Tag Archives: Dermalogica

June 19, 2013

Is Your Sunscreen Safe?

Safety concerns over chemical sunscreens that work by absorbing the sun’s rays as opposed to physical which deflect or block them have come to light in the public domain. Is there any validity in the claims that these products created to protect our skin could also be the very thing that’s harming us?

Over the last couple of years the ingredient oxybenzone and its use in chemical sunscreens is raising a number of concerns. According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG) “it seems able to penetrate the skin and may have some hormone-like activity in the body”, otherwise known as a hormone disruptor. It’s also a derivative of benzophenone which can attack DNA when it’s illuminated. So whilst you’re out sunbathing the sun literally acts a light switch for an increased production of free radicals, which are the very things your sunscreen should be protecting you from. It seems counterproductive to say the least.

With a little research I found that products only have to label “contains oxybenzone” if it contains 0.5% or more, so even if it’s not labelled it could still be present but according to The Skin Cancer Foundation, “there has never been any evidence that oxybenzone, which has been available for 20 years, has any adverse health effect in humans. The ingredient is FDA-approved for human use based on exhaustive reviews” The SCF then dismissed the EWG findings as nothing more than the result of “junk science”.

So it’s ok as long as it’s not adverse..? I would’ve thought that if there was an alternative for using sunscreen that’s just as safe and effective without the addition of chemical nasties then all sides would be championing that but I guess it’s only the non profit organisation EWG who seem to be… We could open up a whole pandoras box here of nasty ingredients that regulatory bodies have allowed to slip into many foods, drinks and cosmetics but that’s a whole other issue.

Another growing concern is the continued use of Vit A (retinyl palmitate) to be added to many sunscreens and cosmetics, despite growing scientific evidence that they to pose safety concerns for sun exposed skin,

“In December 2010, the FDA and NTP teams published a draft report consistent with EWG’s findings. On January 26, 2011, the NTP Board of Scientific Counselors unanimously adopted this position. (NTP 2010, NTP 2011). The NTP published the final report on this project last year (NTP 2012). In it the NTP concludes that both retinyl palmitate and retinoic acid, another form of Vitamin A, sped up the development of cancerous lesions and tumors on UV-treated animals.”

Despite the findings it appears the jury is still out as to wether Vit A in sunscreens can be detrimental on human skin tissue when exposed to sunlight but it doesn’t make sense that an SPF should contain it as an ingredient. Its use in anti ageing products is well known but anyone who uses retinols are always advised to avoid the sun or at the very least be vigilant with sun protection, so why add it? Even if the Vit A is watered down by the addition of other ingredients it can’t then be of much an anti ageing benefit but they’ll cost you more for the small added pleasure.

With so many products coming under the spotlight of safety lately you’re sunscreen should be of the least concern and perhaps there really is nothing to worry about with regards to chemical sunscreens but who knows what the accumulative damage is with use of these products, particularly in mothers who breastfeed and young children. Also not forgetting the damage it’s already causing to our environment by polluting our water sources, simply from our sunscreens washing of once were in the water.

“Researchers estimate that 4,000 to 6,000 metric tons of sunscreen wash off swimmers annually in oceans worldwide, and that up to 10 percent of coral reefs are threatened by sunscreen-induced bleaching.”

“Make sure your sunscreen is a physical sunblock, which means it would only have zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. Also read the label and choose better ingredients like shea butter, cocoa butter, plant oils and avoid synthetic ingredients like fragrance.”

Many physical sunscreens are now much lighter in formulation compared with the thick gloop of the past so you won’t be left with that annoying white film on your skin. Those with skins that are very fair and sensitive to chemical sunscreens should opt for physical sunscreens, one of the best things though about them is that they work straight away. If using a chemical sunscreen doesn’t bother you then it’s still a good idea to opt for formulations that are lighter in chemical filters.

