Sunshine, Heat and A Bit of Balance

Sun is shining, sandals are on our feet and we are ready for that summertime weather, but is your skin ready?

There is always factors at this time of year with being prone to breaking out from a product or your face developing a burn from the sun because the necessary steps were not taken in preventing this.

First thing you need to make sure you do, whether you burn or tan, you need to be wearing a minimum of SPF 25 either alone or in your moisturiser. 

Whether you burn or you tan, you are still doing damage to your epidermal layers and you are increasing your risks of cancers, premature ageing and severe burns that scar. A tan is still part of burning your skin, you are just burning the layers faster. Either way, you are not helping your skin. Please stay protected.

Second thing, if you find you are developing more oil and you are perspiring more in the summer then you need a gel moisturiser which will help in balancing your skin's oil production and it will also be light enough so your skin can still breathe and take on the effects and heat. 

Here are my Top 3:

#3:       Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel

$31.00 The Bay, Sears

 This is a lightweight lotion that helps smooth, soften and improve the skins texture. It also helps with balancing the oil production in the skin's layers over time.

Apply it twice a day (morning and night) for best results.

#2:    Shiseido Pureness Moisturising Gel-Cream

$40.00 The Bay, Sears, Shoppers Drug Mart

This is also a lightweight gel-cream and it helps balance as well as clear the skin of any imperfections that have developed over time to our skins surface.

With regular use you will notice a change in the feel and look of your skin, as this product softens and improves the skins texture.

#1     Estee Lauder Clear Difference Oil Control Lotion

$40.00 Sears

This is a great moisturiser for anyone who is prone to oily skin and has trouble with breakouts. Not only does this help balance but it also is so lightweight that it feels like you are getting enough moisture but it isn't heavy. 

It gives you a matte finish as well and helps your make-up go on smooth and a matte finish. 

The only downside to these moisturisers is they do not have SPF in them so I personally will recommend adding in a SPF booster which you can pick up at any skincare counter. It just adds a bit of protection into your moisturiser.  If you have trouble finding these items, just add your facial sunscreen into your moisturiser and apply it to your areas of concern. 

Happy Following!!!! :)

To Streak or Not To Streak?

The headline caught your attention didn't it? I thought so!

We all know that summer is here and we need to touch up our wonderful non-tans from the winter sun so what better way, then to do it yourself at home where no UV lights or artificial lighting are involved?

A great sunless tanning lotion and it can be used by both women and men! So men, let your guard down!!

But the question I always get asked is, "How do you apply it so flawlessly without getting the horrible streaks going every which way on your body?"

Well some would say just go and get a base tan at a tanning salon which is not the answer. But a great way to ensure you get a well balanced sunless tan is to exfoliate really well with a full body exfoliant and a dry brush. By working the exfoliant into the skin with the dry brush you are only increasing your chances of removing dead skin cells and debris and enhancing your skin's radiance and balance.

Here is an analogy for you to envision:

"When you used to sit in a classroom and your teacher used to write on the chalkboard for almost 2 hours and all you did all class was take notes. The teacher started with a bare, clean slate which you were able to see the words clearly and looked nice right? Well once the teacher used the chalk brush to remove the first part of the note and left behind the old chalk and yet, wrote over top of it, you had a hard time reading what they wrote because you have the excess debris left behind." 

So what I am trying to say is, exfoliate your skin regularly so that your new skin cells can breathe properly and when you remove the dead debris and cells you will have a easy application of the sunless tanning lotion. I am not guaranteeing that you will not have streaks because unfortunately sometimes you cannot get away from that because the colour takes time to develop but you will know the areas that are streaky and you can tackle those within 6 hours to a day.

 There is no specific exfoliant that I recommend because everyone is different so you need to find one that works well for your skin type! As well as sunless tanning lotion, you want to go with the lightest shade to your skin colour because then you will gradually gain colour as you use the product. But you just have to use your own discretion.

Always apply sunscreen before stepping foot outside as well. It is very safe to apply it over top of your colour so dont think that it isn't. Your sunless lotion is NOT going to save you from the UV Rays or the potential of skin cancer. Be aware of the elements and be smart!

Here is to an amazing Summer, Beautiful Skin, Smiling Faces and Warm Sun!