If there’s one thing that my mother and grandmother have taught me since I was old enough to listen (and undoubtedly before) it’s to look after your skin and in particular the skin on your face.
You really don’t get a second chance when it comes to skin damage and ignoring advice in our youth will lead to regret when the visual signs begin to appear in the coming years.
Fortunately, these days we all have plenty of information about sun protection and how exposure to the sun’s harmful UVA & UVB rays are the main cause of premature skin aging, hyperpigmentation and even skin cancer.
There’s no refuting that sun exposure in moderation is beneficial, great for the metabolism and a natural source of Vitamin D. We also need to remember that facial skin is different from other parts of the body, it’s a lot thinner, more sensitive and is constantly uncovered and exposed to the elements.
UV radiation is always present, winter as well as summer, cloudy days as well as sunny ones and as such facial sun protection should be as important a part of your daily skincare routine as cleansing, toning and moisturising.
So, here’s what I use – Eucerin SPF 50+ Mattifying Facial Sun Fluid http://www.eucerin.co.uk/products/sun-protection/sun-fluid-mattifying-spf50plus#details
I particularly like Eucerin as its light, non-greasy and absorbs fully into the skin, so I find that it combines well with my regular skincare products. Some sunscreen products that I’ve tried can leave an oily residue; not a great look!
Sunscreen, should be the final part of your morning routine, so I cleanse, tone and moisturise (for years I’ve been a fan of Liz Earle’s award-winning 3-step Hot Cloth Cleanse & Polish™ http://uk.lizearle.com/cleanse-and-polish……reminder to me… must review that too!) before applying Eucerin.
Facial sunscreen can be used as a substitution for your normal day cream, but you may prefer to use it in addition, especially if you have particularly dry skin that craves the extra hydration. Time permitting, I always like to leave several minutes in between “moisturiser – sunscreen” and “moisturiser-makeup” to really let it absorb properly into my skin.
I’ve found that prices differ by several pounds between various high street retailers and online sites, but for good value I usually shop on Amazon UK and expect to pay around £11-£12 for 50ml.
If, like me, you’re also interested in the science bit, Dr Steven Wang, Head of Dermatology at one of the world’s top Cancer research centres, The Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York, wrote an excellent article a couple of years ago explaining the relationship between UVA/UVB radiation and skin cancer and how the damage actually occurs – “How does sunscreen shield your skin with science?”
Here’s the link for those of you who are interested.
Christiane Dowling is a Professional Freelance Makeup Artist for Weddings, Bridal, Proms, Photo Shoots, Makeup Lessons & all Special Occasions.
Based in Sandhurst , Christiane covers all of Berkshire, Hampshire & Surrey including Sandhurst, Crowthorne, Yateley, Finchampstead, Eversley, Shinfield, Reading, Burghfield, Wokingham, Binfield, Bracknell, Maiden’s Green, Warfield, Ascot, Sunningdale, Sunninghill, Virginia Water, Egham, Wentworth, Chertsey, Eton, Windsor, Datchet, Chobham, Woking, Guildford, Godalming, Frensham, Hindhead, Farnham, Churt, Bentley, Bordon, Aldershot, Church Crookham, Fleet, Hartley Wintney, Hook, Basingstoke, Farnborough, Fleet & across London.
Christiane also works nationally & internationally.
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