In this section we will have regular articles, advice and handy hints for all beauty-related concerns. We hope that you save this to your favourites as we will update it regularly with new links and articles
Our very first feature is perhaps one of the most imporant...being Sun Smart for Summer. We hope that you take on board some of this information to give your skin the opportunity to be healthy and strong.
Be Sun Smart for Summer!
Yes it's that time of the year when we all dream of bronzed beautiful skin (plus the long leisurely days that we get to sit around working on that tan!). We do need to remember however some basic essentials that will keep us safe in the long run, especially nowadays when we are all aware of New Zealand's vulnerability to skin cancer.
Everyone is more aware of the need to wear sun block, but do we know what all those confusing "SPF", "broad spectrum", "UVA/UVB" words mean? We thought we did but sometimes things can be marketed a little bit confusing so here is your quick guide to ensure that you are safe in the sun this summer...
► Don't use old sunblock!
Do not keep using that big 2 litre bottle of sun block that may have lasted you 3 summers in a row. Good sun blocks with active ingredients generally only have a life of around 12 months so once opened it should only last the summer. Don't run the risk of your products expiring and causing you to experience burning just because they don't have maximum effectiveness.
► What does 'SPF' actually mean?
SPF (sun protection factor) is not a broad spectrum protection that is 'one size fits all'. An SPF 20 will give different protection for different individuals, it all depends on the individual and what their burn time is. To discover your ideal SPF coverage, you need to do is the following:
Find out how long it takes for your skin to start to turn pink in the sun (i.e. 5 or 10 minutes). You then multiply your SPF product by your burn time to get the length of time that your product will protect you from the sun.
For example, a burn time of 10 minutes and an SPF20 will be the following equation:
10 x 20 = 200....i.e. you have 200 minutes of protection
until your skin will begin to go red!
This is why it is so important to know your individual burn time as everyone is different and children especially will have a lot less protection than adults
► What do UVA, UVB and UVC mean?
UVA = These are the long waves which penetrate the ozone layer easily and cause ageing of the skin.
UVB = These are the shorter waves. Some penetrate the ozone layer and this causes the burning of the upper layer of the skin.
UVC = These are the dangerous waves that do not penetrate the ozone layer. If they did we would not exist.
This is the reason why you need a sun block that has both UVA and UVB protection. 'Broad Spectrum' means protection against both UVA and UVB rays.
► Reapply your sun block every two hours.
Sun blocks with high SPF's such as 40, 50, plus can be somewhat misleading so it is safer to get a good sun block with a lower SPF and reapply it every two hours to ensure that you are protected.
The higher the SPF, the stronger the ingredients aid complete block out and this can cause break outs and congestion on the skin.
We hope that this information was helpful. It is great to enjoy the amazing 'feel good' factors that the sun provides, especially for Vitamin D production. However be aware that you only need 20 minutes for your body to experience the maximum benefits for Vitamin D production.
The most important thing about being in the sun is to be wise. If you have spent the year looking after your skin spending hundreds of dollars on anti-pigmentation, anti-ageing treatments and products, you don't want to waste all that time, effort and money on one afternoon of sun that results in burning.
Rule of thumb: Be sun smart these holidays!
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