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88 WOMEN'S HEALTH JUNE 2009 womenshealthmag.com
LUMINOUS
SKIN FOR LIFEApplying sunscreen can kinda suck.Buta new breed ofblocks-----andthese
brUlianttips--wiLl make protectingyour complexion so much easiel~.
By Elizabeth Einstein
LOTS OF PEOPLE AT THE BEACH HAVE THEIR
heads in the sand: A recent Skin Cancer
Foundation survey says 40 percent ofadults neglect to wear sunscreen, despitethe abundance of infonnation about how
damaging the sun's rays can be. To do ourpart to reduce this number, WH talked totop dennatologists and tested dozens ofproducts to find simple solutions to everySPF gripe under the (can't resist) sun.
Gripe
IT LEAVES BEHINDA WHITE FILMYou shouldn't have to make
yourselflook like a Twilight extrato enjoy a day at the beach. Butno matter how hard you rub, it'stough to get rid of that nasty whiteSPF residue. "The mask effect is
caused by physical (as opposed tochemical) blocks such as titaniumdioxide and, to a lesser extent,
zinc oxide-ingredients thatreflect light as they sit on the surface of the skin, causing a bluishcast;' says Jeannette Graf, M.D.,an assistant professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School ofMedicine and the author of Stop
Aging, Start Living.
Solution Try quick-absorbingblocks with chemical ingredients that sink into your skin
DAMAGE CONTROLDespite your best intentions, sun-care slips happen. Here'show to mitigate the not-50-cute conseq uences.
BEAUTY
instead of sitting on top of it.
Heavy-hitters like Mexoryl
SX, Helioplex, and AvoTriplex
have been available in Europe
for years. Lucky for you, these
megaprotectors are now ap
proved for use in the States.
You can also avoid looking
like Casper with new clear sunscreen formulas. ''A translucent
stick or gel will absorb instantly
without leaving any white resi
due;' says Howard Sobel, M.D.,
clinical attending physician in
dermatology and dermatologic
surgery at Lenox Hill Hospitaland Beth Israel Medical Center
in New York City.
GripeIT MAKES YOURSKIN BREAK OUT
One major reason for religioussunscreen use is to maintain a
pristine complexion. But often
the faithful get punished with a
constellation of pimples, thanks
to irritating, oil-encouraging
chemical ingredients.
Solution Keep skin clear and
protected with a sunscreenformula that is oil- and
fragrance-free, hypoallergenic,
noncomedogenic. And always
be sure to wash your face
before applying sunscreen.Look for formulas that contain
small amounts of zinc or
titanium (hint: ingredients are
listed in order of abundance)
- they will play nice with
sensitive skin, and in small
doses, they won't give you a
corpse-like complexion.
Another way to battle
blemishes: Stash a pack of
acne-fighting facial cleansing
wipes in your bag. "Periodically
removing sweat from the skin
helps to decrease bacterial
growth, which can lead to
acne," says Karyn Grossman,
M.D., a dermatologist in Santa
Monica, California, and New
York City. Just don't forget to
reapply sunscreen afterward.
When you get home, wash your
face as you normally would,
and apply your regular acnemedication as needed.
1Broad-spectrumbLocking La RachePasay Anthelias 60Melt-In Sunscreen Milk($32,laroche-posay.us)
Damage Alobsterred sunburn
RxThattightnessyou feel isyour skinswelling: "Take400 milligrams ofaspirin or ibuprofenevery four hours forthe first day to offsetpain and inflammation."says JeannetteGraf,M,D"of theMount SinaiSchoolof Medicine,Dab on
aloe or a hydrocortisone lotion tohydrate skin until theburn subsides.
Too much sunalso destabilizes the
skin's oxygen molecules, releasing freeradicals that lead to
wrinkles and sagging.Fight this effectby using a moisturizerwith an SPF oilS
to 30 and vitamins A,C.and E (try DDFMoisturizing PhotoAge Protection UV
Moisturizer SPF 30,$32, ddfskincare,com): "Amulti-doseof antioxidantshelps fight damagefrom the sun," saysNYC dermatologicsurgeon HowardSobel. M.D.
Damage Swollen,sun-baked lidsRxTwice a day, soakgreen-tea bagsincold water and
placethem overyour eyes for threeto five minutes, "It
feels soothing, andthe polyphenols ingreen tea reduceinflammation," saysdermatologist Karyn
Waterproof protection Hawaiian Tropic
Ozone Sport SPF 60+($10, at drugstores)
Grossman, M,D.Applya layer of aloegel around the eyes,and avoid irritat-ing anti-aging eyecreams for 10 days.
Damage Fried hairRx Once a week,after shampoo-ing, follow up witha protein-rich deepconditioner, suchas Redken ColorExtend After-SunMask ($15, redken.com for stores).Smooth it onto damphair; leave itfor 20to 30 minutes andthen rinse well. For
very dry, strippedhair, Graf recommends treatmentsthat contain olive oil,ceramides, neem oil,and cholesterol.
3
4Anti-aging ingredients
Radon + Fields Ant/Age Skin Protectant
SPF 15 ($160 forthree-product system,
rodanondfields.com)
5Foryourtinyparts CliniqueAdvancedProtection SPF45 TargetedProtectionStick ($1750,clinique.com)
GripeYOU HAVE TO REAPPLYIT CONSTANTLY
As any decent derm will tell
you, the keys to effective sun
protection are slathering on
enough product to do the job,
and reapplying it at least every
two hours or so. "Nothing is
effective all day - even if it' s
SPF 1,000, waterproof, and
sweatproof;' says Katie Rodan,
M. D., clinical assistant profes
sor of dermatology at Stanford
University School of Medicine.
