Gloss Glam Zen Fly: May 27th is Don't Fry Day!

The National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention has designated the Friday before Memorial Day as Don’t Fry Day – May 27^th 2011 a.k.a. Today! In order to help reduce the risk of Skin Cancer, the Council’s goal is to encourage sun safety awareness by reminding everyone to protect their skin while enjoying the outdoors on Don’t Fry Day and every day.

Another event taking place on this day is moi meeting Skin Care Expert & Celebrity Esthetician Renée Rouleau at the W Hotel in Boston for my very own skin consult! Stay tuned and in the mean time, here are some tips from the lovely Renée:

Sun Protection Tip #1: Be aware of daylight coming through windows.There is a belief that the only time you get sun exposure (and therefore sun damage) is when you are outside. I’m here to say that this is just not true. UV light (that damages your skin) can penetrate windows at any daylight hour. Shade your windows at home and at work!

Sun Protection Tip #2 – Apply sunscreen or sunblock to the entire face, neck and chest – GENEROUSLY.Did you know that an SPF 30 only protects the skin 4% more than an SPF 15? And as you go up in number, this percentage lowers. The real truth behind sun protection is not the SPF number, but how generously you apply it. Published medical studies have shown that most people apply 1/3 to 1/2 the recommended dose of sunblock. A little dab won’t do ya! First thing in the morning, I apply a thick coat to the face, neck, ears, tops of hands and chest (my exposed areas of skin) for an important defense against the UV rays given off from the sun. Since the skin on my face is oily and acne-prone (I’m a skin type #2 in my nine skin types), and since sunblock should be applied generously, it is so important to find one that is formulated for your skin type and won’t feel greasy or cause breakouts. I use my Daily Protection SPF 30, which gives both UVA and UVB protection and dries to a matte finish on the skin. It works amazing under my makeup since it’s so light.

Sun Protection Tip #3 – Get your car windows tinted.The side and rear car windows do not filter out any damaging UV rays, so consider tinting your car windows. I recently purchased a new car and had my car windows tinted with a special tint that is used on military planes that cuts out 95% of UV rays, yet is not very dark in color. This esthetician means business when it comes to my skin!

Sun Protection Tip #4 – Wear sun protection clothing.I know it may sound like I live my life in a dark cave–this is hardly the truth! I own a Harley Davidson and spend my free time out on the open road, plus I love running outside when the weather is nice. So to protect my skin from the damaging rays, I purchase special sun protective clothing (light jackets and shirts) to wear when I’m outdoors for long periods of time. Most shirts offer only 5 to 9 SPF whereas sun protective clothing can offer up to an SPF 58.

Sun Protection Tip #5 – Apply mineral powder throughout the day.You’ve always heard how important it is to apply sunblock every 2 hours, yet if you’ve got full makeup on, this may not be practical. Mineral powders are all the rage these days, and have a natural sunblock built in them (usually a minimum SPF 20). Keep one in your handbag and dust it on your skin throughout the day since direct sunlight, as well as the oils your skin naturally produces can degrade protection. I also dust mine on the tops of my hands since my morning application of sunblock will wash off when I wash my hands.

Bottom line: Research shows that 78% of all sun damage is from incidental exposure (the times when you think you aren’t exposed, but you are). The truth is every time daylight sees your skin (inside or out, winter or summer), you increase how rapidly your skin will age. So if you want to get really serious about lowering your risk of skin cancer and preventing premature skin aging, practice these tips. You really do have a say in the matter of how your skin will look and act when it’s older, but the choice is yours.