Oddly enough, there is currently no consensus on whether sunscreens prevent skin cancer. The FDA’s 2007 draft sunscreen safety regulations say: “FDA is not aware of data demonstrating that sunscreen use alone helps prevent skin cancer”.

We can’t get away from exposing our skin to the sun but if you are going to be in direct sunlight; sunscreens can help prevent sunburns, skin aging, wrinkles, and cell damage.

Here are tips for to keep your skin beautiful, healthy, and toxic-free while in the sun:

1. Use a Cream-based Sunscreen with SPF 30
Avoid sprays and powders which may not be safe to breathe. Choose cream sunscreen instead and make sure the SPF is 30 or higher.
 

2. Read the Ingredients
Avoid sunscreens that contain oxybenzone, it’s a synthetic estrogen that has been linked to allergies, hormone disruption, and low birth weight in baby girls. Instead look for sunscreens that contains zinc, titanium dioxide, avobenzone or Mexoryl SX. These ingredients protect skin from harmful UVA radiation, with little penetrating into the body.
 

3. Avoid Sunscreen with Vitamin A
Eating foods rich in vitamin A is great for your skin, but new FDA data shows that tumors and lesions may develop sooner on skin coated with creams containing vitamin A when exposed to direct sunlight. Vitamin A, may be listed as “retinyl palmitate” or “retionol” on sunscreen labels.
 

4. Get Lost of Vitamin D
Vitamin D is very important – it strengthens bones, our immune system, and reduces the risk of various cancers. While the main source of vitamin D is sunlight – experts dissagree on if it’s safe to get it from the sun. Eitherway you can get adequate amounts from a healthy diet that includes foods naturally rich in vitamin D: like dairy products and fish, fortified milk, cereals, and vitamin D supplements.
 

5. Avoid Tanning Beds
Ultraviolet light from the sun and tanning beds dramatically increase the risk of Melanoma, which is the most deadly form of skin cancer. This type of light can also increase skin aging, wrinkling, and cause cell damage.
 

So what’s the best sunscreen? The Environmental Working Group releases each year, a report of the safest, least toxic, and most effective sunscreen products available to consumers.
 

This year the top sunscreens include:

• Badger Balm
• Karen’s Botanicals
• California Baby
• Soleo Organics
   

Checkout the full list of sunscreens to find the best sun protection for you.

To learn more about Charmaine, visit Glamology.com

 
 

During the winter time, indoor heating can cause our skin to become dull and thick. As the temperature warms out outside and gets more humid, we need to adjust our skincare routine.

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Don’t Forget to Exfoliate
You should be exfoliating all year round, Spring is the time you really need to exfoliate. Exfoliation removes the outer accumulation of dead skin cells keeping your skin healthy and more vibrant. Look for exfoliation scrubs that contain natural ingredients dead sea salt, sugar, ground almond, and jojoba beads. During the Spring, try to exfoliate your face and body twice per week since you have a lot of dead skin build up. Remember to protect your skin after exfoliation as you will be more susceptible to the sun.

Switch to a lighter Moisturizer
If you’ve been using a heavier moisturizer when it was cold, think about switching to a lighter one suitable for your skin type. Be sure to moisturize your skin day and night, and pay attention to the area around your eyes and your mouth to prevent fine wrinkles. Look for a light moisturizer that contains natural ingredients like aloe gel or Shea butter and try to stay away from petroleum-derived ingredients like petrolatum, or petroleum jelly these will dry your skin out and may break you out.

Change your Makeup
As the air begins to hold more moisture, full coverage makeup may be harmful to your skin. Opt for a lightweight foundation, mineral powder, or tinted moisturizer.

Eat lots of Fruits and Vegetables
Good Nutrition is the foundation for a healthy and beautiful skin. Spring and Summer is the easiest (and cheapest) time to find fresh antioxidant rich fruits and vegetables. If possible buy organic as it contains fewer pesticides and toxins, which means fewer in your body.

To learn more about Charmaine, visit Glamology.com

 

There are lots of little things we can do and small changes we can make to help improve our skin, our health and the environment.

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Here are some tips to help “green” your beauty routine:
 

• Conventional facial cleansers are often formulated with harmful ingredients like sulfates, parabens, triclosan, and fragrance. Try switching to a natural face cleanser rich in botanical fruit oils like lemon, avocado, jojoba, tea-tree oils, tea extracts, and aloe leaf juice.
• When looking for green beauty products, consider simple substitutions, like using avocado oil on your skin instead of mineral oil or cornstarch instead of baby powder. Try using organic coconut oil as great natural eye makeup remover and as a face/body moisturizer after showering.
• Avoid lip products that contain lead, artificial colors, fragrance, lanolin, or petrochemicals like perolatum. Instead opt for those that contain beeswax, shea butter, and fruit pigments – for a chemical free kiss!
• Use makeup brushes made from sustainable materials, like bamboo, and ones that have synthetic bristles not animal hair.
• You can make your own beauty products like scrubs, masks, and treatments in your kitchen. Lots of easy recipes can be found online, such as mixing 1/4 cup olive oil & 1/2 cup brown sugar for a great face and body scrub.
• Reduce waste by buying products in recycled or recyclable packaging, such as paper boxes or glass bottles. To save on excess plastic packaging, switch products like body wash to a bar of natural soap.
• Read the book Not Just a Pretty Face by Stacy Malkan. It’s probably the most important book written about the toxic nature of the beauty industry. The book gives you lots of information on everyday products, resources and tools to make smarter decisions on what to buy.
• There is a lot of misinformation out there, just because it says it’s made with “natural” ingredients doesn’t mean it really is or that it’s environmentaly friendly. The best way to research beauty products is on The Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database website. You can search any ingredient or product and get a detailed profile of its health concerns.
   

Greening your beauty routine is a great way to reduce the amount of chemicals that you are exposed to and reduce the negative impact on the planet.

To learn more about Charmaine, visit Glamology.com

 

The number 1 question I get asked all the time is what are my favorite non-toxic skincare and cosmetics products.

There are lots of great natural options available, however, purchasing safe products can be quite misleading and confusing. Many use words like "organic" or "natural" on their labels yet contain only a very small amount of organic ingredients in a base of petrochemicals, toxins, and harsh preservatives. Here are some tips on how to choose natural beauty products.

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It took me over a year to fully "go green" and switch all my beauty products to completely natural, organic alternatives but it was well worth it. My skin is much more balanced, clear, and less sensitive, and it feels good to know that the products I use are not linked to any potential long-term health concerns.
Here are my favorite green beauty products that I use daily!
 

Exfoliating your skin regularly is important to help remove excess dirt, dead skin, and oils to rejuvenate your skin.

Homemade scrubs can be every bit as effective as store-bought products but without the nasty chemicals and preservatives. A scrub made with brown sugar is great to help remove dead skin and olive oil will soothe the skin making it soft and tender. Don’t worry about the olive oil; it's one of the most natural oils and will not clog your pores.

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• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
  
   

Method:

To create the scrub, mix the brown sugar and olive oil and together. Things can get a little messy so if you are planning to scrub more then just your face and neck, it's recommended to use this scrub in the shower. Apply the mixture to your face in gentle circular motions concentrating on your cheeks, forehead and chin. Scrub any other areas of your body that may be dry, such as your elbows, knees, feet. After about 1 minute, rinse off the scrub with warm water.

To learn more about Charmaine, visit Glamology.com