After sun skin care

The summer is in its prime and it’s getting hotter and sunnier (if it’s possible) everyday. I hope you use some type of sunblock when you go out (if not, please, read my article posted a couple of weeks ago: tp://beautymanual.blogspot.com/2009/06/summer-has-finally-arrived-in-northern.html– for your own benefit!)

But even if I use a sunblock and stay in the sun for a long time I still have a feeling of discomfort because my skin is tight and dry after sun exposure (I bet your is too) I always use a special after sun moisturizer (not my regular body lotion) on such occasion. Another benefit of an after sun moisturizer is that it helps to keep your tan for longer.

There are a lot of different brands available but I personally like Hawaiian Tropic Aloe Vera. It is very inexpensive (less than $10 for 16 OZ bottle) and it does a great job – my skin feels drenched in moisture after using it.

If you forgot sunblock and stayed a long time in the sun, Hawaiian Tropic can help too but with a different product: Hawaiian Tropic I.C.E. Reliefwhich helps to kill the pain of a sunburn. It gives an instantaneous cooling and calming sensation that lasts for a while.

Hawaiian Tropic products were tested by me under Midwestern, Floridian and Caribbean sun on multiple occasions and they never failed to perform.

Professional advice on choosing sunscreen

The summer has finally arrived (in the Northern hemisphere) and the sun is bright and warm and… dangerous... We all know about the risks of excessive sun exposure and the necessity to wear sunscreen but I know many people have troubles choosing the right sunscreen so I was searching the Internet for some good guidelines on this. I was lucky to find a great article written by Darrell Gonzales, M.D., a dermatologist with Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla, California: http://www.scripps.org/news_items/3420-sunscreen-101-what-you-need-to-know-to-protect-your-skin

It’s an excellent article because it is not written by a cosmetic company trying to promote its products but by a dermatologist, it is very well written and easy to follow.

From my personal experience I would like to share with you information on a product that I’ve tried and really like. I am allergic to sun and I get red itchy spots all over my body if I don’t use a good sunscreen so my preferred product is La Roche Posay Anthelios SPF 60 Melt in Sunscreen Lotion:
Things I like about it are:
- It is or all skin types, especially normal to dry and good for sensitive like mine
- It is fast absorbing, non-greasy
- It gives high UVA protection (PFA 26) and SPF 60 for outdoor use
- It is water-resistant, fragrance-free and PABA-free

I also use La Roche Posay brand baby sunscreen on my baby (they have a special product for babies, the one described above is for adults) and neither of us ever had any allergic or any other adverse reactions, never been sun burnt either!

Where to buy and save:
has this product in stock and it also has several fantastic promotions going on right now:
1. Save 10% EVERY DAY: code SSM18447 (NO expiration)
2. FREE shipment on orders $49+ (NO expiration)
3. They send you FREE product samples with every shipment
4. You can join Skinstore rewards program for FREE and earn 1 point for each 1 USD spent (excluding tax and shipment). Each 300 points earn you a 30 USD Rewards Certificate!

Israel Beauty Secret - Part I

Today I would like to take you on a trip to Israel. This country has a beauty resource that no one else has in the world except for Jordan - the Dead Sea (the images is from http://www.pbase.com/doronnissim/dead_sea) This in-land lake has been known for thousands of years for its outstanding ability to enhance skin beauty and reputedly even Cleopatra herself was using it in her beauty rituals. Its water is unique because it contains 26 different minerals used for health and beauty treatments (calcium, magnesium, potassium, bromide, etc.) with only 12 -18 % of sodium chloride of salt content while the salt in the water of most oceans and seas is approximately 97% sodium chloride. So in short, the Dead Sea is the biggest natural spa in the world.

