Monday, April 26, 2010

Sunscreen 101

Um, yeah it's basically summer in Louisiana now. The full force of the humidity hasn't hit yet, but we are getting there. The mosquito swarms showed up last week, so that's a big sign. AND I took my first trip out on the river where I didn't have to wear a cover-up to keep warm the entire boat ride. I DID, however, require sunscreen. SPF 70, actually, since my vampire skin can't take the full sun right off the bat. By July I may be able to back down to SPF 30, but that's about as low as I can go.

So I thought I would do a post on sunscreen! The beauty magazines and websites have started discussing, so I thought I would share some of the things I had been reading and include some of my own tips as well. So, let's discuss.

1. What's the difference in SPF anyway?
Well, past about SPF 30, not much. According to a report in Allure this month, there is not much difference in the actual protection. HOWEVER, a study showed that higher SPF helps throughout the day. If you are not one who is good about re-applying (like me), then go with the high SPF. Participants wore SPF 30 or SPF 70. They did not reapply all day. Only one person wearing the 70 had a sunburn, while all of the SPF 30 wearers got burned. While the researchers are unsure why this occurs, they did say that it shows there is some benefit to higher SPF.

2. How much do I need to apply?
A lot. A WHOLE FRICKIN LOT. A tablespoon on your face, and basically a shot glass or two for the rest of your body. You also need to apply before you go out in the sun. I recommend slathering up before you put your suit on. Let it absorb while you finish getting ready, and then hit the beach/pool/river/etc!

3. What to look for?
Key words: UVA and UVB protection. Helioplex is a relatively new addition that is supposed to block out more harmful rays. I've noticed when I use Neutrogena with Helioplex I don't get burned EVER. If you don't like the sting, look for Pabafree. Sweatproof, sport, and waterproof are also good because even if you are a beach bum like me (i.e. not one bit of physical activity) you still sweat. Buying the sport brands helps it stay on!

4. What order to apply SPF, moisturizer, makeup, etc?
From what I've read in various sources, you should go from lighter items (serums, light lotions) to heavier items (sunscreen and makeup). On a daily basis my makeup has sunscreen, so I just apply as normal. I don't wear much makeup when I have heavy duty sunscreen on...plus I'm usually sweating to death anyway. My order of operations, nonetheless, is: wash face, apply light lotion, apply sunscreen, apply tinted moisturizer, apply waterproof mascara, chapstick, done.

5. What are some good brands?
My favorite face product is Neutrogena Dry Touch SPF 70 with Helioplex. It's GREAT. It goes on fairly thick and white, but after a few seconds is completely absorbed. It doesn't sting, and when I wear it on my face I do NOT get burned. $10.99 at drugstores.

My favorite body product is Banana Boat Sport SPF 30. It does need reapplying throughout the day, but it's light, absorbs well, and works well!

I used to love the spray sunscreen. And I still do to an extent, especially when out on the beach and in need of a even re-application. However, never never spray this stuff in your house/bathroom. It takes major elbow grease to get it out of the tub and off the tiles. We also found out that it stains our boat seats. Big time. Which probably means it stains your car leather, chairs, etc. So we've switched back to lotion in our house. (If you want to know though, the best spray as far as application and staying power is BananaBoat. By FAR. Coppertone is terrible, I don't recommend).

Allure has a list of it's editor's fav products for the face HERE. Be on the lookout for Sephora's sample sunscreen sale. It usually happens around May, and you get a cute bag stuffed with samples to try for about $20 if I remember correctly. It's great because you can try different samples, and the little containers fit in your purse or beach bag perfectly! But why buy little samples? That's my next point:

6. THROW AWAY SUNSCREEN FROM LAST YEAR
Sunscreen expires. Within a year of purchase usually. If it is expired, it will not work. So while that giant container of sunscreen may seem like the best value dollar-wise, it isn't if you don't plan to use it and throw away almost all of it the following summer. I have found it's best to just buy the normal size tubes, use it, and buy more. Just don't use old stuff, mmmkay??

7. Anything else?
Don't forget your hair and lips. I am a chapstick addict (I honestly cannot make it through even half a day without it). I also have light hair that I spend good money on to maintain with color and cut, so to protect it I have found Redken Color Extend Sun spray. Warning, it's kinda greasy/oily. I spray it on my wet hair and pull it back into a ponytail. I would not use this at an event where I wanted my hair to look good. In that case, I would wear a cute hat! :) Out at the river or on the beach it's great, and helps keep my hair from getting tangled and dried out. I think it was around $15 when I bought last year. It is sold at salons and some drugstores.

HAPPY SUMMER GALS! Hope you enjoyed my long winded post! Let me know if you have any fav products or if there are any you want me to research and try out!

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Review: PedEgg


I thought I would post a quick review of the PedEgg since I used it this morning and thought "Huh, I should talk about this on the blog"

Anywhos. I'm all about some at-home pedicures. Don't get me wrong, I love the real thing. Especially the ones with the salt scrub on the legs followed by hot towels. Fantastic. I also credit my little Korean manicurist friend here for giving me the correct advice on keeping my toenails looking good even though I run (the key is to keep them trimmed VERY short and neat). Anyway--I'm digressing once again.

Point is, I can't always afford the real pedicure. I've got the painting and such down pat, but the buffing and smoothing isn't quite up to par. I have tried foot scrubs (Got2Be makes a good one with pumice stone and olive oil), pumice stones, etc. I recently bought the PedEgg for $10 at Walgreens, and here is what I think so far.

It does not really compare to the razors at the professional nail shop. However, it does smooth some calluses and improve the overall texture. I think it works better than a plain pumice stone. The instructions say not to use it right after a shower or bath, but I find that actually helps remove calluses better. You just have to be careful not to scrape too hard since your skin is soft coming out of the water. The blades dull pretty quickly, but replacements packs of 3 are available for $10 at Walgreens. I felt like I had to scrub for a good 5 minutes to really see results, but again, it did improve the appearance of my feet a bit.

Bottom line? For $10 it's not a bad deal. It does not compare to the salon, but it will do in a pinch! And since I'm either barefoot or in flip flops every.single.day of the warm months, any little bit will help.

Photo courtesy of Walgreens.com

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

BOGO half off at Rite Aid!


There's a sale at Rite Aid this week! Buy one, get one half off options galore. You can choose ANY two nail polishes (any brand), Covergirl eye color and lip color, Maybeline eye or nail color, any Aveeno lotion, or you can do a Revlon lip color + nail color. I chose this option, getting their Colorburst lipstick in Soft Nude and nail polish in Craving Coral (above). I'm LOVING coral and yellow this spring, be ready to see me in it frequently.

Here's the link to the Rite Aid weekly circular for the East US!

Picture courtesy of drugstore.com, where they are ALSO having a Revlon sale!!