Your Personal SPF: Determining Your Number

The Basics
Sun protection is an everyday must for anyone concerned with keeping their skin in top shape (and that includes avoiding wrinkles, brown discolorations, building collagen, keeping skin firm, and even preventing skin cancer). SPF 15 is the minimum rating to look for and greater is better for some skin colors and conditions; all sunscreens must be liberally applied; and UVA protection is critical.

UVA protection depends on the active ingredients in the product you are using so be sure one or more of these active ingredients are included: avobenzone (sometimes listed as butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane), titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, Mexoryl (ecamsule) or, outside the U.S., Tinosorb.
Decisions, Decisions
There are several important factors that influence how you choose and should apply a sunscreen:

1. How long you are going to be in the sun or sitting next to a window (UVA radiation, the sun’s most damaging rays, come through windows). The longer you are going to be in the sun or exposed to UVA radiation via windows the higher the SPF number you need to look for.
2. Are you willing to apply your chosen sunscreen liberally? No matter what SPF rating you choose, you have to apply it liberally. If you aren’t applying it liberally always go for a higher number to assure you are getting as much sunscreen ingredients on your skin as possible.
3. Will you be swimming or perspiring heavily? If so, go for sunscreens labeled water resistant or very water resistant. Be sure to reapply as directed, especially after toweling off.

You’ll also want to take into consideration your skin type and whether or not you’ll be wearing makeup.

1. Those with normal to dry skin should use sunscreens in a lotion or cream base.
2. Those with oily or combination skin should go for sunscreens formulated in a lightweight lotion with a matte finish, a liquid, or an alcohol-free gel base. Many spray-on sunscreens are excellent for oily skin.
3. If you’re going to be wearing foundation, you can choose a foundation with sunscreen and pair it with a moisturizer with sunscreen and a pressed powder with sunscreen!

What’s Your Rating?

Your ideal SPF number is a multiplication figure based on your skin color and the SPF number on the product.
Identify Your Skin Color:

Fitzpatrick Skin Scale

Level 1 skin is very fair and often freckled. It burns easily within about 20 minutes of direct sun exposure and never tans. This is common for people with blue eyes and blonde or red hair.

Level 2 skin is fair to light and often burns with about 30 minutes of direct sun exposure. Tanning may occur but is minimal. This is common in people with blue, green, or hazel eyes and red, blonde, or light brown hair.

Level 3 skin is light to medium or olive and sometime burns with about 40 minutes of direct sun exposure. Tanning is possible, but typically sunburn happens first. This level can apply to those of any hair or eye color.

Level 4 skin is medium to tan skin that rarely burns but can turn pink in about 60 to 90 minutes of direct sun exposure yet often tans easily. This is commong for people with dark hair and eyes.

Level 5 skin is brown to dark brown skin that very rarely burns and tans easily in about two hours of sun exposure. Those with dark hair and eyes and of Middle Eastern or African-American descent are usually at this level.

Level 6 skin is black skin that never burns and always tans, though a tan is usually not apparent due to depth of natural skin color.

REGARDLESS OF YOUR SKIN COLOR AND HOW EASILY YOU TAN, WRINKLES, SKIN DISCOLORATIONS, AND SKIN CANCERS ARE PRIMARILY CAUSED BY UNPROTECTED SUN EXPOSURE!

Next, Do the Math:

* Your Level of Sunburn Risk x by the SPF Rating = Safe Sun Exposure for Your Skin Color
* The SPF number is a rating that determines how long you can stay in the sun without burning when you wear that product without needing to reapply it. It does not indicate quality of protection, just length of time.

by Paula Begoun, The Cosmetics Cop. For more articles from Paula visit her website: http://www.cosmeticscop.com/.

To learn more about protecting your skin and calculate your specific SPF rating check out the whole article here.

Find your most flattering blush shade, and learn how to use it

Don’t even know where to begin with blush? What shade? Where to apply? How much? …Who knows? The April issue of Women’s Health magazine, offers a guide to choosing the right blush shade to enhance your eyes and work with your face shape. Follow these tips from and you’ll have illuminating skin in no time!

