We protect our skin from sun damage by using a broad-spectrum sunscreen. Sunscreens are chemical agents that help prevent the suns ultraviolet rays from reaching the skin. The term broad-spectrum means that the sunscreen protects us from both UVB and UVA rays. Many cosmetic companies have products that claim to have anti-aging benefits. The truth however is that the best defense against wrinkles is a sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher, be it in your moisturizer or foundation.

Daily application of sunscreen prevents new wrinkles from forming or existing ones from deepening. The basics to look for are a product rated SPF 15 or higher, and containing one of these ingredients listed as active to ensure adequate protection from UVA rays: avobenzone (also known as Parsol 1789 or butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane), titanium dioxide, or zinc oxide. The best sunscreen is one that not only protects you from the sun but also prevent damage to the skin. So look for a sunscreen that is loaded with anti-oxidants

Sunscreens absorb reflects or scatters UV light. There are 2 types: Read the rest of this entry →

Skin cancer is the No. 1 most common type of cancer. Many of us unknowingly spend too much time in the sun with little protection. This exposure to the sun causes damage to our skin. Repetitive exposure of this kind, can put us at risk of getting skin cancer. Daylight, even dim, obscure daylight, causes skin damage. When the skin gets damaged, it means it slowly becomes less and less able to hold moisture or feel smooth.

Protecting your skin from the sun is important because the sun emits ultraviolet(UV) radiation. Over time, exposure to UV radiation causes many changes in the skin, including wrinkles, discoloration, freckles or age spots. It is important to note that most skin cancers are caused by exposure to the sun.

We really need to understand why exposure to the sun is so damaging. First, there are two types of UV radiation: UVB and UVA. UVB rays cause sunburns. UVA rays are believed to be responsible for photo aging(the damage that occurs to the skin from many years of exposure to the sun). UVA rays penetrate the skin deeply and cause sunlight induced premature aging, wrinkling and age spots. Both UVA and UVB rays can cause skin cancer even on cloudy days.

Nearly 95% of the UV radiation that we are exposed is caused by UVA rays. When photo aging occurs, certain fibers in the skin called elastin(from the word elastic) are damaged by the rays of the sun. Elastin is found in the dermis and is responsible for giving structure to your skin and organs. As we age, elastin diminishes which causes the skin to wrinkle and sag. Exposure to the sun also causes the elastin fibres to breakdown causing the skin to sag and stretch. The skin also tends to bruise and tear more easily and takes longer to heal. Usually sun damage will not show up when you are young but will later in life. So be sure to also protect your young ones from sun damage and teach them the importance of applying sunscreen. Keep children under six months old away from the sun. Read the rest of this entry →

A few days later, I noticed that my face was burnt out again. Groan. I went back to the shop and bought Himalaya Neem wash, because, well, the cream wash was finished, and the Neem wash is for all skin types, so that seemed like a much safer option until I figured out what exactly was what.

I had re-used the for-oily-skin gel wash because it was in a pretty bottle, felt deliciously cool on my skin, smelt fabulous … and because I wasn’t about to throw out a perfectly good tube of facial wash. My reasoning was ‘what’s the worst that could happen?’

I used it one morning, just once. By lunch time, my face was stinging and ’sunburnt’. It took me a week of mild exfoliant and soothing Neem wash to get rid of the burn effect.

Yeah, I’m not ever trying that again.

Then I went a-googling and found out a few things. Apparently, getting burnt by clay masks is more common than you’d think. Yahoo answers claimed it was a sign of allergy, at which point I decided that I have sensitive skin, since I am ‘allergic’ to mud masks and cinammon exfoliant, and since my skin is shiny and  patchy, and is both dry and sticky after cleansing. Read the rest of this entry →

Skin type is the description and interpretation of how and why your skin looks, feels, and behaves as it does. It is the single most important factor influencing the decisions we make about the kind of skin-care routines and the products we buy.

Hardly anyone has just one skin type. This is because of the fact that the skin is susceptible to outside factors such as weather, diet, whether you smoke or don’t smoke, whether you live in an arid, humid or highly polluted climate. Medications you are currently taking will also affect the way your skin behaves. Genetic predisposition also affects your skin type. Your skin also changes with your period, if you are pregnant or when you are stressed.

A woman with oily skin may also have sensitive skin or someone with dry skin may also have acne-prone skin. Therefore, diagnosing yourself as one skin type is not an effective way of approaching skin care. It’s important really look at the way your skin behaves. Read the rest of this entry →