Skin Care Myth: Sunscreen will stop you from Tanning

Image via Wikipedia

I know I did a recent article on skin care myths (read it here), but I don't know how I forgot to mention this particular myth. In any case I think this warranted a post on its own.

Myth: If I use a suncreen regularly and religiously, I will not tan. 

Fact: This is a very simplistic statement. But before I bust this myth, kindly bear through a science lecture. This is to bring all readers of all backgrounds on the same knowledge level.



Lets define sunscreen (from Wikipedia):  Sunscreen (also commonly known as sunblock or sun cream) is a lotion, spray, gel or other topical product that absorbs or reflects "some" of the sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation on the skin exposed to sunlight and thus helps protect against sunburn. Sunscreen helps protect only against direct DNA damage as it cannot dissipate UV as harmless heat.

The SPF of a sunscreen is a laboratory measure of the effectiveness of sunscreen — the higher the SPF, the more protection a sunscreen offers against UV-B (the ultraviolet radiation that causes sunburn).

Points to be noted MayLord! (Channeling the 80's bollywood court drama)

• Notice it says "Sunburn" everywhere, not tanning or production of Melanin, 
• That suncreen helps absorb or reflect "SOME" of the UV rays.  
• It protects only against "direct" DNA damage
• Further SPF is a measure of UV - B ray protection. Not UV - A  rays (which are the "tanning rays" or even UV - C rays. The SPF rating, however, offers no data about UVA protection. Some scientists blame the absence of UVA filters in sunscreens for the higher melanoma-risk that was found for sunscreen users. And because UV A rays are not blocked by our atmospheric layer, According to the American Cancer Society, UVA can be up to 1000x more intense than UVB!

Now lets define tanning: Tanning is a natural process, whereby the skin creates the brown-colored pigment called melanin, to protect it against the harmful UV A and UV B rays in sunlight.

Most people's skin darkens when exposed to UV light, giving them more protection when it is needed. This is the physiological purpose of sun tanning. Dark-skinned people, who produce more skin-protecting eumelanin, have a greater protection against sunburn and the development of melanoma, a potentially deadly form of skin cancer, as well as other health problems related to exposure to strong solar radiation, including the photodegradation of certain vitamins.

The purpose of melanin is to absorb UV radiation and dissipate the energy as harmless heat, blocking the UV from damaging skin tissue. UVA gives a quick tan that lasts for days by oxidizing melanin that was already present and triggers the release of the melanin from melanocytes.

UVB yields a tan that takes roughly 2 days to develop because it stimulates the body to produce more melanin.

The photochemical properties of melanin make it an excellent photoprotectant. Older and more widespread sunscreen chemicals can not dissipate the energy of the excited state as efficiently as melanin and therefore the penetration of these sunscreen ingredients into the lower layers of the skin may increase the amount of free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS), increasing the damage caused.

Therefore Melanin protects against both direct and indirect UV ray damage.

Points to be noted

• Both UV A and UV B rays cause tanning. 
• Tanning is the skin's natural response to exposure to UV Rays. 
• Melanin protects against both direct and indirect damage.
• Did you know there are rays known as UV - C rays too. I kid you not. Below is an excerpt from Wikipedia again

UV C Rays: UVB and UVC  are responsible for the direct DNA damage that leads to skin cancer. UVC rays are the highest energy, most dangerous type of ultraviolet light. Little attention has been given to UVC rays in the past since they are filtered out by the atmosphere.

However with the depleting ozone layer, it is just a million dollar question - How much UV - C are we getting right now?


Ok, now that we are all on the same level with our knowldege, facts and figures, lets discuss this.

Suncreens absorb or block some of UV - B rays, but not all. Further they may have no effect on UV A & UV C Rays. So essentially using a sunscreen will ensure that you don't get sun-burnt (as it is caused by UV - B rays), but tanning is caused by both UV A & UV B. Since a sunscreen blocks only some UV B rays, you will still get tanned as UV A and some UV B will still filter down. Yes, it might be a slightly lighter tan, but not significantly lighter as most of the tanning is caused by UV A Rays. 

Also because sunscreen goes on as a translucent/transparent layer. It will not stop sunlight from hitting your skin.

Still don't believe me? Just look at your hands, feet or body. The only protection against sunlight and UV rays is a physical block. Areas where clothing - even a thin strap covered your skin will not be tanned.

The American Academy of Dermatology recommends the use of sunscreens, wearing sun protective clothing and avoiding the sun altogether.


