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Healthwise: The Sunny Side of Summer Skin

The sun — avoid it at all costs, it will age you like a raisin. At least that’s pretty much what we’ve been told. But come on, it’s the summer… time to enjoy the endless days under the warm, relaxing rays. So what are we suppose to do? Is there a way to frolic in the great outdoors without paying dearly in wrinkles and sunspots?

Yes! There is hope. You don’t need to hibernate for the season. There are simple precautions to take and guidelines you can follow to have safe, healthy summer skin.

Bottled Protection

Lets talk about the most obvious and essential bit of defense — sunscreen. You can start by taking last year’s bottles and throwing them right in the garbage. Sunscreens have a short shelf life. They lose their efficacy after about one year. On that note, if you’ve been using the same bottle for more than a year you have a bigger problem, you’re not using enough of it.

When applying sunscreen you can follow this rule of thumb: an eight once bottle/tube contains enough lotion for eight applications. The recommended dosage for most sunscreens is an ounce for your body and a teaspoon for your neck and face. If you apply this correct amount every two hours as recommended, you should almost drain a four once bottle in six hours.

In addition to wearing enough sunscreen, you also want to make sure you put it on with ample time to spare. Sunscreen needs to absorb into the skin, so most Dermatologists recommend applying it between 15-20 minutes before you head outside. You want to make sure you choose a broad-spectrum lotion as well — one that blocks out both the UVA (the longer aging rays) and UVB (the shorter, burning rays). Today, most doctors recommend using a protection of at least SPF 30.

The Lotion is No Magic Potion

There is real science behind the protection that sunscreen offers its users. In fact, in the past ten years the sun-care industry has made great strides in producing new ingredients that cover most of the ultraviolet spectrum and they feel more luxurious than ever. New sun blocks are light and airy, not greasy and smell great… you no longer have to hit the beach smelling like a piña colada.

Officially the “perfect” long wearing sunscreen does not exist but we are getting closer. In the late 90’s the new key ingredient was 1789 (avobenzone), which offered a great shield against UVA rays. The problem: it has to be reapplied hourly to remain potent. Next came the addition of antioxidants. Antioxidants include vitamin E, C and green tea. You can apply moisturizer that has one of these ingredients before you put on your sunscreen or you can simply buy a sunscreen that already includes antioxidants. Experts believe that topical antioxidants may help prevent skin-aging and cancer-causing free radicals from forming on sun-exposed skin.

The latest and most anticipated addition to sunscreen will be Mexoryl SX, a highly advanced UVA absorbing ingredient that is already available in some European markets. L’Oréal Paris (the parent company of Lancôme, Helena Rubinstein, La Roche-Posay, Biotherm and Ombrelle) has patented Mexoryl and has been using it in Canada and Europe for more than a decade. L’Oréal is waiting for approval from the FDA for use in the U.S. So if you’re jet setting to Canada or Europe you may want to stock up on products like Anthelios (from La Roch-Posay) or Ombrelle, both of which carry this new coveted ingredient. These products may also be purchased on at skincarelab.com, feelbest.com and candrugstore.com.

Beyond the Sunscreen

With sunscreen coming in at number one for healthy summer skin, there are also other products and routines to follow to get the summer glow. Next on the list of summer saviors is the best thing to happen to winter white legs since pantyhose — the self-tanner.

As unhealthy as baking on the beach for hours at a time maybe, the golden hue it turns our skin makes us look healthier and slimmer. That’s where sunless tanners (self-tanners) come in. They allow you the same results without the sun damage and thanks to today’s advanced selection, they’re easier than ever to use. All you have to do is shower, shave, exfoliate and dry off. Then simply apply and let dry — you’re set with a perfectly even tan that can last for up to five days.

Another step to take in keeping your skin looking its summer best is to keep it balanced. According to a West Coast specialist, summer skin is typically oilier because heat tends to stimulate your sebaceous glands, which produce more oil. Add to that sweating, dust, pollution and suddenly your pores are larger. It’s important to keep pores clean. In the morning wash your face with a good cleanser. Look for ingredients that cool the skin, like extracts of menthol, eucalyptus and cypress. Younger women might also need an antiseptic to help prevent acne. Follow your cleansing by applying a moisturizer that includes an SPF of 30.

At night, exfoliate your skin using a mild, deep-cleansing scrub to get rid of dead skin — this helps to unblock clogged pores. Then use a light moisturizer and eye cream. Lastly, to improve the texture of your skin use a facial mask on a weekly basis to balance the pH of your skin.

Save Face this Summer

No one is immune to the damage the sun can cause. Fifty percent of all newly diagnosed cancers are skin cancers, according the American Academy of Dermatology. That translates to 1.3 million new cases of skin cancer that will be diagnosed in the United States each year. Another point to consider: the incidence of melanoma in women aged 30 to 44 is on the rise, since 1973 the diagnosis has tripled in this age group. And this cancer is mostly the result of sun exposure in women’s childhood years, teens and early 20s.

Product Recommendations:

Sunscreens with antioxidants–

• Coppertone Endless Summer Sunscreen Lotion $10
• Clinique Body SPF 30 Sun Block $16.50

Long-wearing (sports) sunscreens–

• Banana Boat Surf Sunblock SPF 30 $7
• Hawaiian Tropic Ozone Sport SPF 60+ $10

Sensitive skin sun block for adults–

• Dermalogica Ultra Sensitive Faceblock SPF 25 $25
• Physicians Formula Sun Shield for Faces Extra Sensitive Skin SPF 25 $9

Mists and Pads that save time–

• Coppertone SPF 30 Continuous Spray Waterproof Sunscreen $10
• DDF Sun Mist SPF 30 $22

Tinted sunscreen (bronzers)–

• Hawaiian Tropic Faces Oil-free SPF 25 Bronzing Sunblock $8
• Headhunter Face Stick SPF 30

Self-Tanners:

Mists–

• Neutrogena MicroMist Tanning Sunless Spray $12
• Lancôme Flash Bronzer Airbrush $28

Tinted bronzer/self-tanner duos–

• Dior Bronze Self-Tanner Shimmery Glow Body $27
• Shiseido Brilliant Bronze Quick Self-Tanning Gel $26

Single-application packs–

• Lancôme Flash Bronzer Self-tanning Face Petals $28
• L’Oréal Sublime Bronze Self-Tanning Towelettes $28

Quick drying–

• Clarins Liquid Bronze Self-Tanning for face and Décolletage $28
• Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer for fair Skin Tones $6