FUN IN THE SUN
Janine Mendes-Franco
With the heat of the dry season upon us and the intensity of two days of Carnival ahead of us, it’s important to choose the right products — and adopt the right habits — to protect your skin from the potentially damaging effects of ultraviolet rays.
Be consistent.
Got a skin care regimen that already works for you? Stick with your regular cleansing and moisturising. This is especially important for women, who may be regularly putting on heavy makeup to attend fêtes, and need to ensure that their pores stay unclogged in order to prevent breakouts, etc. — and just in case you’re wondering, no skin care routine is complete without sunscreen application.
“Even if you relish warm showers, always end them with cool water, which helps close pores and seal in moisture.”
Be gentle.
Avoid using harsh products on your skin at any time — but especially in the lead-up to Carnival Monday and Tuesday. These tend to weaken your skin, making it more susceptible to sunburn and damage.
“If you want to try treatments like chemical peels, which are more intense in the short-term in order to achieve better long-term results, schedule them a couple of weeks ahead of Carnival so that your skin has time to recover.”
Be smart.
Apply the sunscreen before you apply your make-up. The higher the SPF factor the better; anything less then 30 is tantamount to robbing yourself of as much as half the sun protection value. Make sure that your sunscreen is broad-spectrum (so that it shields you from both UVA and UVB rays), and water-resistant (so that it will stand up to perspiration).
“Reapply every few hours. SkinCeuticals has lightweight and residue-free formulas that can easily be reapplied over makeup. Spray-on sunscreens are also quick and convenient for Carnival days.”
Be safe and have fun!