your hair because of sun exposure and are actually signs of sun damage. The hair would become dry and lose all its sheen and luster if exposed to sun for long periods of time. This would further lead to breakage. Therefore, use UV shielding hair care products whenever you venture out in the sun. Try to wear a hat too.

Myth: Tanning can zap zits!

Fact:False!
Even though tanning can camouflage the redness of a pimple and make them dry faster, exposure to sunlight would worsen the condition and promote more acne and breakouts. The dead skin cells that clog the skin pores get accumulated on the skin surface. The sun subsequently dehydrates the skin which prompts the oil glands to produce more oil. This would lead to new pimples.

Myth: Anything higher than SPF 30 is not necessary!

Fact: False!
SPF 30 guarantees 96% protection while SPF 50 guarantees 98% protection. The difference is only marginal. That is why people feel that anything higher than SPF 30 is not worth the price and added chemicals

Hi,

Here are some essential items you should always have with you when you venture out (or even stay indoors) during the summer so your skin is well protected.

Sunscreens
Sunscreens become absolutely indispensable during the summer. Not to say that you don’t need sunscreen the rest of the year, but you need to you use more and be more diligent during the summer months. Use a broad spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher and apply it all over every exposed area of your body at least 15-20 minutes before you go out in the sun. Also, don\’t forget to carry it with you and reapply after every 4 hours, especially if you are out on the beach, park, exercising or swimming.. Try iS Clinical SPF 20 Powder Sunscreen. It is a powder sunscreen that you can just dab over your face with a brush. It applies easy and won’t breakdown in the warm car or purse.

Moisturizers
Summer time is all about sweat and heat. However, it is still important to moisturize your face as the skin tends to become dry as a result of excessive heat. Instead of rich creamy moisturizers that you use in winter, switch to a light-weight oil-free moisturizer for the summer. This will help your skin remain soft and supple and prevent any heat rashes. Try using Kinerase HydraBoost Intensive Treatment. It moisturizes the skin without making it too oily and greasy.

Lip Balms with SPF
Apart from your skin, it is also important to protect your lips against the harsh rays of the sun. hot weather can make the lips dry and chapped. Therefore, apply a nourishing lip balm that has SPF 15 or more. This helps keep lips supple and protected from damage.

Hi,

There is a popular misconception among people that higher the Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of a sunscreen, the better it will be able to protect against sunlight. While this may be true in theory, practically it is not possible. There have been several studies that have proven that sunscreens with SPF 50+ are just as effective as a sunscreen with an SPF 30.

What is SPF?
SPF or Sun Protection Factor is a formula to measure a sunscreens\’ ability to protect the skin from damage by UV radiation from the sun. If your skin burns after 20 minutes under the sun, a sunscreen with SPF 15 will protect your skin for 15 times longer. Thus, you can stay in the sun for 300 minutes without getting damaged.

UVB Protection
Sunscreens with SPF 15 and above generally provide superior protection against UVB radiation of from sun. Generally, SPF 15 filters out 93% of UVB rays, SPF 30 filters 97% and SPF 50 filters 98% of UVB radiation.

UVA Protection
Not all sunscreens that protect against UVB rays, protect against UVA rays. Therefore, it is important to check if the sunscreen has UVA protective ingredients like avobenzone, oxybenzone, mexoryl, zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.

Efficiency of Sunscreens
The efficiency of sunscreens depends on how you use the product more than their SPF. Here are some tips to apply sunscreen so you can extract the maximum benefits.

• Apply sunscreens all over every exposed area of your body at least 15-20 minutes before you go out in the sun so that it is absorbed well into the skin.
• Reapply the sunscreen every two to four hours or whenever possible, especially after physically stressful activities like exercising, swimming, hiking, etc.
• Apply a thick coat of sunscreen so that you are well protected against the harsh UV radiations of the sunlight.

Hi,

SPF or ‘Sun Protection Factor’ is a determining measure of the ability of a sunscreen to prevent sun damage. There is a widespread misconception that the higher the SPF of a sunscreen, the better the protection it offers. However, that’s not the case.

What Is SPF?
SPF is the ability of the sunscreen to protect against harsh sun rays before any damage is caused to the skin. If you can remain in the sunlight without getting burnt for about 30 minutes, then an SPF 15 product will increase the time you can spend in the sun 15 times more. That is, you can safely stay out in the sun for 30 X 15= 450 minutes.That is more than 7 hours. Now let’s talk about the 2 different Rays the sun emits.

UVB Rays
Sunscreens protect the skin against the harmful UVB rays of the sun. The UVB rays penetrate the skin surface and cause intrinsic damage. As a result, the skin begins to sag and deteriorate.

UVA Rays
Most sunscreen offer protection against UVB rays. Only some protect against UVA rays as well. Look for UVA-protective ingredients such as avobenzone, oxybenzone, mexoryl, zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. This ensures broad-spectrum protection.

