Beat the After Sun Blues!

So here we are, the week after Memorial Day, enjoying the first warm days of summer (at least that’s what’s happening here in the Midwest!).  We all flocked to the lake or to barbecues on Monday, stayed out all day, and now are suffering from our very first sunburn of the summer.  Here’s a refresher on sun care for your skin and hair during the summer months ahead:

1.  PREVENTION:  As your mother and health professionals everywhere can tell you, the best way to care for a sunburn is to prevent it from happening in the first place.  Especially with the prevalence of skin cancer among our generation, we must be careful to protect ourselves from the damaging sun.  Here are some of our favorite protective sun products:

Coola (SPF 45) is one of our favorite classic sunscreens, providing powerful protection, custom made for those leading an active outdoor life.  Endorsed by the American Lifeguard Association, this sweat-proof formula is the best we’ve got!

If you’re looking for a mineral alternative to classic sunscreen, Alba Botanica’s Natural Mineral Sunscreen (SPF 30) uses a chemical-free formula that provides excellent protection from the sun without compromise.

Orly’s Sunscreen for Nails is a must-have.  As you beach-babes know, after long hours in the sun, your manicure can become discolored and faded.  Sunscreen for Nails is a high-shine topcoat that protects the colors beneath it with its UV absorbent formula.

Rene Furterer’s Protective Summer Oil (KPF 90) uses sesame and castor oils with UV sunscreen to ensure protection for exposed hair while swimming and sunbathing.  It’s waterproof formula is a must for any beach bag.

2.  TREATMENT:  We know that there will be days that we didn’t plan ahead and didn’t apply the sunscreen as much as we should have.  Here are some treatments to refresh skin and hair after long hours in the sun:

The absolute best in the business, Hempz After Sun Gel soothes heat and pain from sun-burnt skin, prevents peeling and uses the nurturing qualities of hemp seed oil and tea tree oil to start repairing skin damage and even minimize the look of fine lines and wrinkles!

Bed Head Some Like It Hot Heat & Humidity Resistant Serum is not only treatment oriented, but also for prevention.  It, along with the Some Like it Hot Shampoo and Conditioner provide a shield to help hair that will be in the sun and water constantly.  This product in particular, though, is essential after sun, taming frizz and re-moisturizing burnt-out hair.

Rene Furterer Repairing After Sun Shampoo is specifically designed to combat the drying effects of sun, salt water and even chlorine, enriched with palm butter to restore shine and softness to your hair! Awesome.

So, enjoy the sun, ladies, but care for yourself while you’re doing it! Check out these products and more at http://www.beautyofasite.com to help you enjoy the summer in style!

Sunscreen Reinvented: Vitamins, Minerals & No Chemicals

Sun screen is something we’ve been smearing all over ourselves since the time we were infants. We feel good about protecting ourselves from sun damage, but rarely pause to consider what exactly we’re putting on our skin; what exactly we’re allowing our skin to absorb.

Azur Sunscreen, SPF 30 & 40

Sunscreens include powerful sun-blocking ingredients that, while being extremely effective at protecting our skin, can be absorbed into our systems and cause some serious damage.  Ranging from free radical damage, disruption of hormone activity and potentially carcinogenic activity, chemicals like oxybenzone, avobenzone, octocrylene & octinoxate found in many sunscreens might hurt your skin worse than a sun burn!

Don’t worry… we have a solution!  We’re really excited about Azur sunscreen, an all-natural, mineral based sunscreen that is 100% chemical free- and effective!  Loaded with important vitamins & moisturizing aloe vera, this luxurious sunscreen attributes its effectiveness to using a physical instead of a chemical barrier against UV radiation.  What a good idea.

If you’re interested in ordering some Azur sunscreen, click here.  We’d love to send you some.

For the Love of Lip Gloss!

Although no studies have been done to prove or disprove this theory, some researchers are saying that wearing lip gloss can increase your chances of having skin cancer on your face and lips. Without reputable studies, we’re not going to be the first to say this is truth. We do however, want you to keep this interesting story in mind this summer when your getting all dolled up to visit the pool or your favorite summertime hot spot.

According to ABC News, this is the rumor, “Some dermatologists have said that the translucent sheen helps ultraviolet rays penetrate the already fragile skin of the lips — thereby increasing your risk.” Moreover, ABC goes on to report that, “squamous cell carcinoma (the kind of cancer that makes up 90 percent of new cases of lip skin cancer each year) has a higher risk of metastasis on the lips. That means that it’s more likely to aggressively spread if it starts on your lips than if the same kind of cancer appears first on other parts of the skin.”

Now, if any of this is true, we need to take action. Especially those of us who are slightly addicted to lip gloss (you know who you are!). Luckily, there are just as many glamorous lip glosses with SPF as there are without. A don’t think you have to get rid of all your glosses – just make sure to wear them indoors. Here some SPF infused lip balms to check out and keep on hand when you’re in the sun:

Alba Botanica Lip Care SPF 18

Coola Lip Lux All-in-One Lip Treatment

Let us know what you think! While researchers are gettin’ their ducks in a row, we’d love to hear your opinion on this issue. Comment back or tweet us at our twitter page here.