Posts in Lifestyle

Your Skin Is A Mirror

Lifestyle Skincare Wellness

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our skin is a two sided organ. its the largest organ and is our protector. We are pretty harsh on our largest organ, especially given how much we put it through. hot water, freezing cold temperatures, the sun, and then add to that what people choose to do (or not do) to their skin. acid peels and lack of spf are doing your skin what types of favors? we don’t see the consequences of our choices until decades down the road if we are lucky. (can you imagine if we could see our liver or arteries?!) I am not here to say if you don’t have perfect skin you’ve done a disservice to your skin. some of what we see as we age is bound to happen. it’s the price the skin pays for being exposed to the elements and going on our journey with us.  but let’s circle back to the whole double sidedness of it all.  as with our internal organs, what we put into our bodies has an effect on our organs, and that includes the skin. what you eat, how much sleep you get, and even your thoughts have a real influence on your skin that you can see, it just manifests differently in people. for someone like me, my sugar binges are going to be reflected in some not so beautiful cystic acne… as will a long bout of stress. for other people, their sugar binges will show in premature signs of aging like glycation. sugar not only increases inflammation in the skin, but it eats away at collagen and elastin. stress and unresolved trauma also play a major role in how we age – just look at any presidential pictures; those famous befores and afters and you’ll see that they’ve definitely aged more than 4-8 years during that timeframe. all this is to say, if you want to age well, it’s not just about what you put on top of your skin, but also lifestyle choices, food habits, and stress management.

Is SPF Really a Daily Thing?

Lifestyle Skincare

As we start to see the signs of fall – the crunching leaves, the temperature dipping a little, and the announcement of Starbucks PSL returning to an instagram feed near you – you still hear your esthetician telling you to wear your sunscreen. Regardless of time of year, cloud cover, or when the sun sets, I’m here to let you know that when it comes to signs of exposure on your face, neck, hands, and chest, SPF really needs to be a daily practice.

To answer your question of “but why?”, we need to look at UV radiation. The sun emits different types of UV radiation, the most common being UVA and UVB. Zinc oxide is the only single ingredient that successfully blocks both UVA and UVB rays, while chemical sunscreen needs a blend of different ingredients to filter out both types of rays. Regardless of what type of sunscreen you choose to use, the type of UV radiation is why we wear UV protection year round. While my favorite sun-care is TiZO, known for being zinc based and their tinted versions working well with all skin tones, whatever you’ll enjoy wearing daily is the best choice.

UVB is what we call burning rays, while UVA rays are aging rays. We are exposed to both types year round, with UVB being stronger during the summer – which is why we are diligent on our sunscreen application while we spend days on the Rehoboth Beach boardwalk eating Thrashers French fries. While you see the effects of UVB rays with a crispy sunburn, UVA rays are sneaky. Year round, even on cloudy winter days, those UVA rays are there. and UVA rays are what you won’t see the effects of until years down the road when you inevitably look in the mirror and say, oh my god, where did all of this sun damage come from?! Oh and don’t forget – UVA exposure is also linked to skin cancer.

Did you know that in addition to water and white sand, snow also reflects UV rays, increasing the UV value exposure? That means sunny day walks on the beach in January, shoveling snow, and going snow boarding and skiing are all activities that not only require sunscreen to make sure you don’t get a sun burn (OK, you’ll prob only burn from shredding the slopes all day), but increase those aging rays as well. Keep a sunscreen stick in your pocket so your skin keeps it cool year round.

Needing sunglasses year round is a great reminder that that sun is impacting your skin, too. Overcast days can still be bright, and my favorite obnoxious reminder is that we would be dead without the sun, so even if you can’t see it, it’s still impacting you ✌🏻.

