The Sun and UV Radiation

I am going to address an issue that I believe is known however is not acknowledged enough. This is the sun and the ultraviolet rays from the sun and the effects it has on the human body.

This post falls under the category of human, health and beauty as I am going to address the effects it has on our body and what beauty products we can use to prevent and reduce the harming consequences.

My mum, dad, grandparents and now my boyfriend's parents tell me that I should never stay in the sun for too long and to always wear sun cream if I am outside in the Summer.

My family is very aware of this subject. This is because my Granddad has skin cancer. He explained that as a child he would play outside all day during the Summer without wearing any sun protection, as it was not available where he lived. As an adult, he and my Granny lived in Bermuda. He further explained that while he was there, he did not take enough precautions to the dangerous UV rays.

Adding to that, my Granddad comes from Ireland. In Ireland skin cancer is the most common form of cancer. It is common as there are human traits that naturally increase the chances of getting skin cancer. These are: fair hair, light skin (with moles and freckles), light eyes (blue, green, grey). There are other traits that can also increase the risk. One is if you have a history in sunburns or a near family member suffered or currently suffers from any form of skin cancer.

Due to my family’s awareness for this subject and what I have learnt from their understanding, the dangers the sun can have became obvious to me. However, it unfortunately also because apparent to me that not everybody is as aware, perhaps due to their background and the way they have been brought up with the subject.

I went to Portugal last week with some friends of mine. While on days out to the beach or near by towns, the amount of people with sunburns shocked me. Understandably, when it is Summer or when it is lovely weather, we want to appreciate it, enjoy the outdoors and perhaps get a tan! Some find this easier than others which is hugely due to their genetic background and how much exposure to the sun their skin is used too.

UV Radiation: Health Effects

Too much exposure to the sun results in too much exposure to ultraviolet rays.

There are countless effects the UV rays can have on our body. Here, I am going to address the ones I believe are the most common and the ones that people may not be aware off.

1.     Skin cancer

The first ones are non-lethal and lethal skin cancer. One form of skin cancer is Melanoma that is lethal between 15-20% of the cases. An early detection of the illness is a vital factor in recovery.

2.     Sunburns

Next are sunburns. The enlargement of the blood vessels causes the reddening of the skin. If the burn is severe, some cells in the epidermis layer of the skin die and peel off. This clearly shows the damaging consequences as your skin cells are in fact dying!    

3.     Cataract

Lastly, the UV rays can cause cataracts in your eyes. A cataract is the clouding of the lens that causes loss of vision. Anyone who is exposed to the UV rays is at risk of damaging their eyes as well as their skin. Wearing sunglasses with UV protection is a brilliant investment. Also, a fashionable sun hat that covers your face is a good idea!

4.     Vitamin D

There is one advantage of the exposure of the UV rays. This is your vitamin D! In the epidermis layer of the skin there are cells that are able to synthesis the vitamin for your body. This does not mean you need to stay in the sun all day to get enough vitamin D. 20 minutes, two times a week during the hottest time of the day will provide your full vitamin D uptake. Ultimately, you do not need to be in the sun very much and if you are try to stay in the shade.

Beauty Products With SPF (Sun Protection Factor)

As I am aware of the risks the ultraviolet radiation has on the human body, I take several precautions concerning my beauty product routine.

Clinique 'City Block Sheer'

A very delicate part of the human body is the face. It is my face that I try to take good care of. One product I use is the Clinique City Block Sheer, with an SPF of 25. I use this oil-free daily face protector daily during the warmer months of the year. There is no oil so it sits comfortable on the face. I am not one to wear foundation during this time of the year. However, the City Block Sheer has a moisturizing foundation consistency and thus gives the small amount of coverage I prefer.

Rituals 'Sun Protection Face Cream'

Another face protector you could use is the Rituals ‘Sun Protection Face Cream’. This is a face moisturizer that leaves your face feeling smooth and safe from any harm. It has a SPF of 30, which is high for a face product. 

Palmer's 'Cocoa Butter Formula'

The part of the body that people tend to forget is the lips, which too is extremely delicate. During the very cold and very hot months my lips dry out and begin to chip, which is why I always make sure I use lip balm to keep them soft and succulent. During the hotter months you must incorporate a lip balm with SPF into your beauty routine. The one that I have been using is the Palmer’s ‘Cocoa Butter Formula’ with a SPF of 15.I love this product! The taste is yummy and feels amazing on my lips.