Of course depending on a person's genetic profile, some people can darken quickly and deeply whereas others do not darken much at all. Like I tend to get sun burnt very easily. I get raw, red, inflammed patches, I do tan a little bit, but also lighten very quickly.

Don't get me wrong. I am not asking you to stop using sunscreens. Even I use SPF 15 daily - even though I hardly get any sun.

So the point here is than Sunscreens are useful to prevent sunburn, help reduce your risk of skin cancer and some amount of sun damage. But don't expect them to keep you from tanning or to provide you 100% protection. The purpose of a sunscreen is to prevent sunburn and DNA damage that causes aging and cancer.

Sunscreens are not the end-all and be-all. Don't lull yourself into a false sense of security that just because you have sunscreen on - you are 100% protected and therefore you will not tan. It's NOT OK to stay in the sun for prolonged periods, even if you're slathered in SPF.

Here's what do what I do to prevent tanning: Wear sunglasses, put a floppy hat on your head and wear full-sleeved clothes during the day (or carry a black shawl to cover your arms when wearing short sleeves)

Lip and Cheek Tints - Some Reccomendations

A while ago, some of you requested for recommendations for lip tints. Below are some that I know of.

1.      The Body Shop Cheek and Lip Tint: available in two colors – a plain matt pinkish red and a shimmery golden bronze, this is my pick of the pack. Retailing at 700/- for a tube, it is a little exorbitant but worth every penny and I think the best product you could buy from TBS (yea, I would rate this even higher than their Body Butter).  I have the plain matt pink, it never feels dry, and gives a super pretty color. Read review here.

2.      Bourjois Rouge Hi-Tech Lip Tint: Has 4 shades – Rose Pixel (red), Cyber Cassis (vivid pink),  Neo Caramel (light brown), Digitale Praline (very dark brown). They are little quick dying, and also feel a little dry on the lips but I love the color selection. I have the Rose Pixel. This costs 500/-. (on a side note the packaging is very very cute - see image)

3.      Lakme Cheek and Lip Tint: This tint looks better on the cheeks than the lips. While this is the most economical of the lot, it is also the most difficult to apply.  Sells for 240/- (or maybe used to, with Lakme increasing its rates faster than you can breath, it could be that this is more expensive now). Read review here.  

Some Tips

1.      Tints are to your face what a Bikini is to the body – it will showcase and make you look fab, but if you have imperfections, it will also highlight those – including bad application technique. So practice using these at home. It will pay off.

2.      Never apply tints to dry lips. The color will be patchy and will emphasize line. Lips need to be in top shape for this. Exfoliate lips well a night before and apply a thick layer of balm.

3.      Tints can be dry to feel by themselves. Be prepared for that sensation.  Do not apply lip balm on top, it will dissolve the tint.

4.      They can be used as an under base for lipstick, so when it wears off, you still have color on your lips

5.      Tints take a few seconds to dry and develop their color. So be patient or else you will end up with too much color. Apply a thin layer. Wait. If you need more color then layer over, tints are buildable.

6.      For the cheeks: again work with a well exfoliated cheek, work fast, take a dab of the tint on your index finger and blend – furious and fast. Tints stain very quickly. You don’t want to have color in spots.

7.      Always use tints on the cheeks before the foundation – powder or liquid – and after moisturiser. It will look more natural.

8.      Avoid tints on the cheeks if you have a lot of acne or spots. The color tends to settle into open pores and dark spots making your make up splotchy and the imperfection more obvious.

Lakme Rose Powder - Review

Lakme claims: 

It is: Foundation make-up in a powder format- gives a flawless radiant look

How it works: Contains rose fragrance to keep you fresh, contains sunscreen to protect from harmful   UV rays. Gives a flawless radiant look.

Shades available: 

Soft Pink (for fair skin tones) 

Warm Pink (for wheatish to dusky skin tones)

Ingredients: Talc, Zinc Sterate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Titanium Dioxide, Aluminium hydroxide, Steric Acid, Perfume, Rosa Damascena Extract; may contain CI 77491, CI77492, CI77499, CI12085, CI77891; Phenoxy Ethanol, Butyl Paraben, Ethyl Paraben, Methyl Paraben, Propyl Paraben

Pros: 

1. A good light weight and fine, loose powder to help set your makeup post application. It is also good for touch-ups during the day. I have a very oily nose and forehead surrounded by very dry cheeks.So this helps minimize the shine and makes my pores look smaller instantly

2. Non-comedogenic. Although it doesn't say so, I haven't broken out as yet because of this. & I have been using this for a month now. 