Use your eye color as your guide…

* Blue Eyes: Use peach or icy pink. This will draw attention to light eyes. Do not use Plum, as this will minimize your eyes.
* Green Eyes: Use any shade of pink, for a striking look. Do not use deep plum it neutralizes the yellow flecks in green.
* Brown Eyes: Use berry hues. Yellow tints in your brown eyes will pop against pinkish plums. Do not use neutrals, they blend into the undertones of your eyes.
* Hazel Eyes: Use a pink with violet undertones. Do not use orangey pinks, they dull the gray in hazel.

Learn how to apply the blush for your face shape

* Oval: Use a brush to dust blush onto the apples of your cheeks.
* Round: Apply in a vertical line from the centers of your apples to just about your jawbone.
* Long: Blend blush along your hairline and outer edges of your cheekbones.
* Square: Dust into the hollows of your cheeks.

Check out all the blush tips here

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To all our readers in the Stanford Sephora area there is an exciting event happening on Saturday, February 27th.

Smashbox Cosmetics will be hosting an interactive event in Stanford based on photography and makeup hosted by Hank Hoffman, celebrity makeup artist for Smashbox and Steven Khan, celebrity photographer.

Sephora Stanford is located at:

355 Stanford Shopping Center

Palo Alto, CA

The event is from 11-7pm and is open to the public. Meet with Hank Hoffman and Steven Kahn and with any $100 Smashbox purchase, each customer will take professional headshots by Steven Khan (celeb photographer) and walk away with a CD to share with friends and family.

Road Test Mascara

Real Simple tested over 70 contenders and settled on these under $10 standouts:

1. Best tinted: Hard Candy Curl Up and Dye Lash Curling Mascara ($6,

walmart.com): In edgy teal, aquamarine, and violet, this mascara looks cool,

not clownish, on lashes.

2. Most volumizing: Maybelline New York Lash Stiletto Waterproof Mascara

($9 at drugstores): It makes lashes visible from yards away and comes off

easily with soap.

3. Best lengthener: Boots No. 7 Extreme Length Mascara ($8, target.com):

It’s all about the brush: The short, gripping bristles grab and coat every single

hair to create a long, feathery effect.

4. Best natural look: Covergirl Exact Eyelights Mascara ($9, drugstores): Dip

after dip, the brush maintains an even coat of color that never gets gloppy,

saturating every lash with a nary clump.

5. Most like false lashes: L’Oreal Paris Extra-Volume Collagen Mascara ($8,

drugstores): Even thin lashes got plump (but stayed soft), thanks to the bushy

bristles.

Source: Real Simple Magazine

It seems like everyday brings a new iPhone App, but never has the world seen something quite like this. Dr. Michael Salzhauer, author of “My Beautiful Mommy,” a children’s book explaining the phases of plastic surgery, introduces iSurgeon.

iSurgeon is an innovative App that combines personal image modification with high tech gaming features. According to Dr. Salzhauer, “iSurgeon serves a dual purpose, offering those interested in cosmetic surgery treatments a clear visual of what they would look like post-surgery, while also providing a fun entertaining game tool that allows the user to play the role of a plastic surgeon.”

New York, NY (January 5, 2009) – The new age of technology has revolutionized the way people communicate, socialize, and pass the time. One of the most popular technology tools utilized by everyone from magazine editors to high school kids is image modification. The use of photo editing programs has created a new “instant makeover” obsession: people want to see how they would look with new hair, larger breasts, or an improved nose.

Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Michael Salzhauer, author of famed children’s book “My Beautiful Mommy” is introducing the most advanced beauty makeover App to the iTunes store: iSurgeon. Recently debuted in December 2009, iSurgeon is an innovative App for the iPhone/iPod Touch, which combines personal image modification with high tech gaming features.

