Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun, Please Don't Harm Me

We all love the hot weather and how joyful it can be when the sun is out shining upon us, but the sun plays a huge factor in how our skin ages.

There are three kinds of ultraviolet [UV] rays: A,B and C. UVA is responsible for suntans and has a role in aging and skin cancer while UVB causes sunburns. UVC rays are absorbed by the ozone layer so it does not reach our skin.

So look for sunscreens that contain both UVA and UVB protection!

It is recommended to use a SPF of at least 15, but the higher your SPF protection, the more protected your skin is. If you tend to tan or burn easy, use a higher SPF level.

And remember to reapply sunscreen every two hours!

I am currently using:
B. Kamins Chemist: Bio-Maple Sunbar Sunscreen SPF 30 for my face [$41CDN from Sephora]
& Life: Sunthera 3 Baby SPF 60 for my body [$5.99CDN from Shopper's Drug Mart]

Do everything you can to protect your skin before it's too late. Prevention is key. We don't know when the paparazzi is going to snap our photos. Who says you can't get famous at 60 years old? ;)

'Shrink' My Pores, Please

Products that claim they can shrink or get rid of pores are the ones that entice me. Being a victim of large pores and black heads, I am was willing to drop money after money to find a product that lived up to its promises. Well...

Pores are simply openings; they don't have tiny muscles that dilate and contract... There are no products that will get rid of them, either. You're born with a certain number of pores and that number remains constant throughout life.

The best thing to do is to keep pores clean because trapped oil and dirt will develop into black heads. This can be done by cleansing and exfoliating. Please note that washing your face more than twice a day (even if you have oily skin) is not recommended.

What Product Claims Really Mean

As of late, there has been an increase of brands that produce anti-aging or natural products. But what do "anti-aging" or "natural" really mean?

Anti-Aging Claims

Did you know that products can legally claim to be anti-aging if they contain sunscreen?

There are two important factors that determine how your skin ages: genetics and sun exposure. So if you don't have the money to splurge on anti-aging products, just slap on some sunscreen (which should be apart of your everyday skincare routine, anyway).

Natural Claims

Even if only one substance in a product is natural, marketers can use this term. Natural ingredients could make up less than 1 percent of the total. Since product labels only tell us what ingredients are used and not how much is concentrated in the item, it could contain small amounts that don't make the product very effective.

Dermatologist-Tested

Companies send dermatologists products to try but it doesn't say how many people tested the item or how carefully and scientifically they tested it. Even if a dermatologist tries a product and doesn't like it, the manufacturer can still say it was 'dermatologist-tested', because it was.

So who or what can we trust? Customer reviews. I always read Makeup Alley [MUA], Essential Day Spa and Sephora before buying a product.

The Search for Fabulous Looking Skin Begins Here

Unfortunately many of us are not blessed with blemish-free, pore-free and/or acne-free skin. I have been battling uneven skin for a while and no matter what promises products made or how many advices beauticians gave, I have not found that perfect formula.

This blog is not the absolute answer to your skin problems, but acts as a resource to educate you with the health and care of skin. I will pull information from academic books and websites, so don't worry about me giving out false information!

Through this blog, I hope that you will find beneficial information that will help guide you in the right direction on your search for perfect skin.

Skincare tips to help your skin look its best - even when the paparazzi sees you at your worst.

Photo from Getty Images