Solution Thirty minutes before
heading out the door (and
before you slip into your bikini),
apply a heavy-duty base layer of
a creamy formula of at least SPF
30 to every inch of your skin.
Then you can use an SPF 30
or higher spray or stick, for
touch-ups throughout the day.
"Lotions tend to provide the
best coverage because they're
90 WOMEN'S HEALTH JUNE 2009 womenshealthmag.com
BEAUTY
the thickest;' Rodan says. Use at
least a teaspoon on each majorbody part (more for the largerparts). That's at least one ounce,or about a shot glass full.
When it's time to reapply,you can reach for less laborintensive formulas, such as sol
ids and sprays. "Sticks are greatfor facial touch-ups becausethey offer so much control andthe sunscreen won't get in youreyes;' Grossman says. "Spraysare good for the body becausethey're easy to apply, but youstill have to spritz liberallyenough to initially see a whitefilm on the skin - to get the ap
propriate SPF. A fine mist isn'tgoing to fully cover you."
SPFS WITHA VITAMIN
SPIKEStudies have shown that
topical antioxidants enhancesun protection. Look forsunscreens containing
vitamins A. C, and E:green tea: or soy,
Guard your lips with a clearbalm (like Palmer's CocoaButter Moisturizing Lip BalmSPF 15, $1.50, at drugstores)or tinted formulas (such as
Revlon Super Lustrous LipglossSPF 15, $7, at drugstores). Andcarry a protective hand lotion(such as Borba AdvancedAging Flawless Tone HandCreme SPF 25, $45, borba.com)
in your purse or beach tote.
Gripe
IT SWEATS OFFDURING WORKOUTS
The best thing about warm
weather is being able toexercise outdoors. The worst
thing is having to wear heavysunscreens that drip-usuallyinto your eyes - the secondyou break a sweat,Solution Sweat- and water
resistant gels and lotions arethe best performers for hardcoreactivity. "They can still drip, butthey'll last longer than regularformulas," Grossman says.But if your eyes are sensitive,you may have to settle for aless-absorbent block containingzinc or titanium, says LeslieBaumann, M.D., director of
the University of MiamiCosmetic Medicine andResearch Institute.
Another option is todust on a sun-protectionpowder (one is ColorescienceSunforgettable Brush SPF 30Sun Protection in All Clear,$50, colorescience.com for
stores) over your usual creamor gel sunblock. These go on
like any loose powder, butthey have a water-resistantformula that helps keep them(and your sunscreen) in place.
And don't forget protective gear, like a visor and agood pair of UV-blockingsunglasses. As effective asit's become, sunscreen still
benefits from a litt1e backup. _Gripe
SUNSCREEN FEELS TOO
HEAVY UNDER MAKEUP
UVA rays penetrate deep intothe dermis, causing damagethat can take years to showup-in the form of wrinkles,brown spots, and skin cancerso they're seriously dangerous. And they're sneaky littlebuggers; they can penetrate car,airplane, and office windows.That's why you have to wearsunscreen every single day.
Many makeup companiesnow make SPF-enhanced foun
dations and powders, but theydon't provide enough protection alone. "The problem is thatyou'd ha,ve to use a really thicklayer over every millimeterof your face, and that's justnot realistic-nor would it be
attractive," Rodan says.Solution In the morning, puton a moisturizer that contains
a broad-spectrum sunscreen(these protect against both UVAand UVB rays) and an SPF of atleast 30. If your favorite branddoesn't qualifY, mix your regular sunscreen with your foundation for a tinted sunscreen
product. Your SPF-enhancedmakeup will act as an extralayer of protection. Try applying a sun-shielding primer, likeNARS Makeup Primer withSPF 20 ($33, sephora.com).
SUNSCREENMYTHSBUSTED!
Myth Dark skindoesn't burn, soyou don't needsunscreen
Reality "ALLcompLexions can burn:' saysKaryn Grossman, M.D., adermatoLogist in SantaMonica and New York
City. "A dark-skinnedAfrican-American
doesn't need as high anSPF as a paLeredhead,since she has more melanin in her skin for natural
protection:' StiLL,thatextra melanin doesn't
guard against the UVdamage that acceLeratesaging or causes cancer,If you have dark skin, youneed a broad-spectrumsunscreen with an SPF
0115 or higher,
Myth The sun givesyou great highlightsReality "Sun exposuredamages your hairtoo,"says Katie Rodan, MD"of Stanford University. Infact, those highlights areevidence of damage thatcan give your hair a dry,strawLiketexture and
cause breakage. Keepyour hair healthy byusing UV-shieLding
products, Try BarexSun EssentiaL Oil
($27, beautyhabit.com).
Myth Getting a tanzaps zitsReality A tan can temporarily camouflagethe redness of a pimple
and dry outthe skin'ssurface, but sun ex
posure wilL eventuaLLylead to more breakouts,
"It causes a buiLdupof dead skin ceLls that
cLogs pores," Rodansays, "This actuaLlyworsens acne," The sun
aLso dehydrates theskin; when that happens,your oil glands try tocompensate by pumping
out more oiL,which mayleave you with more zits.
Myth There's nobenefit to an SPF
higher than 30Reality A higher number
is slightly better, "Youget 99 percent sunburnprotection with SPF90, versus 96 percent
with SPF 30:' saysHoward Sobel, M,D"
of Lenox HilLHospitaLin New York City, Overa Lifetime, a few more
percentage points ofprotection can add up toa LotLesssun damage.
92 WOMEN'S HEALTH JUNE 2009 womenshealthmag.com