Golden Words For Your Skin-Care Regimen: Word # 3

Golden Word Number 3- Protect!!!! 

The biggest bummer EVER: Nothing shows age more than the skin. Fortunately for us, there are some very simple lifestyle steps we can take to ensure our skin looks as young as possible for as long as possible and is constantly protected.

Always, Always, Always protect yourself from the sun. Be aware of what is happening to your skin! The sun can do so much more damage than just give you a painful sunburn. Dermatologists say that prolonged exposure to harsh sunlight causes brown spots; red, scaly spots; drying and wrinkling (YIKES). Worst of all, this can cause skin cancer. But how do you avoid the sun? I know vampires are the cool thing right now, but that is not what I am going for. If your skin does not produce the protective melanin pigment very well or if you are exposed to UV rays before enough pigment can be created and dispersed, the ultraviolet rays kill your skin cells. Even a minor sunburn that produces only a little discomfort and redness destroys the top layer of your skin. It would be just as if you had scorched it with a piping hot iron. 


"Hmmm, I want to go relax, drink Pina Coladas, and get seared repeatedly with sizzling irons...." Said no one EVER.

As annoying and "uncool" as it is viewed to be, sunscreen is KEY. Apply it in the early morning and re-apply every couple of hours. You should apply even more if you are doing strenuous activity or swimming. You could go the diva/fashion route by using wide brim Kentucky Derby hats or a sassy cover up to cover your arms/shoulders. Victoria's Secret knows how to make covering up look fabulous if I might say so.  You can also just avoid the sun from 10am to 2pm when it is the harshest.  In search of "safe" tanning, many people resort to tanning booths/beds. While tanning bed companies will tell you their light machines produce only UVA radiation, the "non-burning" type, UVA rays are far from safe. In fact, UVA rays penetrate the skin even deeper than UVB rays do. Crazy, huh.....Over time, exposure to UVA rays can make skin dry and wrinkled and increase the risk of cancer. 

Even when you aren't baking your buns, it is so important to use a daily sunscreen that is at least SPF 15. There are so many incredible brands that are sheer, light, and not greasy. I wear mine under my makeup. It took me some time to get used to adding that extra step to my routine, but my future self will definitely THANK my present self for doing so! Here is an article from Elle that lists some awesome SPF Daily Moisturizers!

Top 5 moisturizers with SPF 

Despite the-concerns of aging and dangers of sun exposure, many of us (MEEE!!), on occasion, get super lazy when it comes to protecting our skin. It took me a while to shun the myth that getting some color from the sun makes me look healthier. As I said in an early post, "Out With the Orange", I feel skinnier/prettier with some color. That is just how it is. The answer to my dilemma was simple. Spray tans are where it's AT. Gorgeous color, luminous glow, ZERO damage, ZERO danger, ZERO wrinkles. If you just refuse to give up sunbathing, take it slowly and let your skin gradually build up melanin to provide some protection.

REMEMBER: The sun can also burn the sensitive skin on our lips and scalp,leading to total discomfort or even skin cancer. Use a lip balm with an SPF of at least 15 and reapply often. Also, keep head covered, or avoid showing the part in your hair. I usually just wear mine up in a messy bun. Protect yourself on cool, cloudy days as well. Damaging rays are not blocked by clouds. You can still get burned, because UV light can penetrate cloud cover. We must take those precautions even when the sun isn't shining very brightly. Most people underestimate the overcast days and stay out longer without SPF- such REBELS. Keep in mind that even umbrellas or shade trees provide only moderate protection from UV light. They do not protect you from rays reflected off snow, pavement, sand and many other surfaces. UV light isn't reflected by water, but it can penetrate water. Being in the cool, refreshing water does not protect you from the rays.  

Other things we tend to forget when talking about skin protection....Don’t smoke. Smoking limits the oxygen to the skin destroying the collagen and elastin that makes it elastic and youthful. When bathing, be kind to your skin. Try to limit bath time as staying in the shower too long strips the skin of it's natural oils- especially if the water is too hot. Avoid very strong soaps, and always moisturize! Here is a biggie: Try to manage your stress levels, get plenty of rest, and eat healthily. This always kicks me in the rear end. But I have to remember, a balanced and happy outlook contributes greatly to balanced, beautiful skin.

Let's RECAP the Golden Words For Your Skin-Care Regimen:

1: Exfoliate

2: Hydrate

3. PROTECT

We all want that dewy fresh glowing skin, so we must always be mindful that what we do now effects our skin down the road. Let's make sure your future self THANKS your present self :) Protect the skin you are in!

 Much Love, Meg