Solar Defender SPF 30 Sunscreen

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by Renee Iverson, Mountain Sun's founding esthetician

Ultra sheer, ultra gentle micronized Zinc Oxide for broad-spectrum, complete protection from burning UVB and aging UVA rays. Invisible, easy to wear sunscreen is perfect for daily protection for any complexion, under makeup or alone. This greaseless formula is enriched with antioxidant Vitamin E, plus soothing Green Tea and Aloe, to help lessen damage caused by direct sunlight.

Why I Use Sunscreen

I picked up the July issue of a popular women’s magazine the other day and found a great article on protecting our skin from the damaging rays of the sun.  In fact, this is the time of year when all the magazines are addressing this important issue.

What these magazines neglect to point out is that decades of accumulated damage cannot be eradicated in just a few months of diligent sunscreen use! Reversing (or at least arresting) skin damage from years of over exposure to the sun takes time, consistency, excellent products and a thorough understanding of the purpose of each step in your skin care regimen.

Why Protect You Skin from the Sun?

First and foremost, I protect myself from the sun because I don’t want to look old before my time!  I know it is politically correct to say that skin cancer prevention is my number one reason. Cancer is a very real danger especially for the sun-worshipping baby boomers. Doing everything I can to keep skin cancer at bay makes me feel noble, but what really motivates me is vanity!

Not that I go over the top.  I don’t even wear make up.  I was a teenager in the 70’s when everything was natural and easy. I don’t get injections, or laser treatments.  But I do use powerful skin care products with high tech, synthesized ingredients that target all my unwanted skin conditions.

The most fabulous skin care products in the world are just a waste of money if you don’t protect your skin from the damaging UVA and UVB rays of the sun! Over exposure to the sun’s damaging rays causes:

  1. Sun spots, liver spots, age spots – what ever you want to call them
  2. Tissue loss that leads to fine lines and wrinkles, crinkles, crepey skin
  3. Capillary damage that leads to spider veins, general redness, inflammation
  4. Damaged Barrier Layer (the outermost layer of the skin) that leads to unnecessary sensitivity, dehydration and more wrinkles
  5. Unsightly “barnacles” – raised bumps on the skin that start out as actinic keratosis, quite small and barely noticeable, but over time may become cancerous or can actually look like barnacles on your skin.   (Search "actinic Keratosis" images to see what I'm talking about!)
  6. Basal cell carcinoma, Squamous cell carcinoma, Melanoma

Remember, UVB rays are strongest from 10am to 3pm in the spring and summer.  But UVA rays - the ones that age the skin and attack the DNA in every cell are strong all year long, in rain, in sleet, and in snowy conditions.  If the sun is in the sky, UVA rays are out. 

If you want to fight all of the above skin conditions then please use sunscreen all day, every day!