Mac 'Studio Sculpt SPF 15 Foundation'

For those of you who do like to have some coverage on your face during the summer, there are plenty of foundations that offer SPF protection! Two that I currently use throughout the year are ‘Studio Sculpt’ by Mac with an SPF of 15. Another is Benefit’s ‘Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow’ with an even higher SPF of 25. 

Benefit 'Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow'

It should be noted that foundations with SPF tend to be pricier than those without. I however do believe it is worth the investment, as it will keep your face protected. That said, make sure you purchase the product as a foundation that works for you before you buy it just for the SPF!

Garnier 'Milk Anti-dehydration'

For the rest of my body, I use a sun cream, lotion or spray. To start of the day I apply a sun cream. In this case I am using a sun cream with a SPF of 30, by Garnier. I suggest to use a thick sun cream in the morning. This is because it can be a little messy to apply if done during the day, however it will give a thick safety coverage. 

Garnier 'Transparent Body Spray'

For later on in the day when your protection needs touching up, I suggest using a sun spray. These are not messy at all and are great for putting in your beach bag or hand bag when on a day out for that must needed touch up spray. This is a Garnier liquid spray that I used whenever I went out in Portugal. A handy and safe purchase. 

Rituals 'Sun Protection Lotion'

Another sun protection lotion is this one by Rituals, with an SPF of 30. Like the face cream up above, this is a very light and moisturising lotion. This a small gift size version that is perfect for slipping into your hand bag.

Garnier 'Aftersun'

When I get home after a day in the sun my skin feels very hot. This is the time when you must rehydrate and moisturise your skin. To rehydrate your skin, you must use after sun, which brings your skin back to life and leaves it feel cool and replenished. At the moment I am using another Garnier product, their aftersun. I love this product as it has a fresh and yummy smell. I find that this spray is an all in one aftersun and body mist!

Rituals 'Aftersun Hydrating Lotion'

Another product that you can use is this aftersun lotion by Rituals. This is a lotion rather than a spray. It is perfect if you want to massage the life back into your skin. 

Be sure to click the link below to watch my video on this matter over on my YouTube channel! Give a thumbs up if you like the video and you are welcome to subscribe and follow this blog. Come back from more blog post on health, beauty and style related posts! xoxo

January Favourites

Pro-Prime by Nars

My first favourite of this month is the Pro Prime from Nars. I bought this when I was shopping in the summer at Selfridges even though I was not intending to buy any type of primer. I went in for foundation but also came out with this. The great part about this primer is that it is oil free, yet still moisturizes your face ready for foundation. I blend it in with my foundation brush and let the air get to it so it isn't too moist when I apply my foundation. I think it’s important your face has a healthy moisture to it during the day, so this product is perfect as it is keeping my face feeling fresh as well as keeping my foundation in place. 

Studio Sculpt Foundation by MAC

This next product is an old one that has made its way back into my life. When in New York last winter I bought my self a tube of the Studio Sculpt foundation by MAC because I had heard many good things about it. When it came to summer I stopped using it though, because it’s quite an oily foundation, so if your skin is already very moist it’s a bad idea. I moved on to the amazing Nars Sheer Matte Foundation, however my face started to feel quite dry when the months got colder so I gave this a go again just last month and it’s been great! I think it’s definitely a winter foundation because it’s got moisture which your face needs during dry and cold months.  

Mineralize Skinfinsh by MAC

The first MAC product that has been working with me this month is the (name of product). I received it as a Christmas present from my mum and I have not stopped using it since! When I apply the product I use a little at a time lightly and carefully because it is highly pigmented. It has an ever so slight natural shimmer look to it, which gives a healthy glow look to your face. There is a lot of product so I’m sure it’ll last me a long time! To apply it I use the product below!

Angle Brush 168 by MAC

With the MAC ------- my mum also gave me this MAC angle brush in the number 168. Before I didn’t have a good enough brush to contour my face, so this was a much appreciated Christmas gift! It works very well, and the quality of the brush is wonderful.  When applying powder to your face, hairs never fall out of the brush, which can be very annoying. I find a brush does effect the application of your make up and the results it gives, so a good quality brush is always great. The way it angles allows you too apply your powder easily, placing more powder in one area and less in another.

