Putting Your Best Face Forward

By Elizabeth Seago, Guest blogger, UV Sun Specialist and F.O.S. (friend of Supergoop!), Seattle, WA

I love dressing up for the holidays. I have practically made an art form of constructing the perfect cocktail party ensemble. And now that I’ve been listening to my own advice and following a healthy winter-skincare routine, it’s time to look long and hard at my makeup routine. And naturally, I’m going to share this knowledge with you.

It goes without saying that the key is to start with a clean face and apply a lightweight layer of UV protection that protects from both UVA and UVB rays. (Just a tip: This does not mean a tinted moisturizer, which more times than not only protects your face from UVB rays.) I love Supergoop!’s ultra-light Save Face Serum which accelerates the skin’s UV repair mechanism while protecting it from UV-induced oxidation and simultaneously moisturizing to strengthen the skin’s natural barrier. It’s a three-for-one product that is the perfect first step.

Next, it’s time to leave the sanctity of your bathroom mirror and head to your local beauty store or makeup counter. Ask one of the experts to help you pick out the right type of foundation for your face; this can be a tinted moisturizer or a creamy, more traditional foundation. The most important thing is to make sure that the tone is correct so that your face looks natural—and not like you got stuck in a tanning bed for too long or, conversely, are auditioning for the next Twilight movie. I took an informal poll and Nars Sheer Matte Foundation seems to be a favorite. If you’d like to weigh in, we would love to hear what your preferred method of coverage is.

Once you’ve got your foundation in hand, it’s important to know where to put it … and that doesn’t mean all over your face. We want a flawless canvas, not one that looks too made up. One of the best makeup tricks I picked up in my travels as a model was to touch up the under-eye area. Use your third finger and pat on foundation for a natural blend that will make your eyes pop. Then you can move onto your touching up around your nose and upper cheek area or anywhere you might have blemishes or redness.

And it bears repeating that if you haven’t properly exfoliated, moisturized, and protected, your lovely new makeup will just sit on top of your skin, making you look like one of those deliciously cakey holiday sugar cookies (good to eat but not to wear). Need a refresher course? Then take a look at our blog on Saving Face during the winter months.

Posted on December 28, 2010 10:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (View)
Saving Face: Beating the Winter Skin Blahs

By Elizabeth Sykes, Guest blogger, UV Sun Specialist and F.O.S. (friend of Supergoop!), Seattle, WA

My first blog post as an “official” F.O.S. (Friend of Supergoop!, of course). What better way to kick things off than with a little sit-down on winter skin—also known as “the bane of my existence.”

 There is nothing worse than the blasting heat, the drier-than-the-driest-martini air, and the cuts-like-a-knife cold does to the skin? The redness, the tightness, the flakes … it’s enough to make a person want to move to a warmer (and damper) locale. And of course, let’s not forget that we are about to fa-la-la our way into the holiday-party season, and we really need to have our skin cooperate with us.

That said it’s crucial to create a new routine for the chillier months ahead to keep skin looking fresh and gorgeous (and by the time the first buds appear on the trees, I’ll have some great warm-weather tips for saving face, too). And don’t even think about skipping a step because your skin is extra vulnerable when you start exfoliating. A photo-stable, SPF 30+ daily lotion that protects from UVA and UVB rays, free radicals, and environmental damage is a must.

Tips for the A.M.

 -While in the shower, don’t forget to exfoliate with a loofah or something that stimulates the skin. Stimulating or very slightly injuring the skin (yes, that’s what you do when you exfoliate) boosts collagen production. It also allows whatever product you’ve chosen to put on your face and body to better absorb into the deeper layers of the skin.

 -After showering, while your skin is still wet, apply a moisturizer to your body that will lock in the water, in such as jojoba essential oil which is available at most health food stores.

-Ditto with your face: Always apply a generous layer of moisturizer with UV protection like my personal favorite, Supergoop! SPF 30+ Everyday UV lotion, which contains vitamin E and protects from free radicals triggered by sunlight, tobacco smoke, and smog. It also contains the super-charged antioxidant blueberry extract, which helps prevent and repair oxidative damage while assisting in boosting the regenerative power of the skin’s cells to improve your skin’s overall smoothness, wrinkles, texture, and  elasticity without leaving any heavy residue.