So what to use then? Well there are a few brands that I use personally as well as in my kit for jobs on location shoots but I’ve also been on the hunt for other options and I’ll continue to update with suggested products but if anyone else has any others that are tried and tested I would be more than happy to add them to the list on this post. Just remember that even though the list below consists of products with SPF30+ does not mean you can stay in the sun all day without reapplying. You need to do so at least every couple of hours. Obviously it goes without saying that the sun is a great source of Vit D and we still need to absorb the suns rays in order to beneft from it, so you don’t need to cover yourself top to toe 24 hours a day just be sensible and don’t allow yourself to burn.

For very fair skins that are aggravated by chemical sunscreens

Alpha H Ultra Protector SPF 30 RRP £30

Dermalogica super sensitive shield SPF 30 RRP £38.10

Clarins Sun care cream High Protection SPF 30 and 50 RRP£18.00

Clinique City Block SPF 25 RRP £16.00

Avene Sun Care Very High Protection Mineral Cream SPF 50 RRP £13.50

Heliocare Gel SPF 50 RRP £20

A great lighter chemical filter option is that of La Roche Posay Anthelios XL SPF range which is available from Boots prices retail from around £14.00

I really want to get hold of Banana Boat’s new mineral SPF 30 but sadly not available in UK at the moment

http://bananaboat.com.au/products/mineral-protect-kids-spf-30-120g/?v=natural&f=usage

Other brand suggestions can be found on the Lovelula website and they have SPF”s from 15+ if you still want to tan.

http://www.lovelula.com/cat_organic_skincare_spf_protection.cfm

Listed below are a few links that I’ve sourced for this post. Please take a look as they’re full of information and the best thing anyone can do is to be armed with a little knowledge especially when it comes to the health of your skin.

http://www.skinacea.com/sunscreen/physical-vs-chemical-sunscreen.html#.Ub8CVfm9Wdk

http://www.ewg.org/2013sunscreen/9-surprising-facts-about-sunscreen/

http://www.ewg.org/2013sunscreen/whats-wrong-with-high-spf/

http://samvidbeauty.com/2011/07/the-effect-of-sunscreen-on-our-environment/

Leave a comment | tags: Alpha H, Avene, Banana Boat, Clarins, Dermalogica, Heliocare, Jaimee Rose, SPF | posted in Skincare, Spotlight on

February 1, 2013

Every Face Tells A Story…

By 𝓙𝓪𝓲𝓶𝓮𝓮 𝓡𝓸𝓼𝓮

So let’s start from the beginning.

Skin, our very own protector and guardian, protecting the body from water loss and shielding us against external damage that comes from UV rays, chemicals and infections. It fights a constant daily battle with the frequent hot to cold and cold to hot thanks to moisture sucking central heating and aircon and for a while it seemingly puts up with bad diets, excessive alchohol consumption and smoking but eventually all these factors take it’s toll, leading to our decline in collagen and elasticity production that causes premature ageing.

Obviously genetics play their part here to and your parents are a very good indicator as to how you yourself are likely to age, so if they’ve adopted bad habits that have speeded up the ageing process then it’s very likely that you to will be affected in the same way if you adopt similar lifestyle choices.

Our skin after all is a projection of the state of our health and people subconsciously respond to it good or bad depending on how healthy we look and as its the bodies largest organ consisting of three layers, the epidermis (upper layer of the skin), dermis (middle layer) and the subcutaneous layer (lower), all three need to be maintained for skin to be at it’s healthiest and youthful.

When it comes to problems with our skin we often think the way to treat it is just with topical solutions rather than a holisitic approach. So we need to be doing our best to eliminate or at least try to cut down on any of the aforementioned bad habits Eating a diet rich in antioxidants/essential fatty acids, exercise, sleeping well and drinking plenty of water will help to maintain all the layers of our skin, starting with the deepest layer, the subcutaneous. It’s mostly made up of fat and is essential for our skin to function normally, any significant loss here contributes greatly to ageing and once the skin loses it’s elasticity and collagen in the next layer, the dermis, it then becomes weaker and poorer at maintaining the supply of nutrients and water which is vital for the epidermis (surface of our skin) to regenerate new skin cells. This is why skin then starts to sag, wrinkle and become thin, so you really need to look after skin from inside out.

