Skin Care

Sunscreen and Myths {Skin Care}

Swathy · April 17, 2012 · 17 Comments

One of the reasons why I am doing many posts on sunscreen again is to raise the awareness that it is an important part of skin care routine. Today, I shall be talking about some of the myths concerning sunscreens. Hope this helps clear some of your doubts.

Myth: Sunblocks are better than Sunscreens

There is no such thing as sunblock and I have mentioned this in one of earlier posts too. Earlier, physical sunscreens (which include Zinc Oxide or Titanium Dioxide) were called sunblocks as they scatter or reflect the sun’s rays when they fall int he skin as opposed to being absorbed and converted into heat energy which happens in case of using chemical sunscreens.

But, now, FDA (Food and Drug Administration), US has passed out certain rules regarding the labelling of sunscreens in which it has banned the use of certain terms “sweat-proof, water-proof, sunblock, dermatologist tested” as they are misleading. I know these rules are not applicable on Indian products but it at least shows that these terms do not really mean anything.

Even the labels of spf 70, spf 90, spf 100 have been banned. If a sunscreen provides higher protection, it should be labelled as spf 50+. You can see Neutrogena following these labelling standards to get an idea.

““Waterproof,” “sweatproof” or “sunblock” claims. Manufacturers cannot label sunscreens as “waterproof” or “sweatproof,” or identify their products as “sunblocks,” because these claims overstate their effectiveness. Sunscreens also cannot claim to provide sun protection for more than 2 hours without reapplication or to provide protection immediately after application (for example– “instant protection”) without submitting data to support these claims and obtaining FDA approval. (Source)“

Myth: SPF 100 gives me better protection than SPF 50

Spf 15 filters out 93% sun’s rays, spf 30 filters out 96.4% sun’s rays and spf 50 filters out 97.6% (near abouts). And, any spf higher than 50 gives only a marginal increase but there is no sunscreen which can filter out 100% sun’s rays. For Indian climate, spf 30 is enough but if you are over-inclined, spf 50 is good. Anything higher is a false claim.

Myth: Layering of products with sunscreen will give me enough protection

I have talked of this issue earlier that spf’s of various products do not add up!!! They all act as a single layer of sunscreen and provide the protection of the highest spf factor.

Myth: I don’t need a sunscreen when indoors
UVA rays can penetrate through windows and glass. Read this post for more information about them. So, you need at least an spf 15 when staying indoors.

Myth: A drop of my new sunscreen keeps my face protected.
As a rule, you should apply one teaspoon or two fingers length of sunscreen to your face and neck. And, I know that’s a lot. But, if you do not apply the said amount, the efficacy of your sunscreen is reduced according to the amount applied. So, even if you are using a spf 50 sunscreen, improper application might be giving you benefits of only spf 10 or 20. So, apply proper amount of sunscreen to protect yourself well.

These are some of the myths I have come across in my course of blogging, the top most being the confusion between sunscreen and sunblock. I hope this post helps to debunk those myths.

My Top 5 Home Remedies this Summer {DIY}

Swathy · April 4, 2012 · 35 Comments

Summers are beating the hell out of me and as I said earlier, I am not a fan of this weather at all. I prefer winters. So, I thought I would share my 5 favourite home remedies for skin.

Tomato

Yes, I am not a fan of lemon. I find it too drying for my skin and its too acidic as well so I prefer to garnish my salads and dals (lentils) and sabzi’s (curries) with lemon instead of applying it on face. Tomato is much gentler and equally amazing at almost everything.

It removes tan, blemishes and dark spots, evens out the skin tone and makes my skin bright and glowing. And, not only that, I can use it on my hair for the extra shine and to undo the effects of sun damage. And, it doesn’t leave my skin dry. And, its perfect even for sensitive skins for which is lemon is not really suitable.

And, since I am lazy, I take a slice of tomato from my salad and rub it on my skin and let ot dry up and then, I wash it off.

Cucumber

Who doesn’t love cucumber in summers? They feel so hydrating and cool to eat and not to speak of their effects on skin. They are again amazing at evening out the skin tone and removing the tan. And, I forgot to say this above but both tomato and cucumber are great on acne and breakouts too. It cools off ths skin inside and outside both.

Watermelon

Ok, this is not on my favorite fruit list and is highly unlikely it will ever make to one. But, I wouldn’t deny that its the fruit which makes me feel refreshing on the name itself and its a favourite among many people. Again, it gives a hydrated skin staying true to its name and also helps with blemishes and tan.

Coconut Water

Ok, to be frank, I have never used coconut water on my skin. But, I have heard so many people rave about it that it always makes me curious that how well does it do for the skin and hair. But, still, I can’t deny the changes it does to skin even from the inside ;D It keeps the body temperature cooler from the inside and is supposed to be amazing for the complexion.

Buttermilk

Yes, my favorite. Thought I love to drink it more than applying it on my skin, I do that sometimes. And, its just fabulous. Be it tanning or breakouts or blemishes or need for a glowing skin, this one remedy address to all. And, if you can spare a cup of buttermilk, add it to your bath as well. It shows a lot of difference.

So, those were my favorite home remedies for the summers. What are yours???

How to remove tanning on arms? {Skin Care}

Swathy · April 1, 2012 · 9 Comments

Tanning on my arms has been a long standing issue. And, last week, when someone requested me remedies for the same, I thought I would better do a post. Disclaimer: I wouldn’t say that I am entirely rid of the tan but I have surely made some progress in the recent years and now, my hands looks a little better than what they did 5-6 years back.

All of my issues started with the college whether hair or skin. In the school, everything was covered upto the neck and the arms were entirely shrouded in full sleeves and even my socks used to reach the knees and my skirt used to end just above so my knees were definitely one of the most hit parts of my body. But, since, I have been covering my legs ever since, my knees and the surrounding areas have lost all the tan and returned to their normal shade again.

But, now, the issue remains with my arms and neck. My face is still doing a lot better. So, how to save the arms?

Elbow-length Gloves: Yes, those which are used for driving. I had started to wear them pretty regularly a year or two back and had noticed my arms coloring had improved quite a lot. But, I shall also accept that they are uncomfortable and cumbersome but then, we do wear scarves all over the face, right???

Sunscreen: Oh yes, absolute must. Arms get tanned very easily and we generally tend to miss them out while applying the sunscreen. But, applying sunscreen on the arms do make a huge deal of difference. I have tried Biotique ones and have received great results and they are economical too. And, right now, I am using Neutrogena Ultra sheer which is equally good but definitely not so economical for me.

So, those were my two pennies on how I protect my arms and seriously, I have never done anything more for my arms or any other part of my body except face and probably neck (which shall be another post!!).