Sunscreen Application & Protection: 10 Tips!

It is probably no surprise that I do not use chemical sunscreen products. I don't want some of their more toxic ingredients making their way into my body, my children's bodies or the bodies of any unfortunate fish or other wildlife that may be swimming along with us.

That being said, I think that the way mineral sunscreen is applied can decrease the level of protection it can provide. I wanted to give a few sunscreen tips now that we are officially into the hot and sunny summer months to help you maximize the effectiveness of your chosen (mineral!) sunscreen!

1. The two mineral sunscreen ingredients are zinc and titanium dioxide. In my two favorite sunscreens, Juice Beauty SPF 30 mineral light moisturizer and Dr. Hauschka SPF 30 for Children and Sensitive Skin, the only sunscreen ingredient is titanium dioxide. It's easy to tell what the sunscreen ingredient is in any product by looking on the ingredient list under "active ingredients."

2. When using a moisturizer with sunscreen it is best to apply two thin layers: a moisturizing layer that will penetrate the skin and a protective layer that will sit on top of the skin's surface and physically filter out the sun's harmful rays.

3. When applying, it is best to "warm" the first layer in your palm and gently press into the skin including the neck and upper chest. The second sunscreen layer is best applied to the top of your non-dominant hand and dotted on your face, neck and chest. After letting it rest a minute, it will easily blend over the moisturized surface of your skin. Rubbing vigorously to blend or apply will break up the minerals. They should be as large as possible so they protect more fully.

4. You do not have to wait fifteen minutes before going out into the sun with mineral sunscreen. They will protect immediately.

5. The use of sunscreen does not fully block out all of the sun's rays. UVA and UVB rays are only two of the many kinds of UV rays there are. Even products labeled "broad spectrum" can't block them all, they only filter out UVA and UVB, which are the rays associated with burning and aging/skin cancer.

6. The SPF factor indicates how much of the active ingredient is present in the product. The number will be a guide as to how long you are protected. It takes me about ten minutes of unprotected sun exposure to begin to burn so ten times (spf) 30 is 300 minutes or five hours of total sun protection. After that I should cover up or move to the shade. Reapplying after five hours will not give me five more hours of protection. After that, burning will occur because the skin has already absorbed the maximum amount of UV rays it can tolerate.

7. Most sun damage occurs from incidental exposure: driving, walking from your house to your car or workplace, etc. Even if you won't be out in the sun all day or even if it's cloudy, sunscreen should still be applied daily to exposed areas. Remember the tops of your hands and feet and ear/earlobes too! (trust me, I have had a serious burn on my ear and it is not pretty!) Use a lot of product, do not skimp! Have someone help you with hard to reach areas.

8. Sun damage is especially present on the left side of the face along the temple area due to exposure while driving. I always apply an extra layer of mineral makeup on top of my mineral sunscreen along that area.

9. Mineral sunscreen should be reapplied if it has been washed off while swimming or perspiring or has been rubbed off with hands or a towel. It will then protect you for the remainder of minutes you have since you first applied sunscreen.

10. Clothing such as a wide-brimmed hat or loose-fitting button long sleeve shirt are very effective along with SPF to help protect from the sun. When I was younger I would have rather died than wear a long sleeve shirt during the summer but now I do so religiously. I was surprised to find that it feels much nicer against my hot summer skin than the scorching rays of the sun. It also absorbs excess perspiration and keeps me dry and fresh even on the hottest of days.

Hot Weather Survival Tips

Here in Texas we are careening towards summer at a breakneck pace. We normally have a two to four week period between seasons where it is in the 80's and gorgeous. We skipped right over that and have been in the 90's now for weeks.

That means that my skincare normal skincare routine flew straight out the window. Luckily I have some emergency products in my arsenal that have kept my skin from freaking out too badly in response.

Here are a few tips and my current faves.

Modifying My Regimen:

During the cooler months I love the full-on Hauschka ritual complete with twice-daily warm compresses. This time of year I cringe at the thought of having anything warm come near me (aside from my morning tea. )

Luckily, the Dr. Hauschka lemon bath is there to step in where my Spruce and Lavender baths left off. A cool lemon compress after a day outdoors is absolutely dreamy. Simply dip a Dr. Hauschka biodynamic cotton compress or a cotton wash cloth or diaper in a basin filled with cool water, squeeze out the excess and press onto clean skin. The point of the warm compress is to soften dead skin cells and relax pores, but if you are in warm and/or humid weather that will do the trick instead.

It feels even better if you refrigerate your Cleansing Milk and Facial Toner and cleanse as usual beforehand. The antiseptic properties of lemon also help keep breakout-causing bacteria in check.

