April 6, 2010
Posted by marta
It’s that time of year again when we need to start thinking about sunscreen in earnest. For me this isn’t easy, since my skin seems to be inordinately sensitive to all chemical sunscreens and sometimes mineral alternatives just don’t provide my fair skin with enough protection (as I found out to my cost last Friday when Devita failed me on the first hot day of the year). So I’ve taken to using sunscreen by stealth, finding it stashed away in products which ostensibly serve a different purpose. Read more...
September 9, 2009
Posted by copley
Summer may have been officially snuffed out, but there is no reason for your sun-kissed glow to meet the same fate. With the right sunless tanner, you’ll look healthy, feel confident, conceal complexion inconsistencies, and may even soak up skin-conditioning and antioxidant benefits if the formula is smart. A bonus of achieving a head-to-toe tan is cursorily camouflaging cellulite (not that you have any, but you know, just in case). After scouring the self-tanning universe for something that meets our lofty criteria, we’ve settled on five products to represent the very best in the category, based on formula, fragrance, and performance. From Aviva Organics’ mostly organic Face and Body Creme to Xen-Tan’s paraben-free Transform Gradual Self Tan, the ingredients are overall outstanding and the experience of using these products is surprisingly pleasant. Click on the images below for full details of each product.
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June 1, 2009
Posted by marta
Given that many of us want to avoid chemical sunscreens and are concerned about the safety aspects of titanium dioxide, we have been asked to round up a few zinc oxide ray protectors. Even zinc oxide has its share of controversy – there are worries about whether micronized versions can be absorbed by the skin. Until I get better intelligence on this, I am going with the Environmental Working Group. in 2006, the EWG reviewed a stack of the available literature and concluded that nano zinc was not absorbed by the skin and is, therefore, safe to use. Read more...
November 6, 2008
Posted by marta
Requests for recommendations for moisturizers with sunscreen have recently risen to a clamor and, slightly against my better judgment, I went in search of answers. Frankly, the exercise has only confirmed my theory (don’t you like it when you prove yourself right) that a good moisturizer and sunscreen combo is an oxymoron. The reason I keep them separate is simple: I can choose a good non-irritant mineral sunscreen (SPF 50), apply it whenever I feel the need and get the best moisturizer I can find (sans chemical crap).
I get that a combo is convenient, but it seems to me that there is a cost. And that is that something will be compromised, such as good moisturizing ingredients getting mixed up with nasty chemical sunscreens. My criteria for this selection was that the SPF should be no less than 30 and that the moisturizing ingredients had to be more convincing than glycerin mixed with a few silicones. So far (and I’ll keep scanning), I’ve come up with a couple of good ones (Juice Beauty for example). Others, such as Dermaquest’s illustrate the compromise theory. Read more...