-And never neglect your lips: Always put an SPF balm on before leaving the house and be sure to carry one in your bag while you’re out and about. The new Supergoop! SPF 30+ UVA/UVB AcaiFusion and MintFusion lip balms (in stores this January!) provide a unique, high SPF 30 lip balm solution to protect against broad-spectrum UV rays in a super-antioxidant and regenerative formulation. And with the added benefit of shea butter and the power of super berry acai and cooking spearmint leaf oil, respectively, lips are guaranteed to smack.

Tips for the P.M.

-In the evening, after washing your face with your favorite cleanser, always apply either an over-the-counter lotion with AHA to help rid the dry skin on the topmost layer of your face so you can prepare your skin for soaking up the moisture and UV protection in the morning.  

-Another tip I highly recommend is regularly applying a Retin-A at night. It’s a wonderful way to combat fine lines and sunspots. Just ask your you dermatologist during your next appointment (maybe your six-month mole check … hint hint) and find out what level is right for you.

Posted on December 14, 2010 10:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (View)
Introducing Elizabeth, Our New Best Friend…

By Elizabeth Sykes, Guest blogger, UV Sun Specialist and F.O.S. (friend of Supergoop!), Seattle, WA

So, remember, way back in the warmer months, when we mentioned on Facebook (which might as well have been a decade ago at the speed all this social media moves) that we were dispatching official Supergoop! UV Sun Specialists in Sg! friendly Sephora and Nordstrom locales from coast to coast? Well, we did just that … and now a particularly enthusiastic F.O.S. (Friend of Supergoop!) has offered to join our campaign to educate the world on innovative, everyday sun protection solutions: Her name is Elizabeth, she hails from oh-so-hip Seattle, Washington, and she literally jumped at the opportunity to join the Supergoop! troupe.

Why, you may ask? Well, aside from the fact that she spent a lot of time putting her best face forward as a model, Elizabeth always has believed that good UV protection is the first step in a life-long commitment to maintaining healthy, radiant skin. So naturally, she’s going to have a little something to say about how she goes about taking care of her most delicate asset. From here on out, you’ll be hearing a lot more from Elizabeth, as she waxes poetic on everything from winter sun smarts to fool-proof mascara application (and, we ask you: who hasn’t inadvertently jammed one’s mascara wand into one’s cheek?) to cocktail-party-stopping looks for the holiday season.

And just so we get this relationship off to a beautiful start, here are Elizabeth’s top five beauty secrets for you to mull over and enjoy … perhaps with a lovely cup of green tea (which, incidentally, is an ingredient that calms and soothes the skin … and is in many of our products, of course):

1. Lemon juice and sugar for a glowing face: Apply the mixture directly to your face and gently rub in a circular motion. Let sit for 5 minutes. Reapply lemon juice only for an even deeper exfoliating treatment. (You will feel a lovely tingling as the lemon juice does its thing.) Leave on for another five to 10 minutes and then rinse with lukewarm water and pat dry.

2. Honey and sugar for smooth lips: Mix the two ingredients together and rub gently onto lips. Rinse and smile.

3. Pumice stone for more than feet: A must-have. Gently rub all over body to stimulate collagen production.

4. Lac-Hydrin or Am-Lactin for your skin: Both are lactic acid lotions that you apply at night to help exfoliate while you snooze.

5. Supergoop! for all over: Apply to every exposed inch of face and body every morning to ensure total UVA and UVB protection.

Posted on December 8, 2010 4:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (View)
Sugars, Starches, and Carbs…Oh My!: How Your Diet Can Affect Your Skin

We all know how important innovative, environment- and body-friendly sunscreen is for protecting your skin against the damaging UV rays of the sun. But have you ever considered it’s what’s on the inside that’s making a difference too?

Lately, I’ve been particularly interested in how one’s diet can affect the skin. In an attempt to cleanse our systems of all the bad stuff (you know, starches, refined sugars, ice scream sundaes), my husband and I decided to follow a stringent food regiment of nothing but water, egg whites, grilled salmon, blueberries, raspberries, apples, cantaloupe, almonds, broccoli, brussels sprouts, haricot verts, and whole-grain oatmeal for three very long days, Now, I would be lying to you if I said that I enjoyed every minute of it (truth be told, I’m glad it’s over), but it got me thinking about how important the very colorful fruits and vegetables that were the mainstay of my stripped-down diet are for the body—adults and children—inside and out.

