GLO Minerals Quarterly Newsletter

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Is your makeup protecting you from the sun?

Summer is here, and along with the beach, the cookouts, and the pool, it brings the sun. As warm and beautiful as the weather is during this time of the year, it can also be dangerous for your skin. A favorite of most women for easy skin protection is the foundation-SPF combination treatment, but before you pick your regimen, you should know more.

Makeup products with SPF are usually around SPF 5-15, which is not enough for the direct sun exposure most of us get during the summer months. A minimum SPF 15 is highly recommended, and the higher the SPF rating the better!

While foundation-SPF combinations are easy to use, pretty, and convenient, they generally aren’t enough on their own. Generally we don’t apply our makeup everywhere we need to have the SPF coverage (i.e. neck, ears, hairline, and the back of your hands).

Tinted moisturizers are another convenient way to keep your skin moisturized while giving your skin protection from the sun. Tinted moisturizers generally are more sheer in coverage compared to full-coverage foundations, and take away yet another step in your morning beauty routine. But again, like foundation, you wouldn’t apply tinted moisturizer in all of the same places you need the SPF protection.

Another easy to use, lightweight, protective makeup product is pressed powder containing SPF. It’s easy to reapply throughout the day (every two hours) without having to re-do all of your makeup. While being lightweight and protective, it also helps reduce shine.

Since some general-use sunscreens breakdown when used with foundation, a moisturizer with SPF 15 or higher is your best bet for your face. It can be applied before your normal makeup routine, contains the recommended SPF level, is easy to apply (on your ears, neck, and hands, too, not just your face!), and gives you the controlled moisturizing component you are looking for in a base before your foundation.

The good thing:

Since the FDA regulates SPF ratings, the number you see on your makeup choice really is accurate. But remember, just because it has an SPF rating, doesn’t mean it’s enough protection for you. SPF 15 is the lowest rating recommended for daily protection use.

SPF 101:

• SPF 15 (the lowest SPF recommended for sun exposure) blocks approximately 93% of all incoming UVB rays
• SPF 30 blocks 97% of all incoming UVB rays
• SPF 50 blocks 98% of all incoming UVB rays

Sunscreen tips to keep in mind:

• No sunscreen should be expected to remain effective after 2 hours without reapplication.
• Red sunburns just show UVB ray damage, you can’t see UVA ray damage.
• Don’t skimp on SPF protection just because it’s cloudy out! Up to 40% of UV rays can still reach you, even on a completely overcast day.

Medi-Spa at Knoxville Dermatology Group features several skin care product lines including GLO Minerals. GLO minerals is a mineral-based makeup line that offers SPF protection.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact Medi-Spa at 865.342.5823 (Knoxville location) or 865.868.4683 (Sevierville location).