Hair and Sun Damage

Yes, you can suffer sun damage in the Winter. My favorite weather is when the sun is shining and there is snow on the ground. Beautiful! It's possible for your hair to suffer sun damage! Though my hair is curly and not colored treated, sun damage can make the hair appear dry, brittle, and the sun can actually fade the natural color of your hair. I LOVE my black hair. If I could get it blacker I would but that isn't possible as it's already a deep black. It doesn't matter what season it is because UVA and UVB rays can still damage your hair. Here are three ways you can reduce sun damage on your tresses:

• Wear a hat. This is the best protection against the sun. Shielding your scalp and hair from the sun will keep it protected and moisturized.

• Apply sunscreen. When I apply sunscreen on my face I use the excess left on my hands and apply it to my strands especially the sections which will have direct exposure to the sun. If I'm doing a wash-and-go, I apply the sunscreen all over my hair and scrunch scrunch scrunch! The sunscreen I usually use on my face is the UNT sunscreen with spf 55. I also use the Oil of Olay sunscreen for sensitive skin spf 15 and Shiseido Ultimate Protection sunscreen with spf 55.

• Apply a good leave in conditioner. Extra hydration will prevent dryness and dullness. I use the Giovanni Direct Leave in. This is the best leave in conditioner I've ever used. A product review coming soon! .-_-

 Photo by graur razvan ionut

Clearing Up My H-Zone Acne

I went to Florida in August for a conference and when I returned I had the worst acne of my life. Not even in my adolescent years had I endured such a break out. My previous skin care routine was literally doing NOTHING which made my acne worse. My skin has always been acne prone with deep scarring issues; I couldn't stop the outbreak and once the acne finished it's course, it left a scar which was pointless to treat since new pimples were forming.

After a month of panic and jumping from product to product, I have found a regimen that has FINALLY worked and it has to do with the Asian technique of layering products. (Asian products are designed to layer and absorb quickly. Sometimes using Asian products with other products may result in products conflicting with one another and caking up but this isn't always the case. It is important to make sure a product has absorbed before moving on to the next product.) My acne is down by 80%. As you can see in the picture, I still have acne but it's minimal compared to just a month ago. Most of you have heard of the T-zone but I have an H-zone. Acne and extreme oil production occurs on my cheeks and nose. Surprisingly, my forehead and chin are quite dry. I can't imagine that I am the only person in the world who has this kind of skin so maybe my experience will help someone.


My morning and night routines differ slightly and they are listed briefly below. There have been product reviews of a few of these items and there will be more product reviews added periodically. I will also include other products I've used that were okay but no Kubasian cigar! .-_-

In the morning I need something that is gentle while controlling oil production and treats the acne and scarring. Sun protection is also important as is hydration without clogging my pores or fighting against my makeup. (A makeup post is coming up soon!)

Morning Routine

Oatmeal Wash or Korres White Tea Gel Cleanser

Korres Wild Rose Smoothing Eye Serum

Naruko Tea Tree Lotion
Unt Acne Serum

Shiseido Senka Facial Lotion (fade acne scars)

Roc Deep Wrinkle Cream (forehead and future laugh lines)

Unt 50spf Cream

Eos Mint lip balm
Makeup

At night I like to deeply cleanse to remove the makeup and build up during the day while still treating the acne and scaring. The skin repairs the most at night, so it's important to incorporate products that aid this process. I also want to focus on firming as I want to preserve my skin so it appears youthful for as long as possible. Nighttime is also the time I do any specific treatments like masks.

 

Nightly Routine

Grapeseed oil (eye makeup removal)
Korres White Tea Gel Cleanser (remove remainder makeup)

Naruko Tea Tree Acne Clay Cleanser

(Mask if necessary)

Komenuka Bijin Eye Moist Jell

Naruko Tea Tree Lotion
Unt Acne Serum

Komenuka Bijin Whitening Serum (fade acne scars)

Roc Deep Wrinkle Night Cream (forehead and future laugh lines)

Naruko Tea Tree Night Jelly or Naruko Magnolia Night Jelly

Eos Mint lip balm

Treatment is an important step in clearing up acne and general skin care. Periodically your skin needs extra exfoliation, hydration, firming, brightening, and/or pampering.

Treatment

Naruko Tea Tree Blackhead mask (removes and/or loosens blackheads)

Homemade Pore Strips (unclogs pores)

Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque (tightens pores and dries up acne)
Aztec Secret-Indian Healing Clay (tightens and purifies pores)

My Beauty Diary Strawberry Yogurt Mask (hydrating and brightening)

Silk Whitia Whitening Mask (hydrating and brightening)
Honey Scrub (exfoliating)

Hope you enjoyed this post. More posts on acne prone skin to come.

***Please note that this is only my experience. Every one is different and every skin has needs that are unique. This regimen worked for ME.