Cosette's Beauty Pantry

Hello everyone! It is summertime and the sun is shining brightly in the sky; it's time to talk about  sun exposure ! We are constantly bombarded with messages that sun exposure can cause sunspots, burns, wrinkles, tissue damage and skin cancer.  The truth is that the only proven health risk so far is  too much sun exposure.   The intensity of  sunlight  and especially UV-rays is much lower in the early  morning  and late  afternoon , than around midday.  Thus during such periods, you can enjoy the  production of vitamin D  without getting too many UV-rays on you which can cause skin burns, cancer, etc.   The best-known benefit of sun exposure is vitamin D synthesis , which occurs in the skin in response to the sun’s UVB rays. The sun is at its highest between 11 a.m.(11:00) and 4 p.m.(16:00) but that doesn't mean the sun can't be damaging before or after these times.  You should be aware of your local UV index . To calculate the right UV dose

Hello everyone! Today is the first day of SPRING  and it's  officially   spring cleaning season! Spring cleaning  is the practice of thoroughly  cleaning   a house in the springtime.  However, y ou don’t have to stop with cleaning your house; your skin care regimen needs some spring cleaning too. 1.  Spring cleaning is a great opportunity to clean out old beauty products.   Old products can  harbour  bacteria and lose their effectiveness. Check the dates on your products and toss the following: Anything past the expiration date Products that have changed consistency, colour , or smell Mascara tubes older than three months Dry products Old make-up brushes and sponges Anything with an SPF older than one year  2.  Spring is a good time for deep exfoliation.  Here are three DIY exfoliation recipes that will leave your skin ready for dresses and sandals: Nourishing body scrub Yummy facial scrub Simple hand/body scrub 3.   Adjust your skin care routi

Hello everyone! My previous post was all about SPF and  misconceptions about sunscreen .  Read it  here .  Today's post is about sunscreen ingredients you should avoid ! So, what’s wrong with our sunscreens? Research has found that many sunscreens contain chemicals that mess with our hormones and can play a significant role in cancer development.  You should avoid these chemicals and find a safer alternative .     More on  Campaign for Safe Cosmetics . Active ingredients in sunscreens come in two forms,  mineral  and non-mineral/ chemical  filters.  Each ingredient has different uses for protecting the skin and keeping its stability under sunlight.  Yet each may be  hazardous to human health .  The most common sunscreens on the market contain chemical filters.  These products typically include a combination of two or more of these active ingredients:  oxybenzone ,  avobenzone ,  octisalate ,  octocrylene ,  homosalate ,  octinoxate ,  retinyl palmitate  and

Hello everyone! Believe it or not, there are still a lot of misconceptions about sunscreen.  Today's post aims at clarifying some of those misconceptions.  Let's get started! Truth or Fiction? You don't need sunscreen if you have dark skin or already have a tan.   Fact: Everybody, regardless of race, ethnic origins and skin type is subject to the damaging effects of exposure to the sun.  Sunscreen, with SPF-30 provides twice as much protection as SPF-15.   Fact: NO.  Here's an  SPF guide: SPF 15 - 1/15 of the UVB rays get through to your skin - blocking about 93%. SPF 30 - 1/30 of the UVB rays get through to your skin - blocking about 97%.  SPF 50 - 1/50 of the UVB rays get through to your skin - blocking about 98%. Waterproof sunscreen provides "all day protection" and does not need to be re-applied.   Fact:  Waterproof sunscreens loses some of their effectiveness after 40 minutes.  Cloudy days limit the power of the sun&

Hello everyone! We all want  clear, healthy and  young - looking   skin .  Here are a few things you can do to prevent premature aging. Drink plenty of water... Simply put, soft drinks, caffeine and alcohol dehydrate you; water re-hydrates you.  Plus, water assists with circulation of vitamins and minerals.  Don’t use soap... Switch to a gentle, soap-free cleanser.  Soap dries the skin and strips it of all natural oils.  Soap is also a detergent and may contain harsh agents like SLS .  It can also clog up your pores. Don't forget to moisturise... Look for lightweight or water-based moisturisers which are less prone to clog your pores.   Use an eye cream... Products formulated for the area around your eyes give you more nutrients than your regular moisturiser.  You should use an eye cream if you have issues like, eye puffiness, dark circles and wrinkles around the eye area (crow's feet).  A regular face moisturiser will not help you with these issues. Wear suns