Of course excess sun exposure causes photo-aging, loss of skin elasticity, thinner-looking skin, wrinkles, broken capillaries on the face, freckles, spots and blemishes, among other things. But not getting enough protein in your diet, going totally “fat free,” not drinking enough water, and consuming inflammatory foods such as the aforementioned starches accelerates aging and shows up on your skin in the form of dark circles under the eyes, puffiness, an increase in fine lines and wrinkles, increased pore size, and an overall loss of radiance. And sugar is the biggest culprit (as someone with a nearly insatiable sweet tooth, it’s a battle I fight every day). It robs us of our youth, our health, and our beauty, and also can contribute to many diseases (coronary heart disease and osteoporosis, among them). Pass the sprouts, please.

And today’s children unfortunately show the signs of these dietary deficiencies right on their lovely faces: many have dark circles under their eyes, carry an extra 5-10 pounds on their bodies, and show a decreased interest in playing outside. That said, it’s important to instill good habits on how to prevent the degenerative diseases plaguing our society right from the start: infancy and childhood. As parents, we need to walk the walk and talk the talk, providing them with a balanced diet and a role model of someone who follows a balanced diet so that we can all look and feel our best.

And doing this doesn’t have to be complicated (or cause total mayhem at mealtimes); try making a few simple additions to your weekly menu such as steel-cut oatmeal for breakfast; whole grains including quinoa and brown rice for lunch and dinner; and integrating high-antioxidant treats like cherries, raspberries, blueberries, apples, and even dark chocolate (in moderation, of course: the higher the cacao percentage, the more cacao and less sugar there is in the chocolate) throughout the day.

Because I founded Supergoop! in part to provide innovative, everyday UV protection solutions for all and also to educate adults and children on how to protect their skin, I’ve always believed that Supergoop! is not just a sunscreen, but also a lifestyle. It’s about not only forming great skincare habits, but also forming great body-healthy habits at a young age so everyone in the family is healthy from the inside out.

We’d love to hear from you on this topics, so let us know what you think and what you are doing to ensure your family is eating and living healthfully every day.

Posted on November 2, 2010 12:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (View)
The End of Summer is NOT the End of Sunscreen

So, the end of summer is very nearly upon us—Labor Day is less than two weeks away, if you can believe it—and soon we’ll be packing up our straw hats and bathing suits, beach bags and flip-flops. But not, we repeat, not the sunscreen.

Never the sunscreen, people, and we’ll tell you why: excessive exposure to the sun not only causes wrinkles but increases your risk for developing skin cancer—your vulnerable face is still out there for those hardcore UV rays to shine on. And although the sun is at its least powerful in the winter months, it’s very nearly impossible to avoid all of the sun’s damaging UV rays (unless of course you live in a cave). So, you need to be vigilant in your efforts to protect your gorgeous mug for all 365 days of the year.

However, take heart: This doesn’t require an extra half hour in front of the bathroom mirror. It’s as simple as adding a quick step in your morning beauty regimen (which you should be in the habit of doing anyway after the past three months!): Cleanse first, then your sunscreen/moisturizer combo, and finally, if you choose, your makeup. It’s as easy as that.

What’s not so easy is figuring out what kind of sun protection to buy and use. There’s a lot of information in the marketplace right now and not all of it is accurate (or decipherable). And since we are committed to protecting you and your family from both harmful skincare ingredients and the UV rays of the sun, we’ve developed a quick list for choosing the best sunscreen:

  • Be wary of products claiming waterproof, hypoallergenic, eight-hour or all-day/continuous protection, and/or chemical-free (the FDA deems these claims unacceptable)
  • The FDA recognizes claims that can be substantiated with numbers such as “clinically tested,” “water resistant (up to 40 minutes),” and “very water resistant (up to 80 minutes)”
  • Read the ingredient list. If you see things like oxybenzone (a.k.a. benzophenone-3), methylparaben, propylparaben, ethylparaben, propylene glycol, fragrances, and dyes-Move On.
  • Keep your eyes peeled for safer ingredients, such as Avobenzone (Parsol 1789) or alternatively, the whole particle physical blocks titanium dioxide and zinc
  • Look for SPF 30+ in combination with UVA Active Ingredients or the words “broad spectrum” to ensure protection against both UVA and UVB rays. Even better, ask your favorite brand to send you the UVA testing paperwork because in the U.S. alone, it is acceptable for any sunscreen brand to claim “broad spectrum” without having any tests to back it up

And because we like to make things as easy as possible, Supergoop! meets all of the above criterion AND we are giving sample packs to 50 new Facebook fans who tell us your preference (before Labor Day!) for SPF lip balm flavors: Mint, Vanilla, Coconut or Acai Berry.