Stippling Brush by Real Techniques

The next brush that has made it to the hit list this month is the Stippling Brush by Real Techniques. Over the past few months I have been hearing positive reviews both by beauty YouTuber's and blogger's so I thought I would give it a go for myself. My previous foundation brush made my face look like a painting so I thought it was time to try something new. I bought it for £11 in boots December just gone, and I have not stopped using it ever since! I have to say it is one of the best beauty products I have ever bought. The mixture of long white and short black hair, it spreads your foundation evenly leaving a very blended and natural outcome. I recommend this brush to anyone who is not happy with the application of their make up!

Beauty Blender by Cosmopolitan

The last make up applier I have been loving this month is the Beauty Blender by Cosmopolitan. It’s a cheaper version of the real Beauty Blender which is about three times as much money, so I thought £6 was more than enough to spend! I use this to blend my concealer under my eyes and any red areas on my face. By dabbing lightly it blends unlike any other make up sponge, because it's a lot harder. After I've applied my foundation and still feel it isn't completely blended to my satisfaction, I use the fatter end of the Blender to sort it out. I have been using this since I bought it in the summer of 2012 and am still loving it!

Smokey Eye Palette by Benefit

The first eye beauty product that I have been using a lot this month is the Smokey Eye Palette by Benefit. I got this over a year ago and since then I have been using it, but not for the purpose it was made for! I don’t use it create smokey eyes but use the eye brow filler instead to fill my eyebrows. The creamy and pigmented texture works well because it defines my eyebrows as well as keeping them a shape a like. I haven't really used any other method to fill my eyebrows so if any off you have any good product I should try just comment below!

Eye Liner Pen by Catrice

This is my most recent product that I have purchased. I bought it just a week ago so it might be wrong to call it a favourite of a month but I thought it deserved a place. I have been looking for an eye liner for what feels like forever that creates a winged effect without smudging. My liquid eye liner from Body Shop has let me down as it takes mere hours before it decides to smudge away and all kohl pencils I use do the same. I saw this eye liner pen and tried it on my hand in the shop and loved the application. After a minute I rubbed it quite hard to see if it would smudge and it didn't! It cost me €4 (around £3.50) so I gave it ago and have been loving it ever since!

Matte Finish Nail Varnish by Rimmel London

My last favourite product of the month is the Matte Finish Nail Varnish by Rimmel London. A few months ago I tried a pot my friend bought and was blown away by the fact nail varnish could be matte, so when I came across it in Boots in December for £4 I couldn’t say no! It’s terrible as a top coat and chips within a day, so instead of giving up on it I first apply a top coat on the my colour nail varnish and then apply the Matte Finish. I am wearing a pastel purple colour with the Matte effect on as I type this blog post and it has stayed on for three days. The bottle days up to ten days, but I suspect it’ll come of within the next few days. 

Thank you for reading this blog post on this January’s favourites! I hope you enjoyed it and if you prefer to listen me than read, there is a video on my YouTube channel, monicaaliceeShow, so be sure to check it out! See you all soon xoxo

 

New York, Shopping Haul

When I went to New York with my dad over the Christmas holiday, I did what every girl should do when she goes to New York. Shopping! Here is a bit about what I bought and what I think about it. I also reviewed it on my YouTube channel, so you should go and check it out! Enjoy!

 STUDIO SCULPT FOUNDATION:

When I went to MAC, I knew I wanted foundation, but was not too sure what my colour was or how much coverage I should get. I decided to ask the woman working there to help me. She tried all the tones she thought was my colour and we settled on a colour that was slightly lighter than the foundation above. Before I bought however, she stopped me and tried a tint darker, because she realised that my neck was slightly darker than my face. This foundation therefore makes my face and neck the same colour. She also recommended light coverage because I am not very old. It feels a little bit like moisturiser to begin with, but after five minutes it dries and does not feel bad at all. Overall, I am really happy with this purchase! It cost me, $29 which I thought was quite a lot, but I had porfessional advice, so it was worth it. 

BLUSH, PINCH O' PEACH:

The last item I bought at MAC, was this beautiful pink blush. I knew I wanted a pink blush, but not sure what shade would look the best. I asked the same lady who helped me with the foundation, and tried all the different pink shades they had. In the end, we settled on 'Pinch O' Peach'. We bother thought it looked the best, which I was really happy about. I wear it on the weekends and when I go out, because if I use it everyday it would not be as special any more. It stays on my face for a good few hours, and does not feel itchy like some foundation do to me. It cost me around about, $15. I am not certain however, so if you are interested, pop over to your local MAC shop or look on their website!

