Healthy happy you.
With Summer officially here and sunny days the norm, wearing a sunscreen has never been so important. Even though I always wear sunscreen on my face, I am not very good at remembering to wear it on other parts of my body. Dumb, I know. But after returning from the beach with a slight sunburn, I've been doing my best to apply it to the rest of my body every day too. By investing in a moisturizing Read more
A few years ago, I went to the dermatologist to get a suspicious mole checked out on my back. The doctor agreed that it looked like it could be malignant, and I was so freaked out. I started to feel really bad that I hadn't been better about using sunscreen every time I went outside. I was grateful that the mole wasn't cancerous, but it was a huge wake-up call to me. Now I'm religious about Read more
By now, I hope you all know the SPF stands for sun protection factor. A few sunscreen labels also list a "PA" ranking, like this Shiseido sunscreen pictured. PA ranking refers to the amount of protection the sunscreen offers from the UVA rays, since SPF just ranks protection from UVB rays. PA rankings are listed as PA+, PA++ or PA+++ with the more plus symbols the more protection from UVA Read more
Summer unofficially kicks off this weekend, and even though we know you wear sunscreen in every season (right?), there's no excuse to go without when the sun's shining. Recently, the FDA changed the rules for product makers requiring every brand to include broad-spectrum coverage. So, each sunscreen on our list protects skin from both UVA and UVB rays. We've left no body part unturned, so you'll Read more
It's hard enough to remember to put on sunscreen when you leave the house, but now you also need to make sure your sunscreen is safe to use. The Environmental Working Group has just released its 2012 Sunscreen Guide, and in order to make the list, a sunscreen must be free of oxybenzone and retinyl palmitate, not have an SPF above 50, and must be broad spectrum (protects against both UVA and UVB Read more
Summer's just around the corner! Before you hit the beach with your kiddie clan, it's important that you know the ins and outs of sunscreen — from the oft-confusing terminology (even the FDA is having a tough time coming to an agreement on the language) to what brands to buy. Here, a guide to decoding the lingo and what bottles, tubes, and sprays are worthy of your beach bag. Sunscreen 101 Sun Read more
With Spring well under way and Summer not too far off in the horizon, it's time to shelf the heavy moisturizers and foundations, all while being cognizant of the importance of SPF. Cover FX's Skintint Treatment and Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30 ($42) is the perfect warm-weather makeup trifecta. Not only does it block away both UVA and UVB rays, but special lipid-captors help give skin suppleness, and Read more
The BB cream craze has recently migrated from Asia to the Americas with big-time brands getting in on the action. Unfortunately, many of these lines cater mostly to fair to medium skin tones, but finally there is an option for darker-skinned women: Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream ($39), which comes in five different shades. Used alone, this lightweight cream acts like a tinted moisturizer to even Read more
A baby rocking a pair of sunnies is pretty cute, but would you let your lil one wear a pair of Babiators? The baby aviators, which offer protection from UVA and UVB rays, have been spotted on Sarah Jessica Parker’s twins and on little Roc (shown above), Mariah Carey's superhip son. While the sunglasses ($20) undoubtedly look cool, the company also says they are good for your baby. Babiators Read more
Sunscreen is a must for anyone who spends time outside. Your bottle probably mentions something about UVA and UVB rays. Since you care so much about your health, I thought I'd refresh your mind on the difference between the two. UVA rays: These are less likely to cause sunburn than UVB rays, but they penetrate your skin more deeply. Watch out because UVA rays can go through windows, lightweight Read more