Posted on August 25, 2010 3:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (View)
It’s what’s INSIDE that counts!

BE SUN SAVVY:
One of the greatest challenges of creating safe UV protection is balancing performance, texture and feel, and body-friendly ingredients. With the proposed changes to the FDA’s sunscreen guidelines still waiting approval, companies are labeling sun protective products with claims that, according to the Environmental Working Group’s 2009 Sunscreen Investigation, could not possibly be true.

BE SUN SMART:
Until the FDA guidelines are updated and consumers are finally provided more information on product labels to guide their purchases, companies are free to sell products that would be considered misbranded if the guidelines were already in place. So why do so many mass manufactured lines continue to use misleading marketing terms, such as “waterproof”, “sweatproof”, and “continuous protection”? Clearly, the lack of regulation has resulted in far too many exaggerated and inaccurate claims in advertising and labeling to gain market share. What’s a confused consumer to do?!

We’ve compiled our 2010 TOP TIPS for reading a sunscreen bottle to help you better understand what’s INSIDE!

  • Know how to spot common misleading claims:

Products claiming waterproof, hypoallergenic, dermatologist-approved, 8 hour or All-day/continuous protection, and/or Chemical Free, should make the consumer skeptical. According to the FDA, the above mentioned claims are unacceptable. If the brand is careless with their marketing lingo, how can we trust other claims for legitimacy as well? Do you want these products in your home or beach bag?

Look for recognized claims by the FDA and claims that can be substantiated with numbers, such as Clinically Tested, Water Resistant (up to 40 minutes) or Very Water Resistant (up to 80 minutes). While dermatologist approved sounds comforting, most dermatologists are not set up to perform stability, skin compatibility and UVA testing. It is the responsibility of the brand to ensure that the proper testing protocol is completed in independent, clinical labs and these results are transparent to the consumer. Ask for the clinical test results.

  • Read the Ingredient labels carefully:

The FDA requires over-the-counter manufacturers to disclose a complete active and inactive ingredient list on all SPF packaging. It doesn’t take long to spot the common cosmetic ingredients that are widely recognized as possibly carcinogens, endocrine disruptors, and allergens. (oxybenzone -also written as benzophenone-3, methylparaben, propylparaben, ethylparaben, propylene glycol, synthetic fragrances, dyes)

Ask the brand if their products contain any ingredients on the SIN (Substitute it Now!) list. The International Chemical Secretariat organization provides this list of 356 chemicals identified as substances of very high concern based on the criteria established by the new EU chemical regulation. These ingredients should be avoided in all cosmetics and sunscreens are no different. Where you’ll find one, you’ll often find many, so be sure to be a good label detective.

  • Look for SPF 30+ in combination with UVA Active Ingredients

The FDA currently has no regulations about what degree of UVA protection a sunscreen must provide in U.S. to be able to make the claim of “UVA/UVB” or “Broad-Spectrum”, so you won’t know how much protection you are actually getting by reading these claims on the bottle. Look for either Avobenzone (Parsol 1789) or alternatively, look for the whole particle physical blocks, Titanium Dioxide and Zinc. And remember, SPF numbers refer only to the ability to protect from UVB rays —they tell you nothing about UVA protection.

Finally, a few last words as a sunscreen manufacturer and a mom of two: While the challenge will continue for us to push for innovation in creating safe UV protection that meets European standards with beneficial natural ingredients, the challenge will continue for consumers to read and understand the labels, and make a commitment to form healthy habits that include everyday use of safe suncare products. For us, total brand transparency is a must. For our consumers, read your labels and ask questions. Together we can prioritize our health and the health of our environment.

Posted on March 31, 2010 2:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (View)
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