STOP THAT!  

Don’t rely on the SPF in your foundation. “To measure the SPF in a lab, the chemist puts two milligrams of the product on every square centimeter of skin”, says Leslie Baumann, MD, professor of dermatology at the University of Miami.  That’s the equivalent of about half a teaspoon spread over your face!  You probably don’t wear that much foundation (if you do, please stop that, too). Instead, apply a broad-spectrum SPF 30 sunscreen, wait a few minutes for it to soak in, and then follow with foundation.

THE ANTIOXIDANT UPDATE
You know, of course, that antioxidants are good for your health.  But, do you really need to be rubbing them on your skin?  Yes, say dermatologists, who point to a growing body of research showing that topical antioxidants guard against the cell damage that causes lines and uneven pigmentation.  “There’s even some evidence that they can also repair existing damage,” says David McDaniel, assistant professor of clinical dermatology at Eastern Virginia Medical School.  Phloretin, a natural extract that’s been studied as an anticancer agent, is the newest antioxidant available topically in SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF; research has shown it can penetrate the skin and provide significant UV protection.  That doesn’t mean skipping sunscreen, of course – but it’s a fine safety net.

Summers almost over, but that doesn’t mean you can stop using your topical antioxidant and sunscreen.  You should continue to put them on first thing in the morning for maximum protection year round, rain or shine.  Like I always say, “if there’s light in the sky, you need your UV protection to keep your skin as youthful as possible (on your face, neck and décolleté, especially).  I hope you enjoyed your summer and I for one am really looking forward to the cooler months to come.

To your skin health,
Linda

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