According to Dr. Salzhauer, “the iTunes App Store was lacking a truly useful and well-designed beauty makeover App. iSurgeon delivers on the promise of realistic photo alterations while also allowing users to partake in plastic surgery games playing the role of a surgeon.”

iSurgeon features two modes: Game Mode and Advanced Surgery Mode. Both include procedures Dr. Salzhauer offers in his own Miami practice including: nose jobs, breast augmentations, cheek implants, tummy tucks, liposuctions, face lifts, lip enhancements, and ear reshaping. For a limited time, the iSurgeon App’s lite version is available for FREE and the pro version retails for $0.99. iSurgeon will soon retail $0.99 for the lite version and $1.99 for the pro version.

“iSurgeon serves a dual purpose, providing those interested in cosmetic surgery treatments with a clear visual of what they would look like post-surgery, while also providing a fun entertaining game tool” says Dr. Salzhauer.

Game Mode

The Game Mode gives you the opportunity to play a plastic surgeon, “operating” on any of the four pre-programmed images to enhance their cosmetic appearance. Before each “surgery” procedure, users can tap the “hint” button on their screen to view an image of their “patients” desired results. The goal of the game is to emulate the desired look as closely as possible. Using the iPhone/iPod Touch’s touch screen capabilities, the user will be able to modify the subject’s physical appearance, scoring points for each successful enhancement. Game Mode is complete with realistic sound effects.

Advanced Surgery Mode

Long gone are the days of staring in the mirror wondering what you’d look like with a smaller nose or fuller lips! During the Advanced Surgery Mode, you can modify images taken with your iPhone/iPod Touch or images already stored in your phone of yourself or friends. Within seconds, you can see what you would look like after various cosmetic surgeries without leaving your front door. Available at your fingertips, the Advanced Surgery Mode provides results in seconds. Additionally, Facebook and email are conveniently built into the App allowing you to quickly share results.

TOP Five Holiday Makeup Mistakes

By Amy Zdunowski-Roeder, FACE atelier Pro Make Up Artist

With Chrismakeup.jpgtmas and New Years Eve now only weeks away, many women are already planning their holiday party outfits. One of the biggest mistakes women make during the party season, is applying their makeup incorrectly. FACE atelier Pro Makeup Artist, Amy Zdunowski-Roeder, gives us her Top 5 Holiday Makeup No, No’s:
1. Makeup on Flaky Dry Skin will look Flaky

Exfoliate and hydrate (hydration is so important) and use a non-alcoholic based foundation or mineral makeup to create balance.
2. Makeup that is too dark for the skin

Some ladies try purchase makeup a few shades darker because they believe they will give them that festive “bronzed” look. What happens instead, is the skin looks jarringly unnatural. Foundation should be tested in natural light, on your wrist, chin or the best place- NECK- since your neck connects your face and decollate, you can find the best tone that will blend perfectly into both areas.
3. Avoid the “Clown” look

Makeup should be fun, creative and exciting. However, it is very easy to overdo it during the party season. Pick ONE area to emphasize- cheeks, lips or eyes. For example, if you have bold and dramatic sexy dark eye makeup on, a pale lip and light rosy cheeks will make your eyes pop and you will have a completed look that is just right!
4. Over-Penciling your Eyebrows

An over- penciled eyebrow is the first thing an onlooker notices and has the tendency to look painted on. Many, many women unknowingly make this mistake, which can be one of the hardest to break. For best results, select an eye shadow color that matches your hair color and apply with a small angled brush using light brush strokes.
5. Blending-. Blending is the Professional Makeup artist’s secret weapon! It is what creates the flawless face. Important areas to blend:

1. Along the Jaw line- You can see “that line” on someone’s chin a mile away. Your eyes catch it when the foundation isn’t blended properly into the neck to be fresh and uniform

2. Blend out cheek color so you look flushed not painted (unless you want an 80’s look J )

3. Blend eye shadow when you use multiple colors and can see “hard” lines

4. Blend lip liner into the lip again when there is a “hard” drawn on line that you can see

About Amy Zdunowski-Roeder: Amy Zdunowski-Roeder is a Pro Makeup Artist for FACE atelier. She has worked as part of America’s Next Top Model Makeup Team, is a regular on movie sets and has credits in People Magazin, NYLON and OUT Magazine.

Alexis Farah from Women’s Health finds out the facts on the latest beauty supplements.

