6 Surprising Mistakes People Make With Facial Sunscreens

Summer is in full swing, 

so there's no time like the present to check in on

your sunscreen habits, and the somewhat surprising mistakes people make when it comes to facial sun protection.

"The shortest distance between your youthful face and one that looks much older is sun exposure.

Get a high SPF. 

Put It On. 

Every Day."

~ Dr. Hirsch via Allure Magazine

1. Buy a broad spectrum SPF with a high number

You need both UVA and UVB protection (A is for aging and B is for burning) and you need to get as high of an SPF number as you can get. All too often people go for a low number thinking they still want to get some color.

2. Dominant Sides

It's easy to unintentionally apply less sunscreen toyour non-dominant side - e.g. if you are right handed, applying less to your left side. You have to  make sure you are applying it evenly.

3. Missing Spots

You have to make sure you apply it everywhere. Dermatologists see many precancerous lesions above the lips and around the hairline, where SPF application has been missed.

4. Relying on SPF in your moisturizer or foundation

No one applies moisturizer or foundation evenly enough or thickly enough to get the actual amount of SPF that is on the label. Always use a free standing facial SPF

5. Forgetting the chest

Your decolletage and throat need a liberal application of facial SPF every single day. Both will age you super fast if you don't take care of them.

6. Use a freestanding facial SPF every. single. day.

Dermatologists will always tell you, you need broad spectrum UVA & UVB protection every day of the year. Apply it after your moisturizer every day for 30 days and it will become a habit.

A youth enhancing habit.

How To Apply Skin Care Products

I'm an absolute skin care junkie.
And I am always being asked what order skin care products should be applied in.
It can get confusing when you have serums and retinols, moisturizers and sunscreens - multiple products to layer.
So here is a step by step guide

 How To Apply Skin Care Products

The first rule of thumb is that generally lighter weight products go underneath heavier ones,

but lets break it down.

Ren Hydra Calm Youth Defence Serum

Serums:

Serums are applied immediately after cleansing, day and/or night, depending on the product.

Normally you only need a pea sized amount, and pat or smooth it all over the face.

Don't forget your throat area too!

Retinol Creams:

Ren Bio Retinoid Anti Aging Concentrata

Retinols (such as RetinA) are light sensitive and must be used at night only.

Pat a small amount - only the size of a pea or maybe two, around the recommended area. Some are used all over the face, some are used to target specific areas only.

If you experience irritation using a retinol every night, cut it back to every 3rd or 4th night, slowly working your way to nightly as your skin can handle it.

Moisturizer:

Twice daily. Your daytime moisturizer and your night time moisturizer do different jobs, so its a good idea to invest in two separate products.

Ren Day Cream

Moisturizers are applied over serums and retinols. Allow the serum to soak in first, then apply your moisturizer, liberally. avoiding the eye area.

Dried out, dehydrated skin ages much more rapidly than healthy, nourished skin, so don't skimp on this important step!

Ren Eye Gel

Eye Cream:

The skin around the eye area is the thinnest, finest, most delicate skin on the body, and requires its own products. Use the pad of your ring finger (it carries the least tension and is less likely to drag the skin) and pat eye cream along the orbital bone.

Facial SPF:

I can't reiterate enough how crucially important a free standing facial SPF of 50+ is. You need to apply it daily, come rain or shine, over top of your moisturizer.

You may have to try a couple of different formulations to find the one that works best for your skin. I use Neutrogena Dry Touch with Helioplex, which is a broad spectrum sun screen. Broad sprectrums protect you from UVA rays (aging) and UVB rays (burning).

Apply liberally, all over your face and throat.

Nothing - absolutely nothing will age your skin faster than sun damage.

Products shown in this blog post are by Ren, and can be purchased at Sephora or at their website,

www.renskincare.com

How To Apply Sunscreen

My dermatologist was just telling me how frustrating it is trying to get her patients to use sunscreen properly.

We decided that with Memorial Day right around the corner, and the official kick off of summer right in front of us, it would be the perfect time to post a blog all about how to apply sunscreen.

First up, understanding the code.

UVA rays are the aging rays. They very busily and at very high speed break down the elastin and collagen in the skin, fast tracking your skin to wrinkles and sagging.
UVB rays are the burning rays.
Make sure you purchase broad spectrum sunscreen - that offers you protection against the twin demons of UVA and UVB. 

Facial SPF:

Use a free standing Facial SPF. If your moisturizer or foundation have SPF in them, just view that as a bonus. No one applies a sufficiently thick coating of moisturizer or foundation to give full protection via any SPF in the ingredients.
Use the highest SPF you can find. The labeling laws are about to change, so that the highest will read SPF50+. Until that time I still buy SPF 85 or 100. If there is a sliver of a chance that my face and throat are getting just a whisper more protection, I want it!
Try to find a "dry touch" formulation. I like Neutrogena Dry Touch with Helioplex facial SPF. It doesn't leave a film on the skin, and doesn't break me out. Plus makeup sits on top of it beautifully.