Hello everyone!   Summer is finally here, and here in Malta this only means one thing; the beach.  Keep reading to uncover my beach bag essentials .    The most important thing you have to keep in mind when going to the beach is, of course,  sun protection !  Note: According to the EWG (Environmental Working Group), the best sunscreen is clothing , because there are no chemicals for the skin to absorb!  My check list:  A floppy hat,  to protect my head and my  hair from the sun. Sunglasses help keep the eyes shielded from the harmful sun rays and also keep me from squinting, which cause wrinkles.   Tip:  Be sure to choose sunglasses that have UV protection. Cover-up/Beach dress Beach towel Sun-blocks/sunscreens , for more information   read Sunscreen 101 ! Lip balm with sunscreen is important to keep lips from getting chapped. A hair sunscreen product or a leave-in conditioner with  high UV filter .  Read Summer hair care for more information! Wet wipe

First came the bikini, then the mankini (remember that?) and now the face-kini … What is a facekini , you might ask.  It’s t he latest craze in sun protection to hit China . In China   fair skin   is a desirable trait.  A tan represents a lower class citizen, one who works long days out in the field while pale skin signifies affluence.  The facekini is an excellent way to preserve pale skin. Sun umbrellas / parasols are also very popular in China.    I have to admit that I've owned an SPF umbrella for a while and this summer I used it for the first time.  People did stare at me (as if I was some sort of alien) but I didn't mind.  However, I could never wear a facekini!  J What do you think: Is wearing a facekini too much?  What about parasols?   XOXO Euphrasie85 Photo from here .

If you ended up with sunburn, here are some home remedies that can make you a bit more comfortable...  Water As the sun burns your skin, it also dehydrates it.  Being well hydrated will help burns heal better.  Take a bath Adding a few tablespoons of  baking soda  to cool bath water makes a sunburn-soothing remedy.  Instead of baking soda, you could also use 1 cup  oatmeal .  Avoid using soap, which can irritate and dry out the skin.  If you feel you must use soap, use a mild one.  Definitely skip the washcloth, bath sponge, and loofah.  Afterwards, pat your skin gently with a soft towel. Moisturise To prevent dry skin, apply moisturiser immediately after your bath/shower.  For cooling relief of pain and dryness, chill the moisturiser in the refrigerator before using. Aloe vera Aloe vera gel will take the sting and redness out of sunburn. Cool compress Soak a washcloth in cool water and apply it directly to the burned areas (do not apply ic

Hello everyone!  We all know that the summer sun is very dangerous and that we need to protect our skin.  But some tend to forget that the sun can also damage our hair .   Here are some tips and tricks to ensure that your hair does not get damaged this season: Wear a scarf, hat or cap to protect your hair from the sun. If you are going to be in the sun and you don't want to wear anything on your head, always use a hair sunscreen . Limit your use of hot tools on your hair (i.e. blow dryers, curling and straightening irons).   Always use a heat protectant! Staying hydrated is important for your overall healthy and for your hair as well so make sure that you are drinking enough water . Avoid hair products with alcohol in them which dry out hair.   Try to use natural products that are gentler on your hair. Before going into the pool/sea wet your hair; this will decrease the absorption of chlorinated/salt water into your hair. Use a clarifying shampoo

Hello everyone!  How’s the weather? Here in Malta, it feels like Summer.  That’s the reason I’ve been MIA this week; I’ve been enjoying the good weather! J Sunny days = High SPF sunscreen/sun-block days.  That means; it’s time to talk sun-blocks… Everyone , regardless of skin type, should be wearing a sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor ( SPF ) of at least 15 daily . The SPF indicates how much longer you can stay in the sun without burning than you could with unprotected skin.   For example, if it takes 15 minutes for a person to burn without sunscreen, an SPF 15 will (theoretically) allow him or her to stay in the sun 15 times longer without burning.   Sun-blocks should be applied at least 30 minutes prior to sun exposure .   Even water-resistant/proof sunscreens need to be re-applied every 1-2 hours .   A good sunscreen needs to cover both the UVA and UVB spectrum of radiation. The most serious form of skin cancer is malignant melanoma .   Malignan