Dead Sea constituents (salt, mud, water) have various proven therapeutically benefits, the main ones are:
Skin problems: – Research has demonstrated that skin disorders. One study concluded that the high concentration of magnesium in Dead Sea salt was instrumental in improving skin hydration and reducing inflammation.
Allergies - The high concentration of bromide and magnesium in the Dead Sea salt can relieve allergic reactions by cleansing and detoxifying
Skin aging - Further research into Dead Sea salt benefits has shown a 40% reduction in the depth of wrinkling.
Not everyone, unfortunately, can go to Israel to enjoy these benefits at the source that’s why cosmetic companies use Dead Sea salts ingredient of many beauty products including bath salts, salt scrubs, soaps, creams, lotions, makeup and many others.
One beauty company is famous for its Dead Sea minerals products – Ahava. They are the only cosmetics enterprise indigenous to the Dead Sea region and they are proud to be making their products at the source. Ahava has extensive lines of body care, facial care, spa and sun care products and here are my favorites:

AHAVA Dermud Facial Calming Moisturizer SPF 15



This moisturizer is non-greasy, absorbs quickly and hydrates and soothes dry, sensitive and irritated skin. It efficiently treats dryness, scaling, roughness and itchiness, while protecting the epidermis against environmental damage. I especially like it because it does 2 jobs in 1: it not only moisturizes the skin but also has SPF 15 to protect your face from the sun (saves you time and money).

My 2nd favorite is even better: it does 3 jobs in 1!
AHAVA Pure Spa Uplifting Butter Salt Mandarin Cedarwood exfoliates, hydrates, and defends against aging.

This body product has a unique formula that changes from exfoliating butter to a light pampering lotion as water is added. The scrub smoothes and hydrates your skin while exotic Mandarin and Cedarwood essential oils help revive tired skin and restore vitality.

has nearly 100 products by Ahava and you will notice that a lot of them have customers’ reviews, most of which are 4-5 stars. The prices are reasonable too: the majority of the products fall into 20 – 35 USD price range.

How to save even more:
has several fantastic promotions going on right now:
1. Save 10% EVERY DAY: code SSM18447 (NO expiration)
2. FREE shipment on orders $49+ (NO expiration)
3. They send you FREE product samples with every shipment
4. You can join Skinstore rewards program for FREE and earn1 point for each 1 USD spent (excluding tax and shipment). Each 300 points earn you a 30 USD Rewards Certificate!

Great Lip Gloss - glossy, not sticky!

I was wondering today what more nonsense Cosmopolitan.com can suggest and surely it is full of it! In my “favorite” Celebs Favorite Beauty Products section Angela Kinsey recommends Lancome Juicy Tubes lip gloss. If you like the feeling of your lips covered in a sick sugary syrup than that’s the product for you, otherwise stay away, it is awful!!! It is very sticky, EXTREMELY STICKY, and feels totally unpleasant on your lips.

I do like a lot of Lancome products but this one is terrible!! I bought it several years ago and I was disgusted, I honestly hoped they’d change the formulation sooner or later. Recently I received this product as a gift and it is still as bad as it was before… In addition it costs 25 USD – the price for which you can buy 2 much better products!

Honestly, ANY product would be better than this one but I personally have 2 favorites:

1. Mary Kay Signature NouriShine Lip Gloss. It feels very pleasant, it wears beautifully and it can be used on top of a lipstick or by itself. I own several shades but I use these 2 most often because they go with any make up (if not one then the other). One has sparkles and the other doesn’t so I use either of them depending on my mood and/or occasion:




2. Revlon Super Lustrous Lip gloss. What has all the benefits of MK lip gloss but also has SPF 15, which is rare in lip glosses and very important especially with the summer quickly approaching. Here is the color I like:


Both products are affordable (half price of Juice Tubes) and are of a very good quality.

How to save even more: when you shop on Amazon.com you usually get a better price then on any other website (unless there is a special sale or you have a discount coupon). Typically you save at least 10%. In addition you get FREE shipping if you order 25 USD or more worth of qualifying products. This is very important: you can buy the same lip gloss from several Amazon.com vendors and Amazon ITSELF. When you choose Amazon as vendor this is when you get free shipping.