3. The packaging is sturdy and good. Although it doesn't seem like that from the picture above, it is a sturdy plastic tub with two lids. The upper lid is screwed on and the inner one is plastic with 5 tiny holes, so that the powder does not fly everywhere when you open it. 

4. It also doesn't have any rose fragrance. (Or maybe my congested nose just can't make it out - Have had a case of the sniffles since a week). 

5. There is small puff with it for ease of application. But that does apply the powder a little heavily. I would suggest you use a face/blush fluffy brush for more subtle application.

6. Although it says pink, the powder upon application is quite translucent. My skin is peculiar in the sense that I have yellow as well as pink undertones. If I use a yellow toned powder, I start looking very pale and made up. This powder suits me just fine as it has both pink and yellow undertones. 

7. Price: Rs. 80 /- for 40 gms

Cons: 

1. Has no shimmer. This is a flat powder, while it won't make you look matt, it also will not impart a glowy look. It is a nice powder to absorb all excess oil and give finishing touches to your look.

2. While I am grateful that their are only 5 holes in the inner lid so the powder doesn't keep spilling out, it rather too effective. It won't even let the powder out easily. I have to hold the box sideways, cover the holes partially with the puff and tap at the bottom to remove powder. Quite irritating early in the morning. 

3. It claims to have sunscreen, but there is no mention of the SPF content. 

4. It has a lot of parabens as you can see in the ingredient list. 

 Parabens come in various forms (methyl, ethyl, propyl and benzyl) and are used as cheap and effective preservatives for personal-care products such as shampoos, conditioners, deodorants and sunscreens, besides they are hypo-allergenic - they don't cause contact dermatitis. Parabens are why products can survive the three-month boat trip from China, sit on store or warehouse shelves for years or be exposed to extreme temperatures.

But how can something applied externally be a concern? A recent Danish study showed that when parabens are applied as a "cream" to the backs of healthy male volunteers, the chemicals can be measured in the blood within hours. This demonstrates that parabens do indeed penetrate the human skin from cosmetic products.

Parabens, though they have been on the market for decades, have now been shown to mimic estrogen, disrupting our bodies' endocrine (hormone) system and have been found in human breast tumors possibly linking them to breast cancer. However for a paraben to have such drastic effects it needs to be used in very large quantities, about 100 to 1000 times the quantity that you would be applying to your skin daily. Besides while parabens do penetrate the skin, they are also rapidly excreted by the body in 36 hours.  

Want more information? Read this post here by a dermatologist.

Will I buy this again: Undecided, if I find a paraben free version I will definately opt for that. Untill then..... 

I really like this product, but you have parabens. But frankly 99% products in India have parabens. 

Don't believe me? Just go and take a look at your Colorbar blush ingredients or your favorite talcum powder or any other powder compact foundation.

On one hand at 80 bucks it is a very good quality loose powder. I use it to set my foundation and make up in the morning, and it helps it last longer - especially my blush. It is also very useful to freshen up my look in the evening in a jiffy, when there are sudden friends or guests over and I am looking tired and haggard at the end of the day. Just a swipe and I look fresh. I also find this easy to carry, though for the sake of safety - polypacked. 

On the other hand is the scary stuff about Parabens. 

Paraben awareness is very low amongst Indian consumers. While abroad a lot of companies have begun to produce paraben free versions of their products, in India, a lot of brands still don't disclose their full ingredient list. I suspect there is hardly any Indian cosmetic that does not have these. 

So as you see, if I decide to take a stand against parabens, I will probably have to throw out all my make up. and wait for the paraben free stuff to arrive (which will take another 10 years). 

Having a masters degree in Science, I can also assure you this that most studies use concentrations and amounts of chemicals under test far greater than we actually are exposed to in real life. In excess everything causes harm. Even simple talc can clog your pores and make you break out. 

So I guess am just gonna use this a little less frequently and in a little less quantity. 

But then what do I do about my lovely Colorbar Blush?

What is your take on this entire paraben issue? Do you know of any products that are paraben-free? please share them on this forum.

 

MAC Tinted Moisturiser versus Ponds Tinted Moisturiser

Just back from my first ever visit to MAC. (Technically, second - but the time before I was royally ignored & left the store w/o talking to a SA or trying anything outta fear).

Hubby dragged me. I didn't wanna go. He insisted. I gave in.

Once in the store I first saw the baffling spread of blushes. I have never seen blushes in so many colors in my life.