Having a good skincare regime is also important, it goes a long way to help rejuvinate and kick start the skin cell renewall process and cleansing should be the one area in which your attention should be the primary focus. Without proper cleansing, other products that you use wether it be primers, serums, night creams etc won’t work as efficiently.

Regardless of what type of skin you have cleansing should be gentle and thorough, not abrasive and harsh. Doing so only over stimulates sebum oil production in the dermis which leads to pores clogging. The purpose of cleansing is just to remove make up, grime and dead skin cells on the skins surface, not a full scale attack.

Cleansers come in all sorts of varieties, gels, oils and creams and so on but I’ve listed below my favourites that cover all skin types. You will find that your skin type may change from week to week or month to month. It can be affected by the weather, hormones and other environmental factors so you will need to adapt from time to time the products you use depending on the current condition of your skin.

OIL CLEANSER

Shu Uemura Skin Purifier ultime8

One of my absolute favourite cleansers ever! I use it every night as it completely dissolves any make up and impurities on the skin, you only need a few little drops from the dispenser to massage on the face, then add a little warm water to emulsify it then you rinse of with warm water. It contains 8 botanical ingredients that target 8 different skincare concerns, to then provide you with 8 skincare benefits. It’s a little pricey at £34 for 150ml bottle but because it’s so replenishing and nourishing you may find you could skip the need for a moisturiser.

GEL CLEANSER

Alpha-H Triple Action Cleanser

This is my go to cleanser if my skin is feeling a little oilier than usual. It’s so gentle at mopping up any excess oil on my skin but very effective at removing all traces of make up whilst still maintaing a healthy pH balnce in my skin, thanks to it’s soothing cucumber, hydrating Aloe Vera and Thyme wich acts as a natural anti- bacterial. I’ve recommended Alpha-H to a lot of people who’ve been seeking products that are effective at dealing with their skin concerns, from acne, open pores, pigmentation and sensitivity amongst others and I’ve heard nothing but great results. In my opinion one of the best skincare brands across the board.

CREAM CLEANSERS

Alpha-H Balancing Cleanser

Another 3 in 1 cleanser from Alpha-H except this one is cream based and is rich in Vit E and Aloe Vera so it has great antioxidant and soothing properties. Ideal for all skin types, it serves as a make up remover, facial wash and toner.

LANCOME GALATEIS DOUCEUR

Gentle Softening Cleansing Fluid Face and Eyes

A great cleansing product I love to use on shoots as it’s very quick at removing stubborn make up and leaves their skin super soft. Once you’ve applied the cleanser you only need a soft tissue to remove any residue but i usually spritz a piece with a rose or lavender infused toner if a model has oily/combination skin before removing.

CLEANSING MILK

Dermalogica Skin Resurfacing Cleanser

This cleansing product from Dermalogica contains Lactic Acid (Alph-hyydroxy acid) it’s a naturally occurring substance in milk and dairy products that’s ideal for those with sensitive skin as it’s much less potent than Glycolic Acid which is another natural substance derived from sugarcane. This product works by retexturising the skins surface by removing dead skin cells and accelerating skin cell renewal. It’s perfect for those with skin that has a tendency to be dry and because it has an AHA in it, it allows other products you apply to penetrate the skins surface a little more deeply thus making whatever you use after cleansing much more effective. Just remember to make sure you apply an SPF as use of AHA’S make the skin more sensitive to the suns UV rays.

CLEANSING WATER

Beauty cleansing staples in many a make up artists kit. They remove make up up from eyes, face, lips quickly and efficiently without any need for rinsing of. A brilliant timesaver when I need to create different looks on models without aggravating their skin, as they have very soothing and hydrating properties. I wouldn’t use them as a constant alternative for a thorough cleanse but they’re perfect for quickly removing make up after a heavy night before crashing into bed, when rushed for time in the morning or even if skin needs a little refresher throughout the day. They’re also great to use as toner after using oil based cleansers.

Eau Micellaire Douceur