Happy Memorial Day

 

This Stage Or Somewhere Inbetween?

 Or is garden well advanced?

Is Your Garden At This Stage?

 Is your garden in it's early stages?  Mine is?

Why Have A Monthly Facial?

I think I've only had one official facial in my life and that was many years ago.  I know it left me feeling quite good and it helped my skin but due to where I usually end up, I've not had one since.  Today, we'll look at why you really need to have a facial at least once a month, and next time, we'll look at how to do one at home if you can't manage one done by a professional.

A facial is a process designed to clean the skin by cleansing it, using steam to help soften blackheads etc, exfoliation, extraction of blackheads and whiteheads, massage, mask, application of toner, serums, and moisturizer. 

One good reason to have a monthly facial is because a good facial can help smooth fine lines while promoting collagen production.  This is important because collagen is an important ingredient that helps prevent winkles, sagging skin, and premature aging.

In addition, a good facial can be quite relaxing and can heal you.  The touching, massaging, and other techniques professionals use during a facial can be quite healing. Thus one can undergo stress relief while ending up with wonderful skin.

Furthermore, facials can slow down the aging process of the skin by reducing aging spots and fine lines while reducing dehydration in the skin. They allow skin to look and feel so much better and they make us feel better.  Our skin fight aging through the use of exfoliation and massage.  It allows nutrients to penetrate the skin so it's healthier.

A professional is able to do exfoliation on your skin that penetrates deeper than at home but if you need to exfoliate your own skin, you will still receive benefits.  The process of exfoliation smooths your skin, unclogs pores so you can absorb nutrients better,  helps the skins ability to hydrate, and evens out the tone of your skin. 

In a properly done facial, the circulation of blood improves so that skin cells are encouraged to renew.  In addition, when pores are cleaned to a deeper level, thus helping the skin to be healthier, reduce the formation of acne, and reduce the size of the pores by eliminating dirt and oil.

When done, you'll feel so much better, you skin has had a treat and you'll feel less stressful.  If you can afford it and have access to a professional, it is best to go to them but not everyone has access to a professional so on Monday, I'll talk about doing a facial at home so you can indulge yourself.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great weekend. 

Spray Sunscreen

While looking at powdered sunscreen, I wondered how effective spray sunscreens are.  I used a spray sunscreen one time when I went sailing with my sister and I ended up nicely burned so I wasn't sure it was any good in that form.  

We know that sunscreen when used in the lotion or creme form offers the absolute best form of protection, especially when it is reapplied regularly.  You now know that powder sunscreen is good used over a base of liquid sunscreen but is spray as effective as the lotions?  Let's find out.

According to a 2018 study, people bought spray sunscreen in almost the same number as those sold in lotion form.  The research indicates that spray sunscreen is as effective as the lotion form but only if it is used correctly. First of all, it is important to apply enough sunscreen for it to be effective but that can be difficult to determine. If you purchased a spray sunscreen rated at 45 SPF and spray it on for 2 to 3 seconds, you are not going to get the full benefit. Due to that issue, more dermatologists recommend the lotion over the spray form.

Since it is in spray form, it is possible to inhale particles and sprays are not regulated in the same way as lotions.  It is best not to use the spray form on a windy day because it will be difficult to get enough on your body instead of the towel, the air, someone else, etc. Also, don't apply it near a heat source such as grills, candles, lit cigarettes, etc because they are flammable and you don't want to set yourself on fire.

To use the spray sunscreen properly, use it outside rather than inside.  You need the ventilation and you don't want to make your floors slippery when the remaining spray ends up on the floor. When you use it, hold the nozzle near your skin and spray until you see the liquid on your skin (the skin glistens and is wet), then rub it into your skin. If you aren't sure if your skin is glistening, spray the sunscreen for at least 6 seconds for the area.  This way you ensure the sunscreen is applied evenly on your skin and you cover any spots missed by the spray.  For best results, use a lotion for the first layer, then use the spray for reapplying.  

They say that a normal sized spray bottle when used correctly is good for 6 applications if you use the correct amount each time because you need about an ounce of the spray for the proper amount. When you apply the spray sunscreen to your face, spray a good amount into your hands and apply it to your face for best results.  

Remember, even when using a spray sunscreen, it needs to be rated at least SPF 30, reapplied every hour or two, and you must spray until your skin glistens.  In addition, if your sunscreen is water resistant, you need to totally reapply it if you rub a towel on your skin because the towel absorbs the sunscreen thus removing it. Be sure to pair it with a hat and long sleeved garment for the best protection.  

So remember, use a sunscreen in lotion form for the very first layer, reapply lots of spray sunscreen every hour or two, reapply after drying yourself off, and always rub it in for best coverage.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day.

Powdered Sunscreen.

 

I ran across something I'd never heard of  before the other day when I was reading my newsfeed.  I knew sunscreen came in spray, lotion, but I'd never heard of it in powdered form.  That made my mind go "wow".  It made me want to find out more about it.

We all know that dermatologists strongly recommend we wear sunscreen all year round.  We know it needs to be reapplied on a regular basis but that is kind of hard if you have it under all your makeup.  In theory, powdered sunscreen is a great way of reapplying sunscreen over your makeup so you have full protection but does it work that way?

Let's start with what powdered sunscreen is.  Powdered sunscreen is a sunscreen that has the same texture as setting powder. They are found either in a container with a retractable brush or in a compact like you see women use in films from the 1940's and 50's. These sunscreens tend to be quite light, great to wear as a finishing touch to your make up and are not heavy like lotions or creams.

On the other hand, there is some question as to whether sunscreen in this form is able to provide the same  protection as cremes and lotions. It turns out they are sort of as effective but with restrictions.  To get the most effectiveness out of powdered sunscreen, they cannot be used as the initial source of sunscreen.  They are much better used to retouch your sunscreen after using a lotion or creme for the initial application.  In other words, use the lotion or creme sunscreen when you get ready for the day and use the powder to tough up your makeup throughout the day.

Traditional sunscreen lotions and cremes provide the best coverage and should be applied under your makeup.  It is recommended that sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours.  Since you don't want to take your make up off and reapply the sunscreen off before putting the makeup on again, one can use the powdered sunscreen every couple of hours to improve the effectiveness of your sunscreen protection. 

However understand that powder sunscreens tend to be less effective on their own because they are not absorbed into the skin and they cannot create a good barrier.  In addition, they do contain less SPF than their liquid counterparts and need to be reapplied more frequently to get the full benefits of sunscreen.

The nice thing about powdered sunscreen is that they feel much lighter than lotions or cremes. Since they feel more like a setting powder, they are much easier to use over the makeup you are wearing. They are ideal for sensitive skin and they come in easy to take with you packaging.  They slip in your purse easily.  

Remember, do not use powdered sunscreen as your main source of protection, use it for touch ups.  Since it is a powder, it can be difficult to apply evenly and the SPF rating my not be as accurate as it is with liquid sunscreen.  If you decide to use a powdered sunscreen, look for a broad spectrum one that protects against both UVA and UVB rays with an SPF of at least 30.  Check the ingredients list for titanium or zinc since these two ingredients physically block the rays and are less irritating to the skin.  If it contains iron oxide, that is great because the iron oxide protects against blue light. Finally, look for ceramide 3, olive glycerides, vitamins E and C, and antioxidants for extra protection.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  

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