Any mask you may use, especially a gel or cream-based mask feels great when refrigerated, especially if you have a sunburn (just spot-test first to make sure there are no acidic ingredients that may irritate sun-sensitized skin)

Toner is the usual refrigerated skincare product, and you can also make your own skin refresher using distilled water and essential oils in a non-plastic bottle. Aluminum chills nicely, so I have a few on hand to make my own aromatherapy face and body splash. (lavender -peppermint is a favorite combination of mine)

Accepting Nature:

2. I have oily skin (I am just now admitting that to myself! Hi! I'm Jennifer and I have OILY SKIN!!) and love the beautiful semi-mostly-matte finish that my Glominerals pressed powder foundation usually provides. However, during this time of year I embrace the sweaty dewy look instead. It is much less of a hassle and looks much more beautiful and natural in the bright sunlight. Powder touch-ups + sweaty skin = cakey mess.

The best way to do this is to use a tinted moisturizer. If you need more coverage than this provides, you can additionally use a thick, creamy concealer on any blemishes, hyperpigmentation or redness you may want to tone down. (apply after you apply your tinted moisturizer) I also love this sheer foundation which is one step up from tinted moisturizer and doesn't feel heavy at all.

It's important that it is thick and slightly sticky to provide staying power in the hot sun and I like to apply with a brush. The fingers will melt the concealer slightly due to body heat and therefore it will be a bit thinner and not stand up well to sun exposure.

Start at the center of the area needing to be covered and concentrate the product there, blending outward in short, feathery strokes. Blend the edges until they disappear into the surrounding skin and leave the middle well-covered. You can finish with a tiny bit of translucent powder applied with a small brush. The idea is to not apply powder all over the face, so you would just use it to set the concealer. I only do this on major breakouts that I want to minimize and leave the redness around my nose, etc. to fend for itself.

If you are using a tinted moisturizer with SPF you will need to do one of two things. Either apply a thin layer of a non-SPF moisturizer underneath or apply two thin layers of tinted moisturizer with SPF. The reason for this is that a moisturizer needs to be able to penetrate the skin while the SPF needs to sit on top of the skin to protect from the sun. If your skin is dry it will absorb the moisturizer leaving your skin less protected from UV rays. I love using the Juice Beauty oil-free moisturizer underneath either the Juice Beauty Light Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30 or the Dr. Hauschka SPF 30 for Children and Sensitive Skin mixed with a) Translucent Bronze Concentrate on good skin days or b) Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer on not-so-good skin days.

Controlling Excess Oil

I have the unfortunate problem of a combination of active sebaceous glands along with a dry, dehydrated epidermis that refuses to slough itself off properly. This has led me in the past to believe that I had dry skin. I actually have oil-rich, water-dry skin.

If you're still following me, this means that I should drink LOTS of water, especially in hot weather, take an EFA supplement daily and exfoliate regularly. A manual exfoliant doesn't really provide a uniform finish on my skin so I need to use a mild chemical exfoliant instead.

I am IN LOVE with the Nude Skincare Miracle Mask. I have tried EVERYTHING to help combat the milia that form inside my skin when I do not exfoliate often enough. The very first time I used this mask I got such incredible results. If I use it weekly my skin is much brighter and smoother. It was due to this mask that I could actually experience the oil level of my skin. It turns out I was quite oily underneath that layer of sandpaper skin!

Which leads me to my next "miracle" product, the Dr. Hauschka Normalizing Day Oil. If I use a few drops of this after toning my oil level is regulated within a day or two. Once it is balanced I can switch back to a light moisturizer underneath my sunscreen.

Finishing Touches:

I love makeup so much, but this time of year it is easy to overdo it when applying the same amount you would use during the winter. The sun is bright and will unattractively highlight a heavy-handed makeup application.

Once your (very few!) flaws are concealed and your skin is protected from the sun all you need is a touch of color. That is where you Sun Goddesses would sweep on a bit of bronzer. I am fair-skinned and turn as pink as a little piglet in the sun so bronzer just makes me look dirty and unnatural.

Instead I use a bit of bright pink cream blush on the apples only, well-blended and a touch of highlighter along the cheekbones and slightly up the temple and on the inner corners of the eyes.
Shimmery nude or matte taupe eyeshadow, a smudge of brown liner and a coat of mascara finishes the breezy, summery look I'm after.

The Dr. Hauschka Blue Mascara is one of my favorites. It really makes my brown eyes stand out. This is not Diorshow, however so if applied heavily it WILL smudge and run. Applied with a light touch, though it stays on great all day.

