Fountain of Youth: Sun Care…
June 15, 2009 by Lianne Farbes
Filed under 30's Plus, 40's Plus, 50 Plus, Aging Fabulous
Being 42 and not looking 42 is something I pride myself in. I know that part of it may be genetics BUT most of it is definitely taking care of your skin. I have been using suncare/sunblock since I was a little girl and as I got older I religiously used it. I bought my first line of high end suncare at Saks in New York when I was 19 after a makeup artist friend of mine schooled me. Since then, I have always been up on the suncare trends
Fortunately, buying good suncare these days doesn’t mean spending an arm and a leg. Dr. Jeffrey Dover, Associate Clinical Professor of Dermatology, at Yale University School of Medicine and author of THE YOUTH EQUATION, recommends wearing at least SPF 15 when spending minimal time outside and SPF 30 or higher when outside for longer or if living in the south.
According to Dr. Dover, only formulas labeled “broad spectrum” guard against both UVA and UVB rays. Some of his favorites include
- La Roche-Posay Anthelios 40 Sunscreen Cream with Mexoryl SX ($32.00)
- Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock with Helioplex, SPF 55 and 70 ($9.49-11.99)
- Dr. Jeffrey Dover Continuous Action Spray Sunscreen SPF 45 with Dermaplex™ ($12.99), which contains less chemical sunscreens and remains effective for up to five hours.
High-quality sunscreens are part of the equation, but being fully protected also means re-applying often. Ideally, you should coat every exposed patch of skin with a thick layer of sunscreen, and continue to reapply it every few hours you remain outside (apply more often after sweating or swimming). “If at the end of the summer you’re still squirting from the same tube that you bought before Memorial Day weekend, you need an education in application,” says Dover, who suggests about one ounce (or a full shot glass) of sunscreen to cover your entire body. All of the products mentioned are conveniently available at your local CVS/pharmacy, you don’t need to travel far for cost-effective and accessible sun protection just make sure you wear it.
Whichever suncare you use, I also recommend grabbing a sun care stick for the deliecate skin around your eyes and lips. My favorites are Clarins Sun Control Stick Ultra Protection for Sun Sensitive Areas SPF 30 and Clinique ‘Sun’ Advanced Protection Stick SPF 45. Both are excelent for around the eyes and lips which is a high stress area that is known to show signs of aging first after sun exposure.
Image: Getty Images
Having moved to Spain I am much more conscious about the sun’s harmful effects, especially when I see some elderly expats who have been here for a long time. I do hear however, that high factors offer no more protection than low factors. What’s your thoughts on this?