Since I had decided to buy just one thing, I decided to go for a foundation. The most difficult thing to pick. I can never seem to find a shade that suits me.

A very helpful, polite SA approached me, I asked him for tinted moisturiser. He showed me their MAC Studio Moisture Tint (with spf 15). I tried it on my face - half my face actually and had a hunch that it is very similar to Ponds.

So I decided to skip the tint and asked the SA to show me a foundation with more coverage. Now here it were it gets interesting. I am generally used to SAs who just wanna sell stuff and not really concerned with giving you the right advice on what would suit you.

This SA raised his eyebrow and asked "Do you need more coverage?"

Now this I was not expecting. I never thought I would meet a SA whose agenda is to make me look as good and natural as possible and not pile me with as much stuff as possible.

In any case, I didn't buy the tint. I wanted to do a face-off with Ponds. So I came back home with a little sample of MAC (enough for half face application) and did half my face with Ponds and half with MAC.

MAC Studio Moisture Tint 

• Spf 15
• Has 5 shades - from light to deep dark. I wore the 2nd one - Medium
• Price:1650/- for 40 ml

Ponds Tinted Moisturizer

• Spf 15
• Has 3 shades - I use sheer ivory
• Price: Rs. 215/- for 30 ml. 

And guess which side looked better?

Neither. They both looked exactly the same. Even after 30 minutes of wear there was no difference between the two sides of the face in terms of coverage, dewiness and radiance.

Am glad I decided to come back home and check.

Btw, I was completely over-awed at the store. For all my make up knowledge I was very dumbstruck. I guess MAC has built a very heady reputation for itself.

So now foundation has been crossed from my one - must - have - thing - from-MAC list.

Is there anything else that MAC is really good at? Blushes or eyeliners? Maybe next week I could check those out and compare them with what I am using.

Update on The Body Shop Sale

First of all a big hug and thanks to Cynthia, Rati & Divija for their suggestions on what to buy. It really helped me decide and pick the best buys for my monies :D

First things first, the sale was a disappointment. It isn't really 50%, it is actually just 15%. There were only 3 things that were being sold at 50% off - some outdated light green shadow which has a rose motif engraved, a Iced Body Powder in Apricot (which was nothing great) and their silver Define & Sparkle Mascara and Eyeliner. Everything else is either 15% or lower, some of the men's range have products at 25%, and members get additional 5% off. 

Secondly the store and the Indian Body Store Website are completely out of sync. A lot of products that are listed on the website arn't there in the store and vice - versa.

I went with a list made using all your suggestions. Here is what happened.

1. Lipsticks were too expensive at 595/-. I really wanted to pick up one, but I did not feel like paying so much as none of the colors were so special that I would not be able to find a cheaper version.


2. Nature's minerals line: No discount on this line. The pink quartz blush was very very pretty, but at 900/- , with no discount it is just too steep. I can buy 4 of Colorbar blushes in the same price.


3. Liquid eyeliners - only available in boring black and brown. Not interesting.


4. They didn't have anything from the Baked Edition - I think it is not availble in India.


5. The Merry Cranberry line is mentioned on the site, but seemed sold out to the last tub in the store. Didn't even see a hint of it.


6. They had the Morrocan Rose range - But I didn't like the smell.



7. They also had the Japanese Cherry Blossom Line - which smelt divine (Hey! that rhymes!). I got the body butter from this line (200gms for 875/- , 15% off). I wanted to buy a smaller tub - but they had no stocks of mini tubs in any of the lines.



8. The foundation brush was for 895/- so I picked up their mini brush kit instead at 845/- . It has a face/blush brush, and eye shadow brush, an blending angular brush and a lipstick applicator brush, all encased in a nifty pouch with a mirror.


9. Bath Gloves: These were not mentioned on the site, but I read great reviews for these and wanted them. Guess what, the store had them. Retails for 225/-
 

10. I also got my trusty face buffer. Bought a back up.

 
11. I also got the eyecolor shadow in Velvet Green (043) for 625 /-(15% discount) 


12 They were out of stock on all eye shimmer powders and the colored pencil eyeliners were very meh.

13. I saw the loose face powder - it had tiny shimmer particles in it. It was very fine and I can see why Rati loves it so much. I almost picked it up myself, but frankly other than the shimmer, it didn't seem very different in texture to me than my Lakme Rose powder which retails at 80/-. I use the one in soft pink shade. The Body Shop didn't have any pink toned powders, which I need as I am more pink toned than yellow. Yellow toned powders make me look very unnatural and made up (powdered)

14. I skipped the lip butters as suggested by Rati. I tested them and found that her review is 100% accurate.

I will be reviewing all the stuff in a few days. I got 15% off on all the things I bought.  Overall as per their bill I saved Rs. 403/-.