If I want more dramatic lashes during steamy weather, I need one of the "Japanese tubing technology" mascaras. These surround each lash with a plastic-polymer formula and stay on until you apply both water and pressure. This means it will stay on if you go swimming UNLESS you also rub your eyes afterwards.

This one has always been my favorite brand, I've used it for about five years. The Kevyn Aucoin mascara is almost identical. It's important to point out that this is not a natural product. However, I do use it for it's superb performance during the allergy season and throughout hot, humid weather.

I hope this helps you beat the heat beautifully!

Remember: stay protected and stay hydrated!

LiveMom Giveaway!!!

I've teamed up with LiveMom to give two lucky winners the chance to win a set of three yummy Juice Beauty lip balms each.

All you have to do is leave a comment there describing the ways you like to multi-task with your favorite beauty products.

Good luck!!!

ps: You don't have to be a mom to enter!

Alternate Uses for Juice Beauty Products

Lately I've been finding all kinds of other uses for Juice Beauty facial skincare products.

I was having a minor shaving crisis because I really hate to buy extra products and it just seems that shaving cream isn't necessary. (but try telling razor-burned legs that!)

I had been using Kiss My Face Moisture Shave cream because I received it in a Makeup Alley swap. I really liked the fragrance, (both the name and the smell!) Vanilla Earth and it felt ok on my skin, but I still noticed some razor drag and the ingredients weren't great. (the website says 'contains no unnecessary chemicals! Ha!)

Ingredients:

Water, Potassium Myristate, Sodium Myristate, Propylene Glycol, TEA Stearate, Coconut Oil, Olive Oil, Aloe Vera, Vitamins A & D, Tocopherol Acetate (Vitamin E), Allantoin, Lecithin, Extracts of Lime, Peppermint, Lady’s Mantle, Soapwort, Horsetail, Watercress, Lemongrass, Sage, Goldenseal, Orange Flower, Arnica, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Fragrance, Sodium Benzoate

Also, it foamed slightly which I just don't want or need in a shaving cream. Not only do I not want the foaming agents, but if I wanted a foaming shaving cream I would just keep using shower gel. (even though right now I'm using Dr. Hauschka rose body washl and it doesn't really foam)

I had this issue every time I took a shower and every time I went to Whole Foods or any of my other natural product haunts I felt frustrated when I was looking at all the shaving cream options. I just didn't want to buy a shaving cream.

So one day I decided to use a bit of my Juice Beauty exfoliating cleanser to shave with. It was fantastic. I got the closest shave I have had in recent history and the jojoba beads didn't clog my razor, like I feared they would.

Later I tried using the cleansing milk, and it works great, too.

Using a $25 cleanser to shave with probably doesn't sound like a very good bargain but I only shave the lower half of my legs and so only need a tiny bit for each leg and find that I can easily use what is leftover from washing my face.

Another great alternative use for a JB product is to use the oil-free moisturizer as a smoothing cream for the hair. Their oil-free moisturizer is the most nourishing oil-free product I've tried and I love it underneath sunscreen.

I have very fine hair and everything I use makes it flat and oily...but one day I had a bit of oil-free moisturizer on my hands so I ran it over the ends of my hair and it was great! It smoothed and sealed my dry ends and added a bit of shine. It even added a bit of definition to my layers without weighing down my hair or causing it to look oily, even hours later. As with the exfoliating cleanser, I only used a tiny amount, less than a pea-size.

A local esthetician who uses JB products in her practice gave me the tip of refrigerating the cleansing milk to use as a post-extraction soothing mask. It feels amazing. It would be a great to refrigerate the entire Spring/Summer to use as a refreshing makeup remover or mask for dry or post-swimming skin.

The last JB tip is to use the hydrating mist(which is one of my favorite JB products) as a room spray. It smells amazing and sprays in a very wide arc so you only need one or two sprays for a small-to-medium sized room.

Which products (Juice Beauty or otherwise) do you multi-task with?

*complete list of Juice Beauty ingredients can be found at www.juicebeauty.com

Owen Wilson!

Today I was at Whole Foods doing a Juice Beauty demo. I had a very successful demo, lots of interest and sales and when I was through I left a few samples in the drawer for the staff to hand out in my absence.
I had no idea they would be put to such good use!
My friend and former co-worker, fellow holistic esthetician, T called tonight to tell me that Owen Wilson came in looking for hair gel and a new moisturizer. He said he didn't like Dr. Hauschka...bummer but he was interested in Juice Beauty. He tried the testers (luckily I cleaned them today!) and loved it. He took samples of the oil-free moisturizer and the nutrient moisturizer, promising to return.
Yay!!!

Update: Owen did return and bought the nutrient moisturizer!