Apply at least the size of a quarter. You should have a white film on your skin that takes some rubbing in.
Allow it to penetrate the skin for a couple of minutes before putting any makeup on top.
Apply 30 minutes before going out into the sun.





Make sure you reapply sunscreen frequently throughout your day.
If you are wearing makeup, reapply a powder sunscreen over top, such as the ColoreScience powder sunscreen products.
(I use these on outdoor shoots all the time)







Sunscreen for your body.

There are many different formulations of sunscreen.
I recommend for your body to start with a traditional lotion form.

Use a full ounce ( a shot glass full) and apply thickly and liberally all over. Again, you need it so thick that you have a white film that needs rubbing in.
I recommend at least an SPF of 30. (my dermatologist does too!)
Sports formulas and waterproofs are great, but not always consistent, so always, always reapply, especially after swimming and towel drying.

Sprays are super convenient, but best used only to reapply. 

You will never get the thick, even coat that you do with a lotion, so always start with the more controlled product.
If you are going to be in the water, re-spray every hour, regardless of how "waterproof" the product is.







Don't forget the backs of your hands, tops of your feet and your ears.
Ideally wear a hat with a broad brim to protect your scalp, ears, face and neck. If you don't have a hat, be very aware of your scalp. Most people don't realize how prevalent melanoma is in the scalp, and it frequently goes undetected.

How To Get Glowing, Beautiful Skin

Now that winter is over, and summer is on its way, this is the perfect time to get started creating a beautiful, radiant complexion.
 

image by Eric Cassee, hair by Will Zecco, makeup by Corinna Cooke

The cold months leave us with dried out, lackluster looking skin which needs a little extra lovin' to get back on track and look fresh and youthful.
Here's a little step-by-step guide to help you get gorgeous, radiant skin, just in time for the warmer weather.

How To Get Glowing, Beautiful Skin 

(in 6 easy steps)

1. Exfoliate Daily With Clarisonic

If you follow this blog then you probably already know that I am a huge fan of the Clarisonic. When I'm doing movies I get Clarisonics for all my leading ladies - they make such a huge difference to the skin.
Basically, using a Clarisonic every day will cleanse your skin 6X deeper, and will lift away debris from the surface of the skin.
Light reflects off of smooth surfaces, making your skin look fresher, younger and more vital.

 


2. Weekly Enzyme Mask
I'm not a fan of exfoliating scrubs.
I always think they rough up the baby skin underneath, so instead I have my clients use enzyme masks to exfoliate, such as this one by Ren
Skin looks vibrant and alive after an enzyme mask, and it feels fabulous.

3. Moisturize.
Use a quality moisturizer morning and night.
Moisturizers containing ceramides and/or niacinamide strengthen the lipid barrier, which is the absolute key to glowing skin.
Make sure you apply your moisturizer liberally, and work it into the skin in an upward motion.

4. Brighten
Brighten dark spots/patches and even out skin tone with serums and/or creams that contain kojic acid, hydroquinone or vitamin C

5. Facial SPF

Use a free standing facial SPF of 50+
If your daily moisturizer has SPF in it already, still use a free standing facial SPF over top, and apply it liberally.
Don't forget your throat and decolletage. I tell my clients to only apply it where they want to look pretty - nothing ages you faster than sun damage.

6. Fake A Tan
Don't let the sun tan your face, as it just fast tracks the aging process. Instead opt for a fake tan, but don't go color crazy. Adding a little golden glow to your complexion will leave you looking radiant and beautiful.

How To Do Your Makeup When You're Going To The Snow

Holla Sno-Bunnies!

The past couple of weeks I've been spending some time mountainside, and from what I've seen, we need a little snow-makeup-101.

It seems like girls go to one of two extremes when hitting the snow:

full makeup - which looks ridiculous, even if you are a super-celeb

or full blown commando (makeup, not undies) which unless you are a perfect nordic beauty

can leave you looking like one of the boys.

(And you are unlikely to have landed on my page if you want to look like one of the boys...)

Regardless of whether you are an alpine athlete or a chalet girl,

it doesn't hurt to look just right.

So check out this picture of my lovely friend, 

model Marlowe De Vonne.

(The Agency AZ)

Apart from the fact that she is staggeringly beautiful anyway,

Marlowe gets her snow makeup perfect, every time.

With this being the type of look we are going for, here is 

Snow Makeup 101

1. Moisturize (like crazy)

You will need much more moisturizer than normal when getting alpine. The high altitude will strip the moisture out of your skin in no time, so start the day by super moisturizing your skin, ideally with a heavier formulation than you use every day.

