When to apply sun cream

One day at the market I saw Mark with his daughter Holly, aged 5. Her face was glowing red, and I asked him if they used sun cream. He said, ‘Yes, I put it on her just before we left.’

He is my client and I should be polite, but I tapped on his forehead and said, ‘Far toooo late – she’s already burnt.’ Since that day, when I meet him he points at Holly and says, ‘See, I put it on 30 minutes before.’

Get your sun cream now, while you read this. Why? Check the label. All sun screen products say, ‘Apply 20-30 minutes before sun exposure.’ Yet it’s obvious many people are either unaware of this, or ignore it.

Why apply it 20-30 minutes before sun exposure?

• Sun cream needs this time to be absorbed and protect the skin from UVA and UVB rays.
• If you’re already in the sun, you won’t be protected for up to 30 minutes – long enough for sun damage. 

 Now you know. No excuses.

Watch the video ‘When to apply sun cream’

See certified organic sun cream with NO chemicals or synthetics (scroll down the page)

See related article ‘Sun exposure and the skin’ or watch the video

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Have a lovely day

Lucie

www.familyhealthbeautyinfo.com

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Perfume and sunlight

We usually put perfume directly onto the skin – after all, spraying onto our clothes could leave a stain.

But take note:

• Perfume combined with sunshine can cause photo damage to the skin (hyper pigmentation, or brown marks)
• Lemon oil can cause increased skin sensitivity to ultraviolet light if left on the skin

The answer is to put a drop of your perfume behind your ears. Why? Behind the ears there is stronger blood circulation, and the perfume will be more intense.

Watch the video ‘Perfume and sunlight’

See related article ‘Sun exposure and skin’ or watch the  video

What did you think of this article? I welcome your feedback

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Lucie

www.familyhealthbeautyinfo.com

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Why you losing your sun tan

Don’t you love sunbathing on holiday, and getting such a beautiful golden tan? Then you go home and it soon starts to fade. 

Am I right, or is it just me? Well, everyone’s skin works in the same way.

Just imagine:

• Our skin has billions of skin cells.

• Millions of those skin cells are dying daily.

What happens is that our skin peels/exfoliates naturally, and so, unless we continue to sunbathe, we lose that golden colour. Eventually the tanned skin cells are completely gone through washing or natural shedding. What is left is your natural skin colour.

Getting outside in the fresh air gives you a nice, fresh colour. But you should always use sun cream. Don’t worry, it protects you from harmful UVA and UVB rays, but your skin will still get a bit of tan. 

Watch the video ‘Why you losing your sun tan’

See related article ‘Myth: exfoliating is bad!’ or watch the video

See related article ‘Sun exposure and skin’ or watch the video

What did you think of this article? I welcome your feedback

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Lucie

www.familyhealthbeautyinfo.com

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Can we avoid wrinkles?

Truly I am not sure if there is anything that really prevents our skin from getting older. But we can do things to support our skin, instead of harming it.

The best step you can take is to protect your skin from UV rays. In the past, women used sun umbrellas to protect their skin. They knew the sun made them look older.

See related article ‘Sun exposure and the skin’ or watch the video          

Elastin and collagen

Two important proteins in your skin are elastin and collagen. These help keep your skin looking smooth and plump. Sun exposure dries out the collagen and elastin, and the skin hardens up. Here’s what Wikipedia says:

Elastin is a protein in connective tissue that is elastic and allows many tissues in the body to resume their shape after stretching or contracting. Elastin helps skin to return to its original position when it is poked or pinched. Elastin is also an important load-bearing tissue in the bodies of mammals and used in places where mechanical energy is required to be stored.

Collagen is the main protein of connective tissue in animals and the most abundant protein in mammals, making up about 50% of the whole-body protein content. Tough bundles of collagen called collagen fibers are a major component of the extracellular matrix that supports most tissues and gives cells structure from the outside, but collagen is also found inside certain cells. Along with soft keratin, it is responsible for skin strength and elasticity, and its degradation leads to wrinkles that accompany aging. It is also used in cosmetic surgery and burns surgery.

From Wikipedia

Antioxidants

To understand how to keep your skin (and your body) healthy you also need to know about antioxidants. These are substances that may protect cells from the damage caused by unstable molecules known as free radicals. Antioxidants are found in certain foods that neutralise free radicals. These include the nutrient antioxidants, vitamins A, C and E, and the minerals copper, zinc and selenium.

To summarise:

• Avoid the sun, especially between 10 am and 3 pm
• Always apply sun block (SPF at least 15), cover up and wear a hat
• Drink plenty of water
• Eat high-antioxidant foods like fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts, grain cereals.
• Nurture skin daily with ingredients that support the skin’s needs. Look for elastin, collagen and antioxidants in beauty products. 

Watch the video ‘Can we avoid wrinkles?’

See related article  ‘What are free radicals and antioxidants?’  or  watch the video

What did you think of this article? I welcome your feedback

Have a lovely day

Lucie

www.familyhealthbeautyinfo.com

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