Tag Archives: Vitamin D

Look After Your Skin This Summer

Teenage years can be especially tumultuous when it comes to caring for skin. There is acne, eczema, hormones and bad diets to take into consideration, plus fluctuating sleep patterns and the stress of school, college and university. There are lots of things to bear in mind when constructing a skincare regime for young skin – simply take a look at my tips below…

Change your bad habits

If you suffer from spots, there are plenty of little things you can do to reduce outbreaks. The first – and possibly the hardest – bad habit to beat is to stop touching your face so much.  When you lean on your palm or rub your face a lot, it transfers the bacteria from your hands onto your complexion, and this can block pores, irritate the skin and create outbreaks. Face touching is often a subconscious act, which makes it tough to break the cycle, but it’s well worth the added effort for a clearer complexion.

A good habit to take up is to wash your pillowcase roughly twice a week to keep it fresh and clean. During sleep your skin renews itself, resulting in the shedding of dead skin cells and the excretion of sebum – the oil produced by the sebaceous glands of the face – onto your pillow. This is an ideal breeding ground for bacteria, which is not ideal when trying to keep skin clear and blemish-free.

image source: pixabay.com

Wear an SPF

The summer months can be incredibly beneficial for the skin, as the essential extra boost of vitamin D from the sun works give the complexion a lovely healthy glow. As great as sunlight is for the skin, it is very important to protect it properly with an effective SPF of at least 30 for young skin, as the UV rays can be very damaging. UVA penetrates the skin and are present all year round, not just when it’s sunny. This ray is the main cause of tanning, but it is important to regulate the amount of UVA you receive as they can also cause skin damage and premature ageing. With their shorter wavelengths, UVB rays damage the uppermost layers of the skin and are most commonly witnessed as sunburn. These are most intense when the sun is at its strongest in the summer, and from 11am until about 4pm.

Slathering on some sunscreen with an appropriate level of SPF protection is a must during the summer – however, it is very important to remove every trace of product before bed as the ultra fine composition of the formula can block pores as the skin is trying to regenerate itself at night.

My top sunscreen pick: Vichy Capital Soleil Mattifying Face Fluid Dry Touch SPF 50, an innovative formula enriched with silica microspheres which combat shine and offer a completely matte finish for oily skin.

Photo by Ben

Don’t overburden your skin 

It’s tempting to chop and change between products when you have a troublesome complexion, but you must remember that young skin is delicate and can very easily be overburdened. Build up a dedicated regime of products that work, and stick to it – that way, if there is a certain product that your skin doesn’t agree with, it is simpler to identify which one is the troublesome one. Choose formulas that are as streamlined as possible, and are free from known irritants such like parabens, sodium lauryl sulfate, and overpowering fragrances. Also, try to resist the temptation to over-cleanse. Not all oils are bad – in fact, they can be very beneficial to the condition of the skin. Cleanse the complexion twice a day, once in the morning and once at night, and that should be enough.

My top cleanser pick: La Roche-Posay Effaclar H Deep Cleansing Foam, which is alcohol-free, paraben-free, oil-free and non-comedogenic, and works to regulate and restore the skin.

My final tip – if you have troublesome skin, try not to stress about it too much. Chances are your skin doesn’t look anywhere near as imperfect as you think it does! Plus, the stress may actually make your complexion harder to manage, so follow a simple regime, break the bad habits and smile!

Useful blog posts: 

Ruth of A Model Recommends has gorgeous skin, and that’s thanks to a streamlined skincare routine of really great products. A Model’s Guide to Teen Skincare: Cleansers. Here she talks the best cleansers for teen skin.

Caroline of Beauty Mouth is a skincare expert, and has created a number of ‘cheat sheets’ to better looking skin on her blog. Acne Cheat Sheet. Her cheat sheet for acne is a must-read!

By EMMA 

Emma writes for a British beauty website, Escentual.com, and is passionate about matching the right skincare product to the right person. When she’s not reading up on the latest beauty buys, she’s extolling the virtues of proper SPF protection and brushing up on her fragrance knowledge.

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You are my Sunshine

My only sunshine. You make me happy when the skies are grey. You’ll never know dear how much I love you. So please don’t take my sunshine away! No one will be taking your sunshine away, because today is the longest day of the year (aka Summer Solstice)! And it’s the first official day of summer!!!

Before you soak up the sun, here are some tips from the CDC on how to protect yourself from UV radiation.

  1. Seek shade, especially during midday hours. If you’re going to the beach, bring an umbrella.
  2. Wear clothing to protect exposed skin. But it’s hot! I don’t think this means you have to wear a turtleneck sweater and long pants, but it is still important that you protect your skin. See #5
  3. Wear a hat with a wide brim to shade the face, head, ears, and neck.
  4. Wear sunglasses that wrap around and block as close to 100% of both UVA and UVB rays as possible. Your favorite pair of fraybans (I have some too) might not actually be protecting you from the rays of the sun.
  5. Use sunscreen with sun protective factor (SPF) 15 or higher, and both UVA and UVB protection. Click here for a list of the best sunscreens. Make sure to also put some sunscreen on your face!
  6. Avoid indoor tanning. I don’t want you looking like a snookie cookie fresh out of the oven!

Photo by Alyssa Llamas

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. Basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas are the two most common types of skin cancer and they are highly curable. “However, melanoma, the third most common skin cancer, is more dangerous. About 65%–90% of melanomas are caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light (CDC).” It’s definitely worthwhile to take an extra couple of minutes to put on some sunblock.

Not only can you get a nice tan from the sun, but you can also get vitamin D. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium, which is essential for strong bones. “The body makes vitamin D when skin is directly exposed to the sun, and most people meet at least some of their vitamin D needs this way” (NIH). However, your body won’t produce vitamin D if your skin is exposed to sunshine indoors through a window. So go outside, but not for too long! And make sure to follow those tips mentioned earlier!

By ALYSSA LLAMAS

More Vitamin D, Please

D is for Delightful. D is for Delicious. D is for DUDE, gimme some of that vitamin D please! We’re all familiar with vitamin C (probably because of that one band’s sad but true graduation song) and we know that it’s important. As soon as we got an itch in our throat, we head straight to Vons to pick up some OJ.  However, what most people don’t know is that vitamin D is vital for healthy living.

image source: Alyssa Llamas

“Vitamin D is an essential vitamin that helps your body absorb calcium and phosphorus” (WebMD). Calcium and phosphorus help you develop strong bones- but this would not be possible without the help of vitamin D. Also, vitamin D:

  • Protects the immune system
  • Reduces risk of developing multiple sclerosis
  • Can reduce asthma symptoms

Vitamin D deficiency is when vitamin D levels in the blood are low. It  can occur when you have limited exposure to sunlight, don’t consume enough of it (it’s found in some fish, egg yolks, cheese, plus more), or if you’re obese, have dark skin, have problems with your digestive tract and/or kidneys. Being vitamin D deficient can lead to bone pain and muscle loss.

Furthermore, “Vitamin D deficiency is one of the major causes of rickets in babies. This condition is characterized by bone softening and it leads to serious bone deformities. If vitamin D levels are low, bones will not be properly mineralized; calcium and phosphorus will not be properly absorbed. Skeletal deformities are extremely difficult to treat” (Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms).

Make sure you get enough Vitamin D

If you’re trying to get some vitamin D from natural sunlight, you have to make sure you aren’t wearing sunblock because otherwise your skin will not absorb it. Fatty fish like salmon, tuna, mackeral are among the best sources of vitamin D.   Talk to your doctor about taking supplements as an alternative.

P.S. Watch this video for more information! Vitamin D Debate.

By HOSNA SAFI