Sunscreen and You

Hi beauty lovers! Since we are smack-dab in the middle of summer, I thought it might be a good idea to post a sunscreen education refresher. Here is a list of things you may not know about sunscreen that I've compiled.

FACTS

1. Makeup with SPF isn't enough to protect your skin. 

While it's great that you chose a foundation with SPF 15, that's no where near enough to protect your skin. Consider it a supplement; you still need the real deal underneath. You would need at least a teaspoon of your foundation on your face (way too much) for the SPF to actually work. Pick an oil-free SPF formulated for the face at around SPF 35 or higher. Slather this on, apply a face primer to keep it from sliding, then end with your foundation or powder. 

2. Reapply every two hours

While it's difficult to do this on the face after you have applied makeup, this rule of thumb still applies to your body. How many times have you gone to Vegas, applied sunblock once at noon and sat at the pool til 6:00pm? Think your SPF was working that whole time? Think again. Oh, and please stick to high SPF. Trust me, you will still get a tan.

3. Sunscreen is a must even if you don't work outside.

If you notice more freckles on the left side of your face, it's because UV rays are penetrating your driver's side window. Just because it's cloudy (UV rays are still out and about), or you are technically "indoors" doesn't mean you are protected. Sunscreen please! 

4. The difference between chemical and mineral sunscreens.

Chemical sunscreens absorb the sun’s UV rays; mineral sunscreens block those rays. Both are FDA-approved. I prefer chemical because it stays on better under makeup, but it's really up to each and every one of you.

5. Sunscreens do expire.

According to many dermatologists, sunscreens should be tossed after one year. If you have left your sunscreen out in your hot car, drawer etc, it can lose its effectiveness, and even worse, grow bacteria and fungus (sick!) A skin expert also informed me that the FDA now requires the expiration date to be on every container of sunscreen, so check your bottle for the date!

6. Even the darkest skin needs to wear sunscreen daily.

Dark skin contains more melanin which acts as a natural sunscreen, but it only provides the same protection as an SPF 15, which is basically useless. Skin cancer doesn't discriminate, so make sure you protect yourself with an SPF 35 or higher.

Lady C's Picks

Face

Water resistant, paraben free with both UVA & UVB protection, this Alba sunblock is my daily go-to.

This dry-touch sheer sunblock gives you heavy duty protection at SPF 70, great for outdoor activities and poolside.

Body

Hawaiian Tropic is well-known and fantastic. They even have a line for sensitive skin!  Trust me, even with an SPF 50, you will still tan.

DO NOT USE

Spray SPF cans are TERRIBLE for the environment! Half the bottle gets wasted spraying into the air and ruining our  ozone. The other half gets ingested into your lungs as you try to spray yourself or your kids. Just don't do it people.

Here Comes The Sun

One of my favorite skin care lines, Philosophy has come out with a sun care line! Everything comes in these cute, yellow "sun-inspired" bottles, and best of all, it's all broad spectrum spf-coverage. This means that the sunscreens will help block both uva and uvb rays. There's a face spray, a face lotion and a body lotion. 

Face spray

age-defense very water-resistant spf 30 uva⁄uvb broad-spectrum spray sunscreen for body

$26 for 4 oz.

Oil-free, non greasy formula absorbs quickly

face lotion
age defense water resistant spf 40 uva uvb broad spectrum
$30 for a 2 oz.

Oil-free, non greasy formula

body lotion

Age-defense water-resistant spf 30 va⁄uvb broad-spectrum sunscreen

$26 for 4 oz. 

Prevents signs of aging

Philosophy's "here comes the sun" line also has sunless tanners for the face and body, check them out below!

sunless tanner- face

age-defense gradual glow self-tanner for face

$26 for 2 oz.

Helps improve the appearance of fine lines & wrinkles

Sunless Tanner-body

age-defense golden glow self-tanner for body

$28 for 4 oz.

 Helps firm & tone skin

Stay safe in the sun my loves!

Anastasia Pro Wax Kit-- Product Review

Hola Senioritas!