Tips to Apply Sunscreen

• Shake the sunscreen container well before use so that all the active particles get mixed properly.
• Make sure you apply the sunscreen all over your face, behind ears, on the neck, hands,arms and decolletage.
• Always apply sunscreen about 15-30 minutes before venturing out in the sun.
• Make sure you re-apply the sunscreen after every two to three hours, especially so if you have done any activities that can wash it off like swimming, exercising.

So go ahead! have fun in the sun… with the sunscreen and other skin care products!

Bye!

Hi,

Is there any difference between sunscreens and sunblocks?

Yes, there is!

People often use the two terms interchangeably. But they are indeed different Though both, sunscreens and sunblocks aim to protect the skin against the harmful rays, how they do it makes all the difference.

Sunscreens absorb the ultraviolet radiations of the sunlight eliminating their harmful effects. When applied, it’s transparent on the skin and is absorbed easily. However, it tends to break down with time and thus needs to be reapplied frequently to ensure continued protection. Some of the main ingredients included in sunscreens are PABA, avenobenzone, octocylene, salicylates and cinnamates. If you are a more technical person, I suggest you copy and paste these ingredients into Wikipedia for more technical information.

Sunblocks on the other hand, reflect the ultraviolet radiation of the sun. In the past they were usually opaque on the skin and had a white look. However, some of the newer varieties are transparent. And unlike sunscreens, sunblocks don’t break down for a much longer period of time and do not need to be reapplied often. they have powerful ingredients like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide that block the UVA and the UVB rays of the sunlight.

There are an extensive range of sun care products in the market. Many these days have other beneficial ingredients in them that also help your skin.

If you have to spend a lot of time under harsh sunlight, then you should use a good sunblock that will stay on for a long time without you having to reapply every two hours. Some of the latest varieties are more transparent so you won’t have to worry about the white film on your skin.

Whatever you choose, be it a sunscreen or a sunblock; make sure it provides ‘broad spectrum’ protection against sunlight!

Hi,

Dual advantage beauty products… Multi-purpose cosmetics… Triple-action skin care products!

They are the new breed of Sun Care Products in the market. And the most popular version is cosmetic products with SPF benefits claiming to protect against sun damage.?

To enhance the appeal of the products, cosmetic manufacturers have started including sun filtering agents within them. So we have products like foundations containing SPF, moisturizers with sunscreens and so on. Fact remains that cosmetics that boast of SPF agents don’t really offer adequate protection against the harmful UVA/UVB radiations of the sun. They are no doubt a grade ahead of other cosmetics. However, they can’t negate the use of sunscreens at all.

Do You Need Separate Sunscreen?
It’s always advisable to have a separate sunscreen for yourself in addition to all or any of your skin care products. This is because the skin essentially needs an undiluted layer of sunscreen that forms a protective layer to shield against the penetrating sun radiations. Moreover, cosmetics containing SPF agents usually offer protection against UVB rays… Your skin still remains vulnerable to UVA rays.

How to Apply Sunscreen & Make-up
Sunscreens should be placed on top of the skin or be absorbed by the skin totally before any cosmetics. A simple rule of thumb is to apply the products in order of lightest to heaviest texture. This way, the ingredients better absorbed. Lighter products are not able to dissolve through the heavier ones underneath.

So, there you go. Always apply your sunscreen let it get absorbed before you apply any other cosmetics. That’ll get you the best of both worlds!

What is summer without the Sun?

And where there is sun… there are sunburns.

Sunburns & Sun tanning are the most common of summer skin woes. Let us address the problem as a whole here:

Well… to start with, let me give you an idea about what exactly causes sunburns!

The sun emits UV radiations that penetrate through the deeper layers of the skin and prompts pre-mature aging of the skin. Thus the skin begins to show fine lines, wrinkles and sunspots! These rays are very harmful for the skin and should be avoided at all costs.

Moreover, when these rays enter your skin cells, they alter the DNA components and can lead to skin cancer in due course. Areas that are most exposed to sunlight are the ones at highest risk of developing the disease.

So, how do you know it is a sunburn or just a regular rash? Most cases of sunburn are not taken seriously because people mistake it for rashes.

Here are some common symptoms of sunburns:
• Irritation and pain on the affected area
• Escalation in the pain in due course of days
• Redness and peeling of the skin
• Development of blisters, blemishes and inflammations
• Heat stroke or exhaustion

Sunburns, if not treated correctly can intensify and lead to severe consequences. Therefore, it is but necessary that you take adequate precautions and prevention measures to rectify the situation.

Here are some tips:

• Use dollops of moisturizers on the affected area so as to soothe the skin and lock the moisture inside.
• Contact your doctor in order to take any medications
• Take regular baths in cold water so that the water cools down the affected area.
• Stay away from alcohol as it tends to dehydrate the skin
• Don’t peel at the skin because it may just serve to increase the healing time

So, take care of these steps and stay away from the atrocities of the sun.