STAY SAFER IN THE SUN by Alison Blackman Dunham

A large percentage of the UVA/UVB rays we absorb from the sun that can harm our skin doesn't come from baking in it, but simply walking around outside. What you can't see can still hurt you, and the rays are there, even if it's a cloudy day. Please feel free to Link To This Post or send it to a friend. The following tips will help you protect you from the sun, premature aging, and help prevent skin cancer:

Get the right product:






There is a difference between sunblock and sunscreen. A sunBLOCK creates an actual barrier that blocks UV radiation. A sunSCREEN absorbs & deflects the sun's rays. Despite the look of a golden tan, self-tanners and bronzers do not provide any protection against the sun's rays, unless an SPF is specifically mentioned on the bottle. You must apply a sunblock or sunscreen whether you look tan, or not. There are sweat and water-resistant types of products as well, but these still must be re-applied at regularly intervals. Choose what is right for you, depending upon the environment and activity you're going to be doing. *Not all sunsafe products are appropriate for every skin type or condition. Read the labels carefully, learn about the ingredients, and consult with your doctor if you are unsure whether a product is right for you. Most importantly, experiment and find the products that you find pleasing so you will use them regularly. A sunblock sitting in the tube in your tote or on your dresser does absolutely no good.


Read the label and Use as Directed:






Check the expiration dates, as sun protection products can lose their efficiency, with age. It is best to toss anything more than six months old, and if a product has changed in consistency or smell, toss it immediately. A higher SPF will protect your skin longer, but you will need to apply enough of it, and in all the right places, and re-apply it as often as directed.






An actual, protective dose of product is about one full ounce. That may seem like a lot, but if you don't cover your skin completely, the places you miss are prone to burning and damage (not to mention you'll get an uneven look). Some sun-protection ingredients may take as long as a half and hour to bind with your skin and properly protect you.







Keep in mind that the sun hits everywhere you are exposed, so don't just apply product on legs, lips, arms, neck, back, chest & front of body but also where your bathing suit or pants line is (if you're reaching or bending over), and on your ears, inside of knees and arms, front and back of feet, and your hairline (and the exposed areas of your head, if you are bald or balding). Spray and mist sunblocks are great, because you can apply them even to hard to reach areas without extra help!


Cosmetics & Skincare with SPF--Extra Protection, Every Day:

There are so many to choose from hair savers (shampoos & conditioners specially formulated to counteract the effects of ultraviolet rays), to lip products that protect and beautify. Most women wear foundations and apply moisturizers and cosmetics, so why not pick those with SPF? There are also a vast array of moisturizers and body lotions that men will enjoy using, as well. The Advice Sisters What Works Beauty, Cosmetics & Fashion Review Column for May/June is a huge, 2-page column that features lots of products with SPF. And, the What Works column for July/August (up the first week in July) will be focusing almost exclusively on sun screen, sun blocks, cosmetics with SPF, and multi-tasking sun prevention products!



SunSafe Tips For Men:








Even if you're not really into skincare, wearing sun protection is essential to avoid skin cancer and premature aging. Daily shaving opens up your new skin to sun damage unless you wear a sunscreen or sunblock. Buy a fresh product (not the one that's been sitting in your drawer since your last beach vacation 2 years ago) and apply it properly (enough product to protect yourself). Balding men leave the top of their heads constantly exposed to the sun, which also causes flaking, irritation, and redness so definitely wear a hat, or use an SPF product on your head. A good choice is a spray or mist-type sunblock that will give your entire head a thorough (but light) coating. Hair or no hair, always wear a hat if you're going to be outdoors for any length of time. Hats and sunglasses will protect your head, face and hair, but there are fabrics that actually have SPF protection woven in and these are available in shirts and pants for both men and women. These can help protect the rest of your body, especially if you're not using sunblock. Consider investing in a long-sleeved shirt and pants with SPF for those times when you're going to be outside for a long time!


Other SunSafe Tips:





Sunscreen will protect your skin, but it won't save you from sunstroke. Don't dehydrate! Drink lots of water, especially when you're out in the sun. Wear good sunglasses with protective filters to help avoid damages to your eyes, headaches, and squinting, which contributes to wrinkles and crows feet. Sunglasses add glamour to your look, too! Check your skin regularly for unusual moles or skin changes, and see a dermatologist immediately if you find any. A cancerous mole the size of a dime is dangerous enough to be lethal. A quick check could save your life.

Bronzer Basics

As a teenager, I thought if I used baby oil and baked in the sun, that I too, would get that "California girl" tan that looks golden, and perfect. Alas, with light, freckled skin that burns in an instant, the closest I ever got to tan was a nasty (and dangerous) shade of red.

For that reason, I should be a great fan of bronzers and self tanners. While many have had the power to turn me into the great pumpkin, or at best, provide me with the same ugly red sunburn color that I didn't want, self tanners and bronzers have come a long, long, long way. I honestly don't love them, but since Summer is here, and sunbathing is an international (if somewhat unsafe) pasttime, I thought I'd share a few self-tanning and bronzing products from our JUNE What Works Beauty, Cosmetics & Fashion review column and a few tips about how to bronze yourself, beautifully, Hopefully this will encourage you to use high level of SPF sun protection when in the sun, and get the look anyway, at home (safely inside).