JUMPER:

This jumper is officially one of my favourite clothing items! I love it! It is a perfect length, just on the hip, and it is warm and comfy. It has a gorgeous knitted pattern all over it, which makes it really cosy and happy. It is perfect for winter, however when outside a jacket is needed to keep warm. Indoors however, it keeps me warm. I love the Abercrombie moose logo at the bottom, it is definitely my favourite feature. The only down side is, if I wear a black tank top underneath, in certain light you can see it a little bit. This means it is best to wear a light coloured tank top underneath it. The sleeves are very long so I usually roll them up when I am doing something practical, but when I want to be all warm and snugly, I leave them down. It cost me, $68, which I was not to fussed about, because I love it and it was Abercrombie and Fitch. 

 FUR HOODIE:

I did not actually buy this in New York, but I am going to classify it as a New York purchase. I went to Abercrombie and Fitch shop and saw it there, but it was $120, which was a ridiculous amount of money for a hoodie! I really loved it though so it was a shame to say no and let it go (my rhyming skills!). Anyway, I decided I was going to buy it because I liked it so much, but when I went to another Abercrombie and Fitch shop, they did not have it. In the end I left New York without it, sad face. When I got back to England, I looked on-line and saw they had the same hoodie, on sale, in my size, the right colour and in stock. It was meant to be! My mum ordered it for me so it was just like I got it in New York. It fits really nicely, and the woollen knit inside makes it very warm and great for the winter. I think the Abercrombie logo looks really sweet with the moose. The reason I love it so much though, is because of the fur. I really love fur right now, so this is just perfect!

 SUPER SKINNY FIT, JEGGINGS:

When I first saw these jeggings, I fell in love with the light blue colour! I thought it looked absolutely gorgeous. I had been looking for a yummy blue for a long time and wherever I saw a pair, they did not fit right and were not very comfy. These however, are extremely comfy because they are very thin denim and stretch a fair bit. This makes moving around very easy unlike some jeans when they are so tight you feel your legs being squished! I love the gold stitching and the Abercrombie and Fitch logo at the back, the colour contrast really well together. They cost me $68, which was quite a lot, but a good pair of trousers are never going to be cheap!

SUPER SKINNY JEANS:

This pair of jeans where the last pair of trousers I bought, and also the last piece of clothing I bought in Abercrombie and Fitch. I was not too sure If I was going to buy them though because I had already got the jeggings. Jeans are different to jeggings so I thought why not! I love the deep and dark blue with the golden stitching all over it (also light blue, jeggings above). I think gold contrasts really well with the blue, and as you all know, if you watch my YouTube videos, I love gold at the moment! They are very comfy and are great for moving around and doing everyday activities, like school. They cost me $78, which was $10 dollars more than the jeggings. This is because they are jeans, so it makes sense!

MARC JACOBS, PENCIL:
While my dad and I were wandering through Soho, we saw this very sweet little book shop called Bookmarc. I though I recognised the name but was not to sure how I could have done because I was in New York! We went in and saw that everything was labelled Marc Jacobs. I looked at the shop's name again and saw bookmark was spelt with a 'c' instead of a 'k', like  Marc. I had a good old potter around and saw very lovely things, but it was a lot of money. In the end I did not get anything. When we got back to the hotel my dad said he bough me something and it was this very cute Marc Jacobs pencil! I therefore, have my very own designer pencil! Life is full of funny surprises! I am not going to use, but just keep it as a souvenir. 

TIGER WINTER HAT / SCARF / GLOVES:
In New York, lots and lots of people had these adorable hats, so my dad got me one from this tourist stand. I thought it was really cute, because I love tigers. The scarf part is also a pair of gloves, which means this hat has a hat, scarf and gloves. Talking about, all in one! It is a bit of fun really, so the quality is not amazing. That does not matter though, because it keep me very warm, and kept me warm when it was -7 degrees in New York, so it serves its purpose very well! I love it very much and it reminds me of New York City.


Here is my video haul of everything I just blogged about here.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOTQqQLkVMc&list=UU2QNvRPMGoBzF1BzWrBZ4Bw&index=1&feature=plcp