A favorite few: Make up Products

1.)   Sin-full Lash Mascara by Kat Von D: If you’ve ever used Diorshow Backstage Mascara and loved it as much as I did, you will love this mascara too (and it’s not as pricey) J

2.)   Laura Mercier Secret Camoflauge: This face concealer completely camouflages dark circles, minor imperfections and discolorations. It contains a two-shade system, one to match the skins depth of color and one to match the skins undertone, making it possible for everyone to custom-blend their own perfect shade.

3.)   ColoreScience Apple of my eye blush: Easy application, great color and a little bit of shimmer, which acts as a highlight along the tops of your cheekbones.

4.)   Annabelle Kohl eyeliner – black – 73: I have been using this product for 11 years! I discovered this magical little eyeliner pencil when I was in grade 9 and have yet to find a product that is as effective as this one. All my other girlfriends are still hooked on it too. Now we don’t use it to line the tip of our lids, but instead to line the ‘wet-line’ of our inner eye. Set with an eye shadow for all daywear.

5.)   Urban Decay waterproof liquid liner: The slender tapered brush lays down long lasting matte, slick and shimmery shades. Can create lines razor-thin or thick, even and bold. The brush is easy to control as long as you have a steady hand ;)

6.)   Sephora Collection - Cream Lip Stain Forever Fuchsia (satin electric fuchsia): This BOLD long lasting stain doesn’t smudge or transfer and yet at the end of the night it’s super easy to remove.

7.)   ColoreScience Retractable Brush Foundation: Loose mineral foundation SPF 20. Simple, self-dispensing powder brush. Great coverage, balanced skin tone and glowing radiance. Once you have run out of the powder, you can continue to buy refills for the retractable brush at half the cost J

8.)   MAC Paint Pot:  A highly pigmented eye colour that goes on creamy but dries to an intense, vibrant finish. Longwearing, without weight or caking. Best to set with a powder eye shadow on top.

9.)   Antioxidant Hydramist: A refreshing, hydrating toner with ‘flash firming’ effects. Use to set your minerals (sprits the skin after applying your mineral foundation. Makes for long lasting coverage and an even distribution of SPF 20. Water resistant, anti bacterial and soothing.)

10.)         Climate control lip treatment: A soothing balm to help damaged skin recover from environmental assault while providing a barrier against harsh environmental pollutants. Great as a base under lipstick/gloss. 

New tanning trend…

        It was brought to my attention the other day that there is a new trend out there regarding UVA tanning beds. Some salons offer this tanning bed claiming that UVA rays are less damaging because they don’t contain the ray responsible for burning the skin (UVB). This is CRAZY! UVA rays penetrate further into your epidermis causing more damage to your skin in the long run. It takes longer (more tanning sessions) to develop a tan as UVB activate melanin faster then UVA. With that being said, more tanning session will be required to reach and maintain your desired tan with UVA beds. Now going back to the point that I made about UVA penetrating deeper into the skin, this is causing breakdown of collagen and elastin production, which ultimately accelerates the aging process. This leaves your skin loose, with a lack of tone and overtime, loss of volume. Is there an alternative to tanning beds?…Spray tans! Although I’m not too sure how I feel about suffocating the largest organ in your body (the skin) with an artificial color. I guess it’s no worse then lathering yourself up with heavily scented body lotions potentially full of mineral oils/petroleum, parabens, Acrylamide or Dioxane after the bath or shower. 

Physical vs. Chemical Sunscreens

Do you know what is really happening to our skin when it is hit by UVA and UVB rays? The shorter UVB rays do the majority of damage in the top layer of our skin called the epidermis – these rays are responsible for majority of suntans and burns. Longer UVA rays do the majority of damage in the second layer of our skin the dermis.  I like to remember them as UVA (Age) and UVB (Burn). The dermis is where all our collagen and structural elements reside.   When energy of these small particles of light strike our skin (where the light wave stops), the energy released alters the chemistry of that component of the skin and damages it.  This is the initial damage.  These chemical changes also produce free radicals and these radicals continue on to cause additional damage (secondary damage) to other skin components.  

 In time this repetitive photo-damage and free radical damage will break down collagen and elastin.  Your pigment cells called melanocytes become dysfunctional and produce volumes of pigment that result in age spots and other forms of pigment (hyper and/or hypo).  The fibroblast cells stop producing new collagen leaving your skin slack.  

It is estimated that 90% of sun damage is the result of unplanned or casual sun exposures when people may not have active photo-protection.  This can include riding in a car,  or just going for a short walk with their dog without wearing proper sunscreen. Unfortunately, 90% of sun damage is already done by the time you are 18 years old.

            Chemical sunscreens protect the skin by absorbing the light particles.   When this energy is absorbed, the molecules of the sunscreen are destroyed, rather than a skin component but this still results in chemical reactions (usually producing heat in the skin that can lead to irritation).Subsequently chemical sunscreens are not the most complete or effective form of sun protection. They prevent a larger degree of the initial sun damage but allow secondary free radical damage, which adds to the speed of the skin ageing process.

            Physical sunscreens on the other hand such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide work by reflecting the photons of light up and out of the skin so there is no absorption of energy.  There is no chemical reaction and no free radicals are produced.  

            A physical sunscreen is a crucial part of anti-aging and skin health. Look for products that contain zinc oxide and titanium dioxide as their SPF. My all time favorite product line is Colorescience (obviously). I have mentioned this product in previous posts. I don’t leave the house without it, no matter what the weather is like outside. It comes in the form of a mineral make up as well as a translucent or tinted powdered SPF 30.  The perks of having it in powder for, easy application, no dripping into the eyes, and it’s cooling on the skin because it reflects the UV rays instead of absorbing it and causing a chemical reaction in the skin usually producing heat. All in all it’s just an amazing, convenient product.