Toner: The Go-To Summer Skin Remedy

By Loren Ridinger

With summer just around the corner, it’s about that time of year when it’s time to take your skincare routine more seriously. Between trips to the beach, rooftop parties, hikes in the woods and swimming in lakes, all the dirt and grime [and not to mention sunscreen] of summer can pile up on your skin.  When the hot summer months come rolling in, it’s time to roll out a secret summer skin weapon: toner. Toners are the best for adding a little extra cleanse to your routine, especially after a long, hot day with sunscreen and other products on your face. Check out these reasons for making toner your go-to summer skin remedy.

Toner: The Go-To Summer Skin Remedy

• Shrinks pores. A little toner goes a long way for making pores appear smaller.
• Moisturizing. Toners have humectants, which help bind moisture to the skin.
• Protects. Toner tightens up pores, allowing fewer impurities in.
• Restores balance. Toner helps your skin achieve the correct ph balance that’s often disrupted by soap.
• Refreshing! Exactly what you need after a long day in the sun.

Is toner part of your daily skin routine? This is my favorite: the Cellular Laboratories De-Aging Toner.

Cellular Laboratories De-Aging Toner, helps to provide moisture in the skincare regimen. Toner is a key step in an effective skincare regimen; it follows the application of the cleanser to double-check that all traces of dirt and impurities have been removed, allowing skin to breathe and generate the proper collagen, elastin and moisture needed for healthy, radiant, youthful-looking skin. 
http://bit.ly/14ogLKn

Getting Summer Ready with SPF Makeup

By Loren Ridinger

Getting summer ready means less clothes and more sun, making it even more important that we pay attention to our sunscreen use! Of course I advocate wearing SPF makeup every day but if you haven’t been as diligent as you should be, it’s the perfect season to pick up this good habit. Here are the two SPF makeup products I can’t recommend enough adding into your beauty regimen! They have done wonders for my skin.

 Getting Summer Ready with SPF Makeup

If you want to do double-duty

• Motives Liquid Powder Mineral Foundation SPF 15 is a foundation and powder in one that is also infused with powerful antioxidants. There is nothing like this product on the market – it’s a one step process with primers, silicone and SUNSCREEN for flawless skin.
• http://bit.ly/14lWG3a

If your foundation doesn’t have SPF

• Cellular Laboratories De-Aging Moisturizing Day Crème with Sunscreen SPF20 helps protect skin from premature aging and free radicals. Moisture-retentive, plus great for a pre-makeup application leaving your skin smooth and hydrated.
• http://bit.ly/10X7zr6

How do you feel about wearing SPF makeup? Do you like the all-in-one or a separate SPF moisturizer?

http://www.MotiveswithKate.com

How to Select the Best Sunscreen

                     
                                                         

Credit: Thinkstock
Gone are the days of just running into the grocery store to pick up a tube of sunscreen before the beach. With skeptical chemicals ingredients and changing regulations, sunscreen shopping can be a challenge. But we’re here to help.
Selecting sunscreen might be a little easier this summer thanks to new sunscreen regulations implemented by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). All SPF products that do not pass the new FDA testing requirements will include warning labels stating their sun-protection limitations. Even makeup and skin-care products that contain SPF will be upheld to the new label policies.
“Sunscreen has always been an important tool in the fight against skin cancer, and these new regulations will greatly improve the consumer’s ability to make smart decisions— at a glance—about a product’s effectiveness simply by reading the label,” says High Point, NC, dermatologist Zoe D. Draelos. “Everyone, regardless of skin color, can get skin cancer, which is why it is important for people to properly protect themselves from the sun’s harmful rays.”
When you’re picking up your next bottle, check the label to learn if the sunscreen:

• Is broad-spectrum, which means the sunscreen protects against UVB and UVA rays and helps prevent skin cancer and sunburn. With the new regulations, the FDA has clearly defined the testing required for a sunscreen to be labeled as “broad-spectrum.”
• Has a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher. While SPF 15 is the FDA’s minimum recommendation for skin cancer prevention and sunburn, the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends choosing a sunscreen with an SPF level of at least 30. For a sunscreen to carry the claim that it can help prevent skin cancer and early skin aging in addition to sunburn, it must offer both broad-spectrum coverage and an SPF of 15 or higher. If not, the label will carry the Skin Cancer/Skin Aging Alert. 
• Has a Skin Cancer/Skin Aging Alert in the Drug Facts section of the label, which means the sunscreen will only prevent sunburn and will not reduce the risk of skin cancer and early skin aging.
• Is water resistant for up to 40 minutes or 80 minutes, which means the sunscreen provides protection while swimming or sweating up to the time listed on the label. Sunscreen manufacturers now are banned from claiming that a sunscreen is “waterproof” or “sweat proof,” as the FDA has determined that those terms are misleading.

Find a sunscreen that feels good on your skin. “If it’s too heavy or greasy, you won’t use it. Keep trying different products until you find one you like,” says Minneapolis dermatologist Brian Zelickson, MD, who recommends:
 Target's Up & Up Sport Spray SPF 30 http://bit.ly/Yya1Vj
, L'Oreal Sublime Sun Advanced Sunscreen SPF 30 http://bit.ly/15uMppP
, Obagi Nu-Derm Sun Shield SPF 50
  SkinCeuticals Sheer Physical UV Defense SPF 50 http://bit.ly/11p1at5
But no matter what sunscreen you purchase, it’s irrelevant if you’re not applying it correctly. “This means covering all the skin that’s going to be exposed to the sun,” says Dr. Zelickson. “Like priming a wall to paint, it can take two coats. If you’re going to be out in the sun for an extended period of time, sweating or swimming, reapply the sunscreen every 1-2 hours.”
What's your sunscreen of choice?

by Marissa Hicken

Melanoma Monday: 10 Facts About Skin Cancer

From Lorens World

May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month and today is being nationally recognized at Melanoma Monday. With summer just around the corner, the risk of damaging your skin with harmful UV rays is unbearably high, with statistics showing that one person dies from melanoma every hour in the United States.
By knowing how to protect your skin, you can make sure you’re taking every precaution when it comes to skin cancer. If you’re about to step out your front door without sunscreen, stop and read these 10 facts about skin cancer. Maybe you’ll think twice about skipping the SPF.

Melanoma Monday: 10 Facts About Skin Cancer

1. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States
2. Over the past three decades, more people have had skin cancer than all other cancers combined.
3. Just one indoor tanning session increases users’ chances of developing melanoma by 20 percent, and each additional session during the same year boosts the risk almost another two percent.
4. Anyone, regardless of skin color, can get skin cancer.
5. Having had one or more blistering sunburns as a child or teenager increases your risk of developing skin cancer as an adult.
6. Wearing sunscreen year-round plays a major role in your overall protection from the sun.
7. Some common prescription and over-the-counter drugs, including antibiotics, can make your skin more sensitive to sunlight. (stay informed!)
8. Sunscreens don’t provide complete protection from UV rays. Wear protective clothing whenever possible.
9. Avoid the sun during the middle of the day. The sun’s rays are strongest between about 10 a.m. and 4 p.m
10. African Americans, Latinos, and Asians have a lower risk of developing skin cancer in general, but when they do develop it, it’s often more deadly and more aggressive.

(taken from Skincancer.org & MayoClinic.com)

Will these 2013 skin cancer facts inspire you to make sure you’re protected this summer