I wanted to share my thoughts on a poquito (sp?) little wax kit that was given to me by a friend to try. Anastasia is known for coming up with great tools and products for perfecting your eye brows. The Pro Wax Kit is an unbelievable $12 at Sephora. It's third of an ounce of wax is easily microwavable and manageable. Surprisingly, this small amount of wax lasts quite a while. Contrary to its name, you don't have to be a "pro" to use this. While I consider myself a connoisseur at plucking and trimming brows, I have never ventured into the wax arena and was a little nervous. However, the tiny little birchwood sticks the kit came with made it easy to control where the wax went, and how much of it went on my skin. I use one muslin strip each time I have to wax my brows (about once every 3 weeks). You can use them over and over again in one sitting.
I rubbed a little baby oil to the areas I waxed immediately after to help remove any stickyness and soften the skin, then finished off with a creamy moisturizer. Done and done.

DISCLAIMER: when waxing, do not re-wax the same area -your skin will be highly sensitive and may form a rash from being so raw. Again, I am by no means an esthetician, but simply a Middle Eastern girl with facial and body hair expertise.

Sisley-Paris Product Review

I was given some Sisley Paris products to sample by my lovely mother. I have to credit a lot of what I know about makeup and skincare to my mom. She has always been very good with her makeup. I won't say how old she is (because she will kill me) but her skin looks radiant! Growing up, Mom always did my makeup for school dances and dance/piano recitals. She gave me the "winged eyeliner" gene, which basically means we can both do liquid winged eyeliner with our hands tied behind our backs, haha. Mom is from Lebanon, so she was exposed to lots of expensive overseas creams and beautiful pricey makeup from Europe that I could never afford. She lets me borrow her stuff and gives me the products she won't use anymore, which I totally appreciate. I sampled the four (expensive, I'm talkin' $100 for 3 ounces) Sisley products below and here are my thoughts...

Looks like: Thick ivory cream

Smells like: Soft-spicy

Survey says? This is a great product for someone who wants to lighten their skin (very popular in the Asian culture, not so much in USA). It's also ideal for someone who has discoloration due to sun spots and wants to fade them out.

Looks Like:A smooth, white cream
Smells like: Very green, woodsy
Survey says? With Juniper and Salvia oil, this is a very strong-smelling cream that moisturized really well. It may not be the best for someone with oily skin or a sensitive nose...like I said, it's very strong!

Looks like: clear watery gel

Smells like: fresh flowers

Survey says? LOVE this stuff, it was super hydrating. I applied a heavy amount of the gel all over my face and around my eyes. I waited 5 minutes, removed the excess with a tissue, and left the rest on. I woke up with the softest skin ever. And it smells AMAZING

 Looks like: Sheer white serum

Smells like: Intoxicating rose-milk

Survey says? Milk and Sage make this a pleasant serum ideal for any skin. It was so soothing. I would describe it as Chamomile Tea for the skin.

New Under-Eye Products

Lately, the most frequently asked question I get is "how do I get rid of these puffy, baggy, wrinkly under-eyes?" While plastic surgery is probably the only answer to that, I can vouch for these two products below to help improve the look of said "puffy, baggy, wrinkly under-eyes." Both are relatively new products, one being the higher-end and the other a more affordable, lower-end. I like to provide at least two options when it comes to skin care because the ingredients are not always the same, and may affect your skin differently. Both are super simple to use (just ROLL away!) and mess-free. Both will also smooth out and fill lines while providing cooling caffeine, which is known to sooth irritated skin and depress those under-eye balloons. Happy Shopping!

Clinique All About Eyes Serum
De-Puffing Eye Massage

How To Use With gentle pressure, roll under each eye from inner corner to outer corner

Ingredients Caffeine, antioxidents and botanicals. Oil free and ophthamologist-tested. For all skin types

Price $25.50

Where to Purchase any Clinique counter at department stores nationwide, or click here CLINIQUE






Olay Regenerist
Anti-Aging Roller

How to Use Roll underneath your eye from inner corner to outer corner

Ingredients Caffeine, Squalane (the hydrocarbon of a plant) and peptides (known for their wrinkle-smoothing effects)

Price $17.99 and up

Where to Purchase This product is sold at a variety of drugstores and markets, however Target is offering it for the lowest price. Click here to purchase TARGET or hit up your local Target