I really don’t like to fear monger the sun, as you can tell by my previous blog post, where I explain how to reap the benefits of the sun while protecting yourself. So I’m going to remind you here too (as well as when you’re getting a facial with me), that the sun is our friend and we need the sun. So take your morning beach walks during the winter! But the best way to keep your sun-care habits is to make it an every day practice. If it’s easier, find yourself a moisturizer that has sunscreen in it, although that will mean investing in a separate nighttime moisturizer. My preference is to have my favorite moisturizer that I wear day and night, and my favorite SPF that I can apply every day, and slip in my bag for reapplication

As we approach the colder months sometimes we struggle with the shift in temperatures and dehydration – and wearing sunscreen to bed can dry out your skin! So always always always cleanse your skin at night, and follow with hydration and more occlusive products if you’re struggling with dehydration or dryness. Some of my favorites are Lift Away, to remove SPF and cleanse while keeping your skin hydrated, Enrich for a heavier night cream, or Nourish to apply over your favorite moisturizer and help lock in all of the hydration and goodness you just fed your skin.

How to Practice Safe Sun: Lifestyle Edition

Lifestyle Skincare

The big reason we wear SPF is twofold, right? To protect our skin from photo-damage, accelerating signs of aging and DNA damage, as well as doing what we can to protect ourselves from skin cancer. But what about the rest of our body? Sure, you apply SPF to your extremities, but the sun does penetrate through clothing

If your lifestyle has you spending hours outside most days, investing in UPF clothing is a great way to further protect yourself.

UPF stands for Ultraviolet Protection Factor, and it measures the amount of UVA and UVB radiation that can penetrate through the fabric of your clothing. Check out Vapor UPF Apparel for really nice basics, and Coolibar UPF Clothing for a lot of dressy and casual options for the whole family!

In addition to clothes, don’t forget about your hands when you’re kayaking or paddle boarding! bassdash UPF gloves are really pretty (although you can go basic too), and they can also be used for long car drives to help limit exposure if you don’t want to reapply sunscreen!

The sun has so many benefits, but we still need to protect our skin – it’s protecting us daily! When you go to the beach make sure you have the essentials to Practice Safe Sun: A nice hat, some sunnies for a few hours a day (download my free guide at the bottom of the page to learn why wearing sunglasses all day is a no-no), shade, and your SPF! Check out the full range of TiZO SPF products and choose your new favorite!

When I used to run I discovered Goodr Sunglasses – they come in a variety of colors, they look great, and even if you sweat stay in place! 10/10 my favorite affordable sunglasses.

When it comes to hats you want a wide brim and a tight weave if it’s straw. My absolute favorite hats are from Lack of Color. You can also opt for a more casual hat with a neck protector if that’s more your style. CampTrace has options for the whole family. For your top-knot needs, get a hat with an open top and don’t worry about hot hair on your neck! In addition to protecting your face, neck, ears, arms, torso, and legs… don’t forget about your feet! Always apply SPF to your feet to keep them protected from burns and major UV damage. Melanoma can hide in unsuspecting places, like moles in between toes…

I wear a hat more when there’s no commitment to carry it around. A Magnetic Hat Clip is super helpful and it just clips onto your bag strap! I am obsessed with anything from Business and Pleasure to post up for a day at the beach or home, and if you’ve got the whole family, consider Gorich Beach Tents. Just you in a beach chair, golfing, or towing a child in a Radioflyer?, try Versa-Brella.

While investing in taking care of your skin, don’t forget about your hair! Sun and chlorine can dry out your strands and lead to breakage and lackluster color. Check out KEUNE Sun Care Shampoo and KEUNE Sun Care Conditioner to help keep your strands healthy and strong. While we’re on the topic of hydration, focus on keeping your skin hydrated!

Applying a facial oil on top of your moisturizer will seal in hydration to keep your skin happy and healthy overnight. If you’re also struggling with acne, the Therapeutic CBD Oil is a light option for an oil that absorbs easily! When you’ve gotten a little too much sun and your skin is holding some heat, pull it out with a cool tool. Find the Sun Worshiper Serum Set here mentioned in the skin routine below! Even if you don’t use these products, the below routine is a great guide for a simple yet effective daily skincare routine.