I did get some nice stuff and I am happy I went to the Sale, but I just wish the discount was little more. When I read Divija's reviews on how she snagged stuff that retails at 8-18 pounds for 1-2 pounds, this just seems unfair to me, that The Body Shop does not give similar deals here.

Make Up Leftovers

Image by Salon de Maria via Flickr

We all have this secret stash. Somewhere in a drawer below. All our wrong make up purchases and mistakes. Stuff that seemed Holy Grail in the store and a complete disaster on your face.  This is an evitable part of the art of makeup. I have never met a woman who doesn’t have such a stash to her credit.

So what do you do with the stash? Here are some salvage tips I personally use

1.      First of all – throw away everything that looks/smells spoilt. There is no point holding on to it.  If something breaks you out, it needs to go. 

2.      Liquid Foundation: Wrong color? Too Dark? Don’t throw it away yet. (Unless it is spoilt). Mix 1 part of the foundation with 4 parts of body moisturizer for an excellent, temporary, glowing, smooth looking tan on the legs. (I love this one. I have very pale legs and am always trying to tan them in sun-safe manner).

3.      Compact foundation: Use this to set your lipstick. Apply a layer of lipstick and lightly dust on top using the compact powder. Apply the second layer of lipstick. Voila, your long last lipstick is done. (Don’t overdo this in enthusiasm – the lips will be coated in a thick layer which will be very unappealing). You can also use this powder below the eyes when creating a smoky look as it will catch all the powder that falls and can be dusted away easily. 

4.       Blush: Too dark? Use it as an eye shadow if you can pull it off. Else try mixing it with some moisturizer to lighten the color before application. Or else mix half and half with loose translucent powder. If it is cream based you can also use it as lip color. If it is too brown or bronze, refer to tip 2 to use in place of foundation to bronzify your legs :D

5.      Moisturizer makes you break out? Use as lotion for hands and feet during an at-home mani/pedi cure

6.      Mascara: not giving you the needed volume. Use as water proof, intense eyeliner. Just dip a eyeliner brush into the bottle. Remove clumps and apply. Wash brush after use. 

7.      Lipstick is a horrible color? See if it can salvaged by using it to make a sheer tinted homemade lip gloss or balm

8.      Concealor: wrong shade? Use a sheer coat as eye primer to make powder eye shadows pop. Please note emphasis on word sheer. 

9.      Apricot Scrub is too harsh for the face? Use it on the feet. 

10.  Don’t try to salvage dried nail polish with remover. It will chip much faster. Just discard it

11. Face pack not suiting you? Use on hands and feet as a treat. 

Do you have any special tips of dealing with makeup purchase mistakes? 

The Body Shop Raid - Scheduled for Tommorrow

Image via Wikipedia

After a week of waiting, I am finally hitting The Body Shop Sale tomorrow. I waited because first of all the store is a little far from my place so I can only go on the weekend. Besides other than their cheek tint, tea tree face wash and face buffer I have not used anything else and wanted some advice on what to get.

A big round of applause to Rati (read her blog here) and Divija (read her blog here) who helped me out with loads of reviews and advice.

So here is my tentative purchase list for tomorrow.

1. Foundation Brush
2. Body Exfoliation Gloves
3. Face Buffer (I really liked this thing. Read review here) - This purchase will happen only if there is a good discount since am getting a back up
4. Eye Shimmers in Violet and/or Indigo. I actually want Emerald - but the Indian website does not feature it so I dunno if they have this.
5. Metalic Eye definer in Emerald and Amythest - I have a weakness for eyeliners. Most women hoard shoes. I hoard eyeliners.

Also Rans, but got left out:
1. All in one Face Base: too expensive. Will depend on discount and actual matching of shade tomorrow.
2. Loose face powder: Loved Rati's review. Almost added it to my list. But then realised that it would give me a matt look. For some reason I like dewy looks, maybe because I have combination skin and get shine in all the wrong places, and flakes everywhere else.
3. Cheek and eye palette: Lovely brown shades, but too expensive at 1500/- . will purchase if final price is around 800 - 1000/-
4. Blush in Raspberry: Have too many blushes now. Besides am saving up to buy colorbar.

Any recommendations? Have I missed out something?