Thursday, May 30, 2013

It's That Sunny Time of Year Again!

Hello Kittens!

I forgot to post my yearly re-post about sun protection! I hope y'all were smart and are not half burnt by now! For those who still insist on worshipping the sun, please read this and learn something!

Hey Guys! It is that time of year again when the days get longer and everyone starts spending more time outside. More time outside means more sun exposure so you need to start protecting yourself! This is a post I will re-post every single year at this time to remind everyone why it is so important to protect their skin from the sun!


Apparently there are some of you who think that SPF 4 is adequate protection while you are laying in the sunshine for hours. You know who you are because I am speaking directly to you.


Enjoy all this great info:


 It is that time of the year again. Summertime is fast upon us, so it is my duty to make sure everyone knows the importance of sun protection. The sun makes your skin look dry, dull, uneven, wrinkled, and causes the collagen to break down, which causes skin to sag. Also, you don't even see the damage it causes until years later, which is why it is so important to use broad spectrum sun protection all the time, including wintertime and during daily activities. Besides causing premature aging, you can get skin cancer from the sun-so please protect yourself.


So what is the best protection for you? Well let me explain the difference between sunscreen and sunblock. Sunscreen or chemical sunscreen use chemicals as the active sun protection ingredients. It usually contains oxybenzone or avobenzone (also known as Parsol 1789), which can cause irritation if you have sensitive skin. Chemical sunscreens absorb UV rays before they can cause any damage. Chemical sunscreens need to be applied about 30 minutes before sun exposure as that is how long it takes to "activate" on your skin.


Sunblock or physical sunblock use minerals such as titanium dioxide and zinc oxide as the active sun protection ingredients. Physical sunblock is much more gentle on sensitive skin and they work by forming an opaque film that reflects or scatters UV light before it can penetrate the skin. Physical sunblock sometimes has a whitish cast when applied to the skin (think of the lifeguard's white nose-that's zinc oxide).


I had done a whole post on antioxidants, they have been proven to increase sun protection so make sure you get your daily dosage of antioxidants through your diet or apply it to your skin before you apply your sunscreen, such as with the green tea toner, or a Vitamin C serum (I am going to do a post on how to make your own).


Yes it is true, almost everyone looks better with a tan, but there are much healthier ways of getting that tan than sitting in the sun or a tanning bed such as using a self tanner, going to get a spray tan, or using Little Goddess Mineral Bronzer in Congo! Also keep in mind that when your skin tans, it is actually protecting itself from the rays that are damaging it.


**TIP**When applying bronzer to your face, remember to hit your neck, chest, ears and even the tops of your hands so everything matches and looks uniform, and your face doesn't look like it's a different color from your body.



Ok guys, I hope you found this re-post helpful and informative! Please don't go outside without your protection and if you have any questions, you can always message me!



Love and Sunshine,


Jessica



Tuesday, May 28, 2013

The Awesome Yogurt Mask

Here's a tip: If you want to stay young looking, take really good care of your skin.
It's that simple.
 Besides the obvious like staying out of the sun and not smoking (y'all know who I'm talking to), you have to feed your skin and keep it healthy and supple by moisturizing, and you have to exfoliate!
I cannot stress this enough. As we age, it takes longer for your skin to shed and new, healthy skin to form. It takes longer for cells to turn over and it takes longer to build collagen which keeps your skin plump and young looking. You need to help your skin along by exfoliating. There are a few different ways to exfoliate your skin but I think chemical exfoliation as opposed to manual is more gentle. 
I also like DIY projects when it comes to my skincare, for a few different reasons. First, I can control what goes into the product which means less unnecessary stuff. Second, it is usually cheaper than purchasing some expensive potion.
Now with all of that being said, let me tell you all about the Yogurt Mask. So yogurt contains lactic acid-you know how much I love my acids for keeping the skin young looking! Acids are gentle exfoliators.


Lactic acid falls under the Alpha Hydroxy Acid(AHA) category, which means it will dissolve and gently exfoliate the top layer of your skin so new skin can form. Some of the benefits of using a Yogurt Mask 2-3 times per week are:
  • It will smooth skin.
  • It will soften fine lines.
  • It fights acne.
  • Reduces discoloration
  • Prevents premature aging.
The only rule for a yogurt mask is to make sure it is plain yogurt. None of that fruit on the bottom nonsense.

Basically, just take some plain yogurt and apply it to your clean skin. I like to massage it in and let it sit on my skin for 20-30 minutes. Rinse with warm water. I also like to kick it up a notch by dissolving an aspirin in the yogurt and applying. Aspirin is a Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA) which means not only does it exfoliate your skin, it exfoliates the inside of your pores, therefore keeping them clean and blemish free! 

This is what you will look like. Puurrttyyy.

So using a Yogurt Mask a couple of times a week will keep your skin healthy and glowing AND it is inexpensive and chemical free!

Try it and let me know what you think. What are your DIY skincare solutions?