Dry Shampoo

Actually getting ready in the morning seems to be a winter thing for me. This time of year, the kids get up, eat breakfast and run outside before it gets too hot and I must follow. I'm glad I found this product a few months ago so I can hit the ground running! In this dry Denver air, I don't like shampooing every day anyway because my hair dries out. But I also don't like the blahness at my scalp. My answer: Oscar Blandi Pronto Dry Shampoo. Rub a little bit of this powder into your hands and pat into your roots and/or part. Wha-la! The oil is gone and you look fresh as a friggin' daisy. I have black hair and this stuff leaves NO white residue. You may have to reapply around dinner if you need to be seen, but it will get you through the day nicely. It's worth the $11 investment - I've been using the 1oz "trial" since January and it doesn't look like it's running out. It also comes in a spray version that I'll be getting the next time around. It has a lemony scent that fades (which is a good thing). I've used others - cheap and more expensive - and I didn't like them. They either put more oil in my hair (one brand actually brags that is has oil in it - HELLO! I'm trying to get RID of the oil) or they leave a gross residue. This is a winner! Enjoy.
PS - When you click on the link it will take you to Oscar's page on Sephora. Doesn't he look like a mean Clinton Kelly from TLC's What Not To Wear? hee!

SPF 101

Hello summer! I thought I'd give a little lesson today. SPF (Sun Protection Factor) is actually a multiplier for your personal burn time. Let's take my g-friend Melissa. She can go in the sun for about 3 minutes (unprotected) until she burns. If she wears an SPF 10 sunscreen - she has 30 minutes (3 X 10) of protection. There are some catches. This only works for sunscreens up to SPF 30. After that, they seem to break down faster. So SPF 70 will protect you longer, but probably not 210 minutes in Melissa's case. Two different rays hit us - UVA and UVB. UVB's give us Vit D and cause us to sunburn. UVA's tan us, age us and cause deadly cancer. Remember, how you used to get a "protector" tan for your vacation? Yeah, those are the same rays that cause cancer! Please read carefully - the QUALITY of sunscreen makes a huge difference. Many sunscreens on the market don't block UVA's. As far as I can tell from my research, the FDA doesn't even monitor UVA claims. So what's a girl to do? Here's a couple of ingredients to look for: zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, avobenzone, and ecamsule (aka Mexoryl). My advice is to wear sunscreen YEAR ROUND, every day, no matter what, under your makeup. Even if your makup has an SPF in it, it's going to destabilize faster and wear away with the color. And of course, stay out of the sun as much as you can! My personal fave for great UVA protection that is NOT greasy at all: Neutrogena's Healthy Defense Daily Moisturizer SPF 45 which has a super fancy Helioplex stabilizer in it. You won't notice it at all. It's a great all around moisturizer for most skin types. Happy summer!
www.neutrogena.com