SPF
Definitely the importance of SPF. I’ve always looked after my skin. I have had a strong skincare routine since my early twenties. These days skincare has gotten so sophisticated - Cleanse, no wait, double cleanse, exfoliate, serum, moisture mask, eye cream, day cream night cream and relax - simple!! The list could go on and on really as new skin science advancements come thick and fast. My motto when I was younger was to spend on my skincare as that is my biggest investment rather than on clothes or my hair and I definitely stick by this today. There is a but, a big but. I never really considered the damage the sun was doing to my skin. Honestly, how many of you can say that you protect your skin from the sun and the long term damage the sun can cause? Well up until a few years ago, neither did I. In fact when I was a kid we never really even used sunscreen. I can remember my first girls holiday to Tenerife when I was 18, (I know I look about 10 in this picture ha!) wearing the lowest factor possible to make sure I got the best tan. I came back after 2 weeks a teabag orange colour that peeled off after a week, oh god it feels like yesterday!
PIGMENTATION
Anyway, I’ve developed strong pigmentation marks from my pregnancies and to me, they look like dirty brown marks on my cheeks. They fade in the winter and get worse in the summer if I don’t protect my skin or stay in the shade.
I realised that I needed to wear a daily SPF especially in summer but don’t be fooled that you cant get sun damage in the winter too. Basically any exposure can damage your delicate skin but not only that it is responsible for 80% of skin aging. For me, my pigmentation is a marker of how damaging the sun is to skin. I probably wouldn’t be as focused on SPF if it wasn’t for my own experience with sun damage.
DAILY SPF
I would say to definitely look at your skincare and check if it has any SPF benefits and I would also recommend a stand-alone SPF to really boost your protection. This task is easier said than done as many brands I have tried leave the skin really pale and white or they seem to actually peel off my skin if I try to put makeup over the top or they are too
greasy. All of which are unacceptable and would put anyone off using them at all. Don’t worry though! I have put together my top 5 SPF guide so you can trust that you are protecting your skin without getting hot under the collar.
MY TOP 5 SPF GUIDE
ULTRASUN Sun Protection Anti-Pigmentation Tinted Face SPF 50+ - This is an award winner. Simply apply to dry, clean skin 15 minutes before applying any other products and then you are protected all day long.
HELIOCARE Sun Touch Hydrogel SPF 50 Broad Spectrum - This brand offers sophisticated skin protection for everyday use. Every product in the range is packed with antioxidants and DNA repairing enzymes.
SUPERGOOP Unseen Sunscreen SPF 30 - which is like its name says, its an invisible SPF and sits underneath makeup effortlessly. This is intended for everyday use, for stronger exposure to the sun then up the SPF protection to SPF 50+.
TROPIC SKINCARE Sun Day Facial UV Defence SPF 50 - Silky & lightweight daily sunscreen sits underneath makeup and doubles up as a hydrating primer too.
ALPHA H Daily Essential Moisturiser SPF 50 - Gives strong protection with a veil of moisture without the telltale white mask effect that slides off the face.
This collection will all give amazing coverage without the white thick suncream finish. Basically the low down on SPF products is to use a Broad Spectrum SPF of at least factor 30 and this will ensure you have protection against both:-
UVA - These are ultraviolet sun rays that penetrate deep into the skin and cause aging of the dermis. They are very powerful and can penetrate through clouds and windows. Basically if the sun is up then you can be exposed to UVA rays.
UVB - These are ultraviolet sun rays that burn the skin and can cause skin cancers.
This is the advice I wish I could give my younger self so do yourself the biggest favour today and slip an SPF into your daily skincare routine.
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Lots of Love
Lynette
RubyLoves xxx