All About the Glam

Taking Care of your Beauty in a Holistic Way
Sun

Sun Protection Factor and Beautiful Looking Skin

With all the climate changes happening in our planet it is a bit difficult to protect ourselves from the sun and enjoy a nice day out without suffering with the consequences. Unfortunately we will get higher temperatures and hotter days. We take all the precautions before going out, putting on our sun protection lotions, drink plenty of water to not get dehydrated and even though we do everything we can to avoid sunburn we still get tanned and sometimes with bad dehydration.

It is not a good thing if this happens frequently as our skin suffers a cumulative effect and even thinking that tanned skin is beautiful, it means that the skin is aging faster.

The sun protection factor (SPF) we put on protects the skin against UV rays. The UVA and UVB can harm the skin if we do not take the right care and that is why we need to use sun protection lotions in order to avoid sun damage. The SPF also helps to avoid skin cancer, as well as prevent skin sagging, dark spots and unwanted wrinkles.

According to dermatologists, the minimum SPF we should be using is SPF15 and the maximum we can find in the stores today is SPF100 but SPF30 will do the same job as a higher SPF. When we talk about face it is better to invest in a SPF30, as our face skin is thinner and sensitive compared to the rest of the body.

You can find my favorite SPFs listed below, which I recommend to any skin type. With today´s technology we can find SPF with many benefits providing a real skin treatment and we also can find very good moisturizers with SPF too.

Clarins’ SPF are excellent and protect the skin from the sun. It has anti-pollution ingredients being ideal for those who live in urban areas and has to deal with all types of pollution. It’s available in three versions: fairness, rosy glow and translucent.

The Asian brand Dr. Jart+ has many wonderful skincare products and one that I highly recommend is the BB Cream Beauty Balm with SPF45. This is one of my favorites. Light texture, it is like a moisturizer and you do not feel like you have makeup on. Its formula contains serum, which treats the skin deeply, special ingredients to brighten the skin,  protects the skin from external aggressors and promotes elasticity as well as firmness.

I am a big fan of Asian cosmetics as they work very well in combination skin like mine, I cannot let the Holika Holika Makeup Cream out of this list. This product works as a SPF and foundation. It has a creamy texture, not oily at all leaving the skin with a matte effect. You can apply makeup straight after, it will not make your skin feel heavy. I use it as a foundation as well, then I finish off with my blush and highlighter. It contains six types of fruit extracts: tomato, melon, grapefruit, orange, apricot and papaya to protect and soothe your skin. I have been using this product for two years now, since my trip to Korea. You can find the Holika Holika Makeup Cream at Amazon web site and it costs about $13.00, very accessible and it lasts for months.

 

Tips on how to take care of your skin before sun exposure.

 

–         Before leaving home, wash your face with an appropriate cleanser for your skin type in order to remove residues and dirt. Apply a generous amount of SPF half an hour before exposing yourself in the sun, as well as the neck, décolleté and hands if they will be exposed to the sunrays. Many people do not pay attention to these areas of their bodies but they do age fast too. For those who have dry skin, you can apply a moisturizer before the SPF and skip this part if you have oily skin. If you are going to spend the day on the beach then reapply the SPF every two hours to make sure your skin does not get damaged.

–         Choose the SPF according to your skin type: dry, normal, combination or oily.  Each type has a different composition appropriate for a skin type and the best way to know which one is better for you is testing it. Nowadays we can find an array of SPF products with skin treatment ingredients and also face moisturizers offering sun protection as well.

–         If you are working indoors, reapply the SPF every four hours. Do not forget that certain office lamps and even the computer and mobile screens can age the skin. It is always a good idea to have some wet wipes in hand in case you do not have time to wash your face properly before reapplying your SPF.

–         Thermal water is a great product to have in your bag as it helps to refresh the skin in hot days. It has many minerals, which are great to maintain the skin hydrated and balanced and you can also apply on top of your makeup to refresh your skin.

–         Exfoliate your skin once a week to remove dead skin cells, black heads and pollution residues. If you have sensitive skin, exfoliate only once a month in order to avoid skin irritation. Try to opt for more natural made face scrubs.

–         Drink plenty of liquid during the day, it can be water, natural fruit juice, coconut water, green juice but run away from sugary drinks. The lack of liquid in your organism can cause headaches and bad organism functioning.

–         When we feel thirsty it means that we are in an advance stage of dehydration, so make sure you are having plenty every day.

–         During hot days, choose lighter clothes. Choosing the right clothes to go out in a hot day makes all the difference, it keeps you cool and protects your skin from the sun too.

 

How does food protect our skin?

I believe a healthy skin is a result of many factors, which when done all together it can bring great results to our health. In my opinion and experience, the cosmetics alone will not guarantee a beautiful skin, as these products were developed to only treat the skin topically and cover up imperfections. The makeup looks much better if the skin is clear and healthy. A good diet can guarantee your organism gets everything it needs in order to give you the perfect skin making you look younger and radiant.

 

Next I give you some tips of how to accomplish this:

We all know that good skin comes from the inside. If we eat certain foods, these will help to fight the free radicals, produce more collagen and as a result have a glowing, brighter and healthy skin. Our skin will reflect on what we eat and also it reflects in how we feel during the day too. When we eat the wrong foods we feel exhausted, sleepy, lacking energy and focus not to mention the weight gaining. Besides food, water is very important to make sure that all nutrients get where they are supposed to go and if we do not drink enough water the body will not be able to perform its basic functions.

 

Check out the foods that I believe it is essential to have in any kitchen to combat all these problems and guarantee a glowing and firmer skin:

– Greens: spinach, kale, broccolis are rich in vitamins and essential minerals to keep your organism in good shape and as a result a brighter skin. The greens are also rich in fibers helping to remove the toxins out of the body. Good sources of proteins it is also used for green juicing, just make sure you use the fresh little leaves as they are more concentrated in nutrients than the old ones. Use the old leaves for cooking.

– Red Berries: raspberries, cherries, blueberries, cranberries, strawberry and other red fruits are rich in powerful antioxidants helping to fight skin aging and the free radicals acting as a natural anti-aging for the skin. Consume a variety of these fruits every day.

– Citric Fruits: oranges, lemons, grapefruits, satsumas and other types of citric fruits have high vitamin C concentration and fibers. These fruits help to clear the skin, improve the immune system against colds and flus. They must be consumed every day, preferably in an empty stomach. Vitamin C fruits help to produce more collagen in the body.

– Nuts: walnuts, almonds, pecans, Brazilian nut and many other nuts are good sources of good fat for the body essential for good functioning and beautiful skin. Rich in minerals, proteins and vitamins are also good snacks to have during the day between meals too.

– Grains and Cereals: oats, chia, quinoa, amaranth, barley just to mention a few, have rejuvenating properties, rich in proteins also help to combat cellulite, regulates the gut, reduces cell inflammation, lowers cholesterol and the benefits does not end here.

– Herbs: basil, parsley, oregano, rosemary and other fresh herbs are very aromatic and rich in essential oils and vitamins A, C, K and E having many health benefits. They detoxify the organism, antiseptic effect, reduce bloating, improve digestion and clean the skin from inside out.

 

Other interesting tips about food:

– Use apple cider vinegar to clean your greens and fruits to reduce pesticide consumption.

– When buying your greens, choose the smallest ones as they are new and more concentrated in vitamins, minerals and nutrients.

– Whenever possible buy organic foods, the less pesticide the better the organism will function as it does not know how to deal with unknown substances.

– Use vegetables and fruits skin for cooking, they bring many benefits to our health.

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