Your moisturizer will need extra time to soak in, so go do something else for a couple of minutes and let it really absorb.

2. Facial SPF

I can't say it enough, but a free standing facial SPF of no less than 30 is essential every day, and even more so when you hit the slopes. 

The air is thinner,  the altitude puts you in a far greater burn zone and sun damage zone. Even if you have an overcast day the sun's harmful rays are bouncing off the snow and into your beautiful face, wrecking all kinds of havoc, from a bad burn to super aging sun damage.

I always go with the highest SPF I can find, normally around SPF 85 to 100

There are some schools of thought that nothing is more effective than SPF 30 anyway, but they also used to recommend smoking to relax you during pregnancy, so I use the highest SPF for the face that I can find.

3. BB Cream (or CC Cream)

Foundation looks kinda crazy when you are at the snow. The multi faceted BB and CC creams make for the perfect solution. They give your skin some added treatment benefits, but also smooth out and even out skin tone, giving you the benefit of a foundation without the weighty-ness of it.

They last amazing all day long, and really give you the look of great skin rather than makeup.

4. Eyebrows  

Your eyebrows are so important - they not only frame your eyes, but give your visage dimension as well.

Makeup Forever Aqua Brow is an ideal option as it is waterproof, and will stay on all day, even if your snow-goggles are pressing up against it.

It is super, super concentrated, so use the tiniest amount.

5. Cream Blush

Not so that you look like you have makeup on, but just to sweeten your cheeks, and give you a slight flush.

Unlike a powder blush that sits on the surface of the skin, a cream blush will look like its your natural complexion.

6. Keep Your Eyes Simple

You will have sunglasses or snow-goggles on all day anyway, and a full eyemakeup looks a tad ridiculous.

If you are going with eyeshadow, opt for flat matte neutral shades that you can create dimension with, but not look over done. Keep liner minimal but build some good lashes with a water resistant mascara.

7. Lips 

The one thing you will really see is your mouth, and this is where you should draw focus.

Firstly use a really strong lip balm with SPF, and reapply it all day. Scaly, flaky, dried out or burnt lips are anything but kissable. In fact they look hideous. So keep your your lips protected and super moisturized all day.

Draw attention to your mouth with color. Red can be too vampy, and when the light bounces off the snow a red lip can look overly harsh. 

Instead seek out bold fucshia and magenta hues.

If those shades feel too intense, look at sunny pinks and corals (not pastel, not opaque). You need a color with life in it. Make sure the formulation isn't too matte and drying, but also not too glossy. Gooey glossy lips look silly up in the alps, and also can work like baby oil on the beach, and burn your lips like crazy.

Go girl...

image credit exclusively snow

How To Prepare Your Skin For Early Morning Makeup ~ eHow.com

From the eHow.com tutorial series, here is one all about prepping your face for makeup when you have an early start to the day.

image courtesy of sparknotes.com

When you have to get up extra early in the morning it can be tricky to get your makeup to go on looking beautiful, and to stay on all day. 
Tired or stressed skin can eat makeup off in some areas , while other patches of your skin are dehydrated and grab hold of makeup, leaving it looking cakey and uneven.

Chances are if you have an early start your face and eyes might be a little puffy, and if you haven't had enough sleep your skin can look grey and lifeless.

 Whether you work in breakfast TV or just have to get up early, the steps to gorgeous are the same.

The eHow.com tutorial is at the bottom of this post

Step One: Cleanse your skin, but gently.
Give your skin a light cleanse to remove any surface oils or debris and to get it fresh for the new day. Use cool water, as this helps to wake the skin up.

Step Two: Keep your eye gel in the refridgerator.
Applying cool gel to puffy eyes not only hydrates them, but helps to wake up the skin and get rid of puffiness.

If your eyes are looking exhausted or puffy you can also apply a cool washcloth to the area, use a gel filled eye-mask that has been kept in the refrigerator over night, or use an eye treatment mask such as skynIceland's amazing Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels.

10 minutes with these on and your eyes are hydrated, the puffiness is gone, and the skin looks firm and toned. They are magic!


Step Three: Use a moisturizer that contains menthol and/or caffeine. These two ingredients wake the skin up and get the blood circulating, amking your complexion look radiant and glowing.

Step Four: Always use a facial SPF of 30 or higher (I use SPF 85) no matter what the weather is.
Facial SPFs protect your skin from sun induced cancers as well as from premature aging due to sun damage.
Only apply it to the parts you want to look pretty...

How to Prepare Your Face for Early Morning Makeup -- powered by ehow

Step Five: Use a good primer.
This will help your makeup to bind and hold, and to go on evenly.