I just interviewed an extremely interesting skin care professional who believes that many of the common skin care practices that we engage in are based on inaccurate facts.  Pamela Rae is a self-named “contrarian” in the skin care world because of her strong viewpoints that differ from those that are universally accepted.  I was intrigued by some of Rae’s statements like “SPF, foundation, and moisturizer DON’T mix” and “the concept of skin types is outdated, irrelevent, and misleading.”  These are some of the basic facts that I use to determine my entire skin care routine!  Have we all been following …read more

One of the newest collections from M.A.C. is called Baby Bloom. This was released a bit late for summer but they’ll work equally well during the fall.  The collection focuses on keeping your skin and lips soft, lightly tinted and, of course, safe from the sun. This is wonderful if you’re looking to try out a new tinted moisturizer and a new tinted lip balm with SPF protection.
The MAC Studio Moisture Tint SPF 15 ($29.50) is a light-weight, tinted moisturizer. It’s formulated with SPF 15 and is perfect for those days when you want just a little bit of coverage. …read more

Dr. Denese offers a line of amazing anti-aging beauty products that reduce the appearance of fine lines, age spots, dull skin and other skin imperfections. The products include makeup, cleansers, moisturizers, serums, body products and much more.
Recently, I had an opportunity to try out a few of the Dr. Denese products and I found a new favorite — Dr. Denese HydroShield Tinted Moisturizer.
If you have always thought liquid foundation was too heavy, this tinted moisturizer is perfect for you. You get radiant, dewy coverage, a fabulous moisturizer and all the sunscreen protection that you need all in one product.
The oil-free …read more

While using sunscreen is something one must do on a daily basis, it’s not fun putting it on. The application process can be messy and time consuming which is probably why some people go without. Now you won’t have an excuse, because Coppertone makes a line of continuous spray sunscreens!
Coppertone Kids Continuous Spray SPF 70
Coppertone UltraGuard Continuous Spray SPF 30
Coppertone Sport Continuous Spray SPF 50
Continuous sunscreen sprays are wonderful for those hard to reach areas, like your back.  These spray on clear and you don’t even have to rub it into your skin. They are also super convenient when you’re …read more

Sometimes no matter how much effort you put into protecting your skin from the sun, you end up getting a little toasty or burnt anyway.   So what do you do about that sunburn? There are a few sunburn treatments to help soothe and heal your tender skin.
1. If you think you’re about to get a sunburn or your skin is as that really red/pink stage, get out of the sun. Prolonging your exposure will only make things worse.
2. Inspect your skin for blistering. If you develop blisters on your skin that means that area of your skin has been completely …read more

When you flip through magazines you’ll see models and celebrities  with gorgeous healthy looking skin. Sometimes most of what you’re seeing is the magic of Photoshop but there’s also a chance that these girls genuinely have gorgeous skin.  Jealous? You don’t have to be! Take care of your skin, use the right products for your skin type and you too will have skin that glows with health.  However, there are some skin care myths we need to uncover. Being well informed in the first step to getting beautiful skin.
Skin Myth #1 – Tanning beds are OK
False.  Tanning beds, even …read more

Caring for your body isn’t just about what you slather on your skin. It’s about getting the proper vitamins, minerals and nutrition too. You want to protect yourself from the sun, but you want to get the benefits of vitamin D from sunlight. It sounds like a Catch 22, but it’s not one that can’t be easily remedied. In a recent survey by Neutrogena, they discovered that 32% of Americans are somewhat concerned that using sunblock will prevent them from getting enough of the essential vitamin D.
Some dietitians, doctors and other experts recommend intakes of up to 1,000 IU per …read more

Burt’s Bees makes it easy to enjoy the warm sunshine year-round without suffering the consequences. If you’re looking for a sun care line that is at least 99.5% natural, definitely look into the Burt’s Bees collection.
Sun Protecting Lip Balm SPF 8 ($4)
Finally an all-natural lip balm that provides broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection!  Use this first before applying your lipstick or lipgloss to keep your lips hydrated.  It uses titanium dioxide which is a naturally-occurring mineral that forms a barrier deflect the sun’s harmful rays.  Your lips will look great and feel great with the added help of the  passion fruit extract.
Chemical-Free …read more

Sunscreen is the most important part of you skincare regime and you don’t have to spend a ton of money for it either. As long as the sunscreen or sunblock you buy has an SPF of 15 or higher you’re good to go.
Ulta Sun Oil-Free Sunscreen Continuous Spray SPF 70 ($9.99)
Neutrogena Age Shield Face Sunblock ($9.19)
Coppertone Ultra Sweatproof UVA/UVB Sunblock ($9.49)
Bain de Soleil Orange Gelee Sunscreen SPF 4 ($8.99)
Coppertone Sport Sunblock SPF 30 ($9.49)
Hawaiian Tropic Oil Free Faces Sunblock ($7.39)
All of these sunscreens can be purchased at Ulta stores and drugstores near you. Make sure to apply it …read more

Summer gives us beautiful weather but it also brings out those little buggers that bite! Nothing is less attractive than itchy bug bites. Don’t let them ruin your fun in the sun. Kill two birds with one stone with this sunblock and insect repellent by Bullfrog.
Bullfrog Mosquito Coast SPF 30 Sunblock with Insect Repellent ($8) will prevent insects from biting you and protect you from the harmful rays of the sun with one application! It’s deet free, lasts up to 8 hours and has a pleasant grapefruit scent.   This is great for all ages too so the whole family can …read more