Browsing Tag

Skin cancer

Posted on July 15, 2013

Guilty pleasure #2: Smoking

Appearance/ Guilty Pleasures

affects smoking appearance beauty health maintenance skin types skincare

I know this probably isn’t the best visual image against smoking, but like my first guilty pleasure post , I don’t intend to force any of my opinions on you, if anything, I just want you to become consciously aware of the affects it has on your appearance. Although you might think you’ve heard it all before, skin cancer, lung disease and so on and so fourth, I have one that might just surprise you!

Now I won’t say I’ve never tried smoking, because that would be a complete lie! Of course I’ve tried it once or twice, I think I might have even been hooked at some stage (I’ll say as much as that!) but with that awful smell that it kept leaving on my clothes, fingers and even my hair, it was enough for me to know that it wasn’t for me (not to mention the fear of being interrogated by the aul ones)
Now if I hadn’t chosen the route that I had at such an early age I would suffer from the following things (as if acne prone skin isn’t bad enough)
1. Good morning wrinkles!
According to experts, smoking speeds up the ageing process in a way that would make you look up to 2 years older than you are! So if you get offended when people think you’re a lot older than you are, don’t.
 2. A world of Yellow!
Nicotine causes your teeth to stain leaving you with what appears to be yellow teeth! Never an attractive look, especially if your teeth are one of the first things people see when they look at you.
It also causes your fingers to be yellow, again, not pretty! It might match your teeth but it could make things awkward when you go to shake someones hand!
3. Bye bye hair!
Not that I should worry about this one,with extensions being my best friend and all, but for all you non-extension wearers, experts say that the DNA in hair follicles can be damaged by the toxic chemicals in smoking! End result? Gray, thin and unhealthy looking hair!
4. Baggy eyes
Apparently smokers are 4 times more likely to feel unrested after a night out (don’t put the blame on alcohol! Smoking takes a fair share in this as well) End result?? Tiredness and baggy eyes.
6.Stretch marks!
Told you I might just surprise you! Cellulite is one thing, but imagine having stretch marks as well! Experts say that the nicotine(it’s always the bloody nicotine) damages fibers as well as connective tissue in your skin. This means your skin loses elasticity and begins to stretch. (I guess you haven’t gained weight after all……)
Among many other things these are just a few ways smoking can affect your overall appearance. If you’re interested in knowing more, find out here
If’ you’ve been smoking while reading this (which you probably have been) feel free to share this!

P.S. Don’t forget to subscribe to this blog to be in a chance to take part of my free giveaway! Feel free to leave any comments below 🙂

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References:
 http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20340112,00.html
Posted on May 27, 2013

Why use sunscreen?

Youthful Skin

Before I start, I think it may be a good idea to clear the air about something…..yes I’m know that my post is about sunscreen, yes I’m aware of my skin tone, and no I’m not oblivious of the fact that that I live in Ireland! So why should anyone in Ireland, or black for that matter, even consider using sunscreen??

Let me tell you why………

More often than not, fine lines and uneven skin tone that happen to appear on our skin have nothing to do with aging, instead they’re just a result of  unprotected exposure to the sun. If you want to punish your skin, then by all means leave the house without  any sunscreen at all. But for those who are concerned with having your skin look its best. Then I suggest you start investing into a daily sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher.

What is SPF?

SPF (sun protection factor) measures the degree of protection that a product has in protecting  your skin from the damaging effects of the UV rays from the sun.  There are two main types of  ultra violet radiation: UVA and UVB. Both age the skin prematurely and highly increase your chances of skin cancer.

I won’t bore you with all the scientific stuff, but these are things to consider: over 30% of the suns ultraviolet radiation reaches the earth on a completely cloudy day! So even though sunny days are rare in Ireland, we still need sunscreen! And also, many black people have a natural SPF level of appx 30, but that doesn’t protect them from skin caner, I mean look what happened to Bob Marley??

So remember, when you are looking for a sunscreen, do make sure that it protects you from both UVA and UVB! Here’s a good one which I always thought was quite effective on my skin….Nivea Sun Pocket Size SPF30

sunscreen

I’ve always liked this product because it claims (you can never be too sure)  to have  immediate protection from the sun. It protects you from both UVA and UVB rays( which is what we want)! It’s fast absorbing (great for the mornings!) and I absolutely love the fact that you could just throw it in your bag and whip it out when you’re ready to reapply (gotta love it’s pocket size) 

Now that you know why we need it, I think it would be worth knowing a thing or two about how to apply sunscreen…..

 1.Always clean your skin before application.

2. Apply it to cool and dry skin so make sure you use it before your daily moisturizer because when sunscreen is applied to warm skin, it can open pores and cause a rash.

3.Use the equivalent of a shot glass (we all know what they look like!)

4.Make sure to apply it twice, just in case you missed a spot!

I hope you’ve enjoyed my post!  Feel free to comment below!

References:

http://www.skincancer.org/prevention/sun-protection/sunscreen/sunscreens-explained

http://behealthyandrelax.com/2009/06/251/

http://www.riversideonline.com/health_reference/Cancer/AN01370.cfm

http://skincare.about.com/od/sunkissedglow/a/Black-People-Sunburn-And-Skin-Cancer.htm

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