The lowdown on a slew of new edible beauty products
Alexis Farah

They say beauty comes from within—and several companies are putting that theory to the test, offering pills and drinks that promise gorgeous hair, skin, and nails. Six testers, plus nutritionist Susan Kraus, M. S., R. D., of Hackensack University Medical Center and Beverly Hills dermatologist Ava Shamban, M. D., see if they live up to the hype.

Tan from Within
1. Rodial Skinny Beach Supplement drink mix
$59 for 14 packets, blissworld.com
The claim Beta-carotene stimulates the pigmentation in your skin to darken while shielding you from UVB rays.
How it use it Mix one packet of powder with 100 milliliters of water one to two times a day. Your tan will develop after two weeks.
Tester says “I did get a bit bronzed, but I’d hoped for more dramatic results.”
Expert’s take Kraus: “The beta-carotene could stimulate pigmentation, giving skin a golden hue. But you still need to wear SPF 30 sunscreen daily, because the product won’t provide the protection you need.”

Boost Overall Beauty
2. Sonya Dakar Ultima Power Shake
$59, sonyadakarskinclinic.com
The claim Each 150-calorie shake provides a full daily serving of protein, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, healthy fat, vitamins, and minerals to promote a healthy body and improve hair and skin.
How to use it Blend two scoops of Ultima Power into eight ounces of chilled water twice daily. You should see results in two weeks.
Tester says “It tasted like a strawberry milkshake! My skin was smoother, my hair shinier; and by replacing snacks with the shakes I started losing weight.”
Expert’s take Shamban: “This product definitely has all the right ingredients, and it’s good for you.”

Brighten and Even Out Skin Tone
3. GliSODin Skin Nutrients Advanced Skin Brightening pills
$80 for 60 pills, spalook.com
The claim Bioflavonoids (citrus-plant-derived antioxidants) promote even skin tone by inhibiting activity of tyrosinase, the enzyme responsible for hyperpigmentation.
How to use it Take two pills daily with a meal. You’ll see results after two weeks.
Tester says “My uneven complexion did start to look a little less red and blotchy.”
Expert’s take Shamban: “I really like this line—it’s nicely formulated and packed with antioxidants.”

Women’s Health Magazine Subscription

Clear Up Acne
4-5. Functionalab Pure Skin pills and Nutrient Tonic shot
$55 per bottle, $6 per tonic, functionalab.com
The claim The pills contain lactoferrin and selenium, nutrients that exfoliate skin, maintain hormone balance, and regulate the skin’s oil production. The shots protect against free radicals with ingredients like blueberry and acai.
How to use it Depending on the severity of your acne, take one to two capsules a day with meals; use the tonics as often as you want.
Tester says “My acne-prone skin wasn’t quite so oily.”
Expert’s take Kraus: “It may help alleviate acne, but you would get the same results by eating apricots for vitamin C, dairy products for lactoferrin, nuts and whole grains for zinc and vitamin E, and tuna for selenium.”

Increase Skin Hydration
6. Crystal Light Skin Essentials drink mix
$3.29 for seven packets, at grocery stores and Wal-Mart
The claim Lutein and zeaxanthin (pigmented nutrients derived from natural plant extracts) and vitamins A, C, and E help enhance skin elasticity and hydration.
How to use it Empty one packet into two cups of water twice a day.
Tester says “It comes in pomegranate lemonade and white peach tea flavors— both of them tasted great. And my skin felt slightly less dry than usual.”
Expert’s take Kraus: “The lutein and zeaxanthin contain antioxidants, which maintain the balance of your skin.”

Turn Back the Clock
7. BeautyScoop drink mix
$95 for 21 packets, beautyscoop.com
The claim The lipids and peptides in this vanilla-flavored formula boost the body’s own regenerative power, reducing the appearance of fine lines.
How to use it Mix one 20-gram pack into four to eight ounces of any drink once a day for three weeks.
Tester says “I was surprised to wake up in the morning and have hydrated skin (it’s normally dry), which made my wrinkles less visible.”
Expert’s take Shamban: “It has plenty of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Your body absorbs the powder faster than it does pills, so you may see results sooner.”

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