BRONZING TIPS: Bronzers, especially powder and gel bronzers, give you instant gratification--the look of the sun, with the ability to wash it off at any time. However, even a sheer bronzer has to match your skin tone. If you are very pale, using the deepest color option is just going to make you look strange and two-toned, since the rest of your body can't possibly match! Less is more when you are using a bronzing powder or gel. It's easier to gradually add more, than to remove too much. Always use a soft bronzer brush or fan brush to apply, and layer the color a little at a time until you have the desired effect. For an all-over natural matte tan effect, sweep over matte bronzer shade with a powder brush and apply over entire face, or on the highest parts of the face-forehead, cheekbones, nose and chin. To accentuate and contour, apply matte bronze shade over cheekbones. To highlight, Add a bit of shimmer in a complimentary shade (don't try to get too creative with glitter or excessive pearl). For best results, use a soft bronzer brush or a fan brush (sponges add too much powder too quickly with little control). Apply moisturizer prior to bronzing powders and make sure they are dry and absorbed first (or risk the bronzer turning orange).

Physicians Formula has an impressive variety of fragrance-free, hypoallergenic bronzers to suit just about every skin time. The Bronze Gems Matte & Bright Bronzer, Highlighter & Eye Shadow $12.95 is as pretty to look at as it is on your skin. The dual-finish bronzer has a large circle of matte bronzer in "Light, Peach, Healthy (medium) or Bronzer" (deep), but it also has three eye-catching "gems" superimposed into it (in gold, bronze and copper), to add a shimmery matte finish that really looks pretty and sun kissed. As a bonus, you can use the "gems" to highlight face and eyes. This is so versatile! Use it over makeup or alone, and use the matte and "gems" together for a glow-y "tan," or use each piece separately. A small bronzer brush and a mirror are included in the bottom part of the lightweight compact, making this good for your tote bag or purse, too. I also like the For Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Bronzer, Blush and Eye Shadow $11.95. These are packaged in clear, square compacts with five shimmery shades of sun-kissed colors used separately for eye shadows and various effects on face (over bronzer, foundation, or alone) or use together for one glowing color. Each collection is named after a famous "strip." "Vegas Strip" with coppery shimmers ranging from sand, to deep copper create a light, shimmery bronze when worn together. "Miami Strip" creates a deeper, cooler bronze from pink to bronzed rose. "Riviera Strip" goes deep and glowing, with sandy bronzed colors from medium ivory, to dark bronze. **For many more reviews of the newest and best bronzers and self-tanners, visit the Advice Sisters What Works July/August Beauty, Cosmetics & Fashion review column ( which should be up the first week in July check our FEATURES page http://www.advicesisters.net/Features/Features.html to see what's new.

Men want to look tan, too. Some use bronzing powders, but many guys think that's too "makeup-y." Instead, they're embracing self-tanning products. Once you apply these lotions, they don't wash off. In our June What Works Beauty, Cosmetics & Fashion Review Column suggest that a good Father's Day gift for a dad who would like to look tan and healthy, but probably wouldn't know how to start, if the Self Tanner With Anti-Aging Complex from Anthony Logistics $28.00 2.5 oz. This one helps moisturize a man's skin while the foolproof formula lets a man darken gradually without streaks. If you're a guy trying this for the first time, don't worry...it's gradual and it's not drastic, so you can't mess it up! This self-tanning product also has a ton of anti-aging ingredients to help reduce fine lines and improve a man's complexion. Key ingredients include self-tanners DHA (to give you results in 1-3 hours) and ETH (to provide continued results over 8-16 hours); a complex of extracts of fruit acids (to remove dead skin cells and help retexturize skin); peptides (to help erase fine lines, while firming and brightening the complexion; apple fruit extracts (to smooth and soothe sensitive skin), plus green tea. Guys, the more you use this, the deeper your tan will get (within limits). Whether you use it twice a day, daily, or just now and then, the color is always under your control.

Prescriptives Sunsheen $27.004.2 fl. oz is the type of product both men and women will like. The tote-able, coppery tube with flip top, and the one-color-fits all, self-tanner gives skin a gradual tan in about 24 hours. You'll get deeper color with each application. A nice thing about this one is that it doesn't just lie there looking boring and blah--it has a bit of a sheen to it, so your skin looks healthy and glowing from the first application to the last! More importantly, it also has SPF 15, to help protect you from the sun's damaging rays, as self-tanners give you the look of tanned skin, but they do not protect you on their own. The broad spectrum SPF is yet another reason to use it. The oil-free formula means you won't break out from it at the beach--another plus.

SELF-TANNING TIPS: Your "tan" won't be smooth if you skin isn't. EXFOLIATE before applying a self tanner (that means the guys, too). As with bronzing powders and gels, don't try to go too dark--it won't look right with the rest of your body. At the most, go a shade or two darker than your real skin. Make sure you have the time to do the job right--you don't want to suddenly look at the clock, realize you're late, and have to dash out when the tanner isn't quite dry (it could leave quite a mess on your clothes, not to mention blotches on your body). Be sure you read the directions carefully, and follow them. Wash hands with soap and water immediately after use. In most cases, the more you use a modern self-tanner, the deeper the color will get. *watch our Summer July/August What Works Beauty, Cosmetics & Fashion review column up in early July, for more Prescriptives products.


***BRONZERS AND SELF-TANNERS DO NOT PROTECT YOU FROM THE SUN'S DAMAGING RAYS UNLESS THE PRODUCTS SPECIFICALLY SAY THAT THEY HAVE SPF PROTECTION IN THEM. YOU MAY LOOK TAN, BUT YOU ARE AT JUST AS MUCH RISK FOR SUN DAMAGE AS SOMEONE WHO IS PALE. PLEASE APPLY PRODUCTS WITH SUNBLOCK BEFORE GOING OUTSIDE NO MATTER HOW "TAN" YOU LOOK!!!

*check this blog in the coming days for more gift ideas for Father's Day that beat the old tools and tie, idea!


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