The vital ingredient

In our every-evolving, dynamic environment, the one constant for GCC residents is year-round sunshine.

Yes, despite us enjoying incessant sunrays, sunscreen is still not deemed an essential part of people’s daily beauty routine, and when it is, many people are unaware of what constitutes an authentic skin-healthy sunscreen product.

Kate Duffy, head beauty trainer at Blissology, which distributes the Vita Liberata organic skincare line in the UAE explains: “I think we are aware [here] that the sun is very damaging, and that the sun in the UAE is extremely strong, however as the majority of people are not out [sunbathing] in the sun on a daily basis, they often don’t opt to wear a sunscreen as part of a daily routine.

“They may feel that they don’t need sunscreen as they will be either in the office, their car, or in a mall. But we must encourage clients to wear SPF on their necks, arms and hands daily as we are always subjected to the harsh UV rays, even while just moving to and from a cafe and especially while driving.” 

Lisa Williams, Dermalogica educator/trainer at Healthcare LLC, concurs saying: “Not only will sunscreen protect the skin from skin cancer, but the sun is the biggest environmental influence when it comes to ageing and pigmentation also.  

“In all my classes when teaching about the skin, I talk about sunscreen all the time. All skin therapists trained at the Dermalogica academy are not only taught the huge importance of sunscreen but also to educate, and retail SPF products to their customers too.”  

In fact, the salon or spa is the perfect venue for sunscreen education, during skin analysis and product prescription, and therefore it is imperative that all therapists are confident about their sunscreen knowledge and ability to recommend it.

Clare Maskell director of Blue Skies Trading, distributor of the Coola sunscreen line says, “​Skincare is an investment. If someone has just invested in a facial or body treatment, they care enough about their skin to protect it.”

Not only this, the application of sunscreen is essential after exfoliating treatments or laser or salons, spas or clinics.

“We always include the Reviderm Solar Skin Shield 30 in all our recommended products per facial skincare treatment,” says Mania El Baba, founder of Specialized Beauty and Reviderm partner in the region. “The Reviderm suncare line is suitable to use even after medical treatments such as lasers or chemical peels.”

​What to avoid

Not all sunscreen are made equal. The sun emits three types of rays, UVA, UVB and UVC. UVC is mostly filtered by the earth’s atmosphere and therefore doesn’t harm us. UVB causes delayed tanning, burning, skin ageing and cancer. UVA accounts for approximately 95 per cent of the UV radiation that reaches us. It can even penetrate glass. To protect against both UVB and UVA rays you need a broad spectrum sunscreen.

The two types of broad-spectrum sunscreens are chemical and mineral (also known as physical). Mineral sunscreens sit on top of the skin and deflect UV rays, providing immediate protection and formulated using natural minerals, such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide and are therefore good for sensitive skin or children. These types of sunscreen ingredients won’t pose any environmental threat either.

As the name suggests, chemical sunscreens employ various chemical actives. They penetrate the skin and work by changing UV rays into heat, releasing that heat from the skin. After application, these sunscreens take around 20 - 30 minutes to work.

Some ingredients in chemical sunscreen, such as oxybenzone, have generated recent controversy. Concerns have been raised about the chemicals in sunscreens after some studies have shown that they cause allergic skin reactions, appear in the bloodstream as a toxin, disrupt hormones and damage the ecosystem and pose a threat to coral reefs.

Duffy says: “All sun creams from Vita Librata are all certified organic and we use physical sunscreens, not chemical components. Oxybenzone is a chemical and is rated one of the most toxic chemicals used in cosmetics.

“It is harsh on the skin and can cause acne, dermatitis and skin sensitivity. This ingredient protects the skin by absorbing the UVA and UVB sun rays however it’s not a healthy ingredient to have on your skin.”

Meanwhile, Williams concedes that Dermalogica uses a form of chemical sunscreens within some SPF moisturisers but adds that these do not contain oxybenzone. “At Dermalogica, we believe in a healthy skin and we do not want to use or do anything to compromise that,” she said.

“Oxybenzone is rated an ‘eight’ by the EWG (environmental working group) on their toxicity rating scale and it has been linked to hormonal disruption and has the potential to damage cells that may lead to skin cancer.  

“It has also been linked to early puberty in girls, low sperm count and male infertility.” 

British spa brand Elemis also shuns the use of oxybenzone. “People with sensitive skins should avoid using sunscreen with this ingredient in it,” says Svetlana Honders,senior marketing executive at Elemis’s Middle Eastern partner Luxuria Trading.

 

What to seek out

“What you want to look for are minerals, and not harsh chemicals, as the source of the sun protection factor,” says Duffy. “Minerals will give you a physical sunscreen block from the harmful rays without a build up of chemicals on the skin. Specific ingredients you want to look out for are, mineral powders, Mica, titanium dioxide and zinc oxide.

“Titanium dioxide is a key physical sunscreen. It works by deflecting and scattering damaging UV rays away from the skin. I believe that physical sunscreens are better for the skin as unlike chemical sunscreens they do not create heat in the skin. 

“Chemical sunscreens absorb into the skin to filter and absorb UV rays effectively protecting deeper layers of skin, but the draw back is that these chemical sunscreens can lead to skin irritation and other adverse reactions.”​

As well as being potential harmful to the human body, certain chemicals used in sunscreen can also play havoc with marine life. Recently, a bill has been passed in Hawaii, banning sunscreens containing chemicals known to be highly toxic to coral and marine life.

Hawaii became the first US state to pass the bill in May, and the legislation prohibits the distribution of sunscreens containing the chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate, which scientists have found contributes to coral bleaching when washed off in the ocean.

The Coola line offers reef-friendly sunscreens. “At Coola, we choose the most innovative, scientifically advanced ingredients that are also as natural, organic, sustainable, and locally sourced as can be,” explains Maskell.

The good news is that there is a plentitude of professional, skin-enhancing sunscreens on the marker. Read on to find the hottest products, which will keep skin cool this summer.

 

Reviderm: Best for post-treatment

The Solar Skin Shield SPF 30 protection against both UVA and UVB rays and combines skin protection with premature skin ageing prevention protection. Active ingredients include bio-technological oligopeptides and titanium dioxide in addition to skin-boosting vitamin E and hyaluronic acid. The product is free from emulsifiers and colouring agents or perfumes. It is also ideal for use on pre-damaged, blemished or sensitive skin, or after medical treatments such as lasers, chemical peels.

  

Coola: Best for reef-friendly formula

Coola’s Mineral Face SPF 30 Cucumber Matte Finish provides UV protection and gives skin a silky, matte appearance. This lightweight formula doesn’t clog pores or leave behind a visible trace, but moisturizes and nourishes the skin with antioxidants. Shea butter, plankton extract, and rose hip seed oil soothe and restore skin's moisture while the natural matte finish makes it ideal for normal or oily skin. The product is vegan, gluten and cruelty-free and formulated without of oxybenzone, parabens, sulfates, and phthalates ensuring it wont harm marine life.

 

Elemis: best for city skin

Elemis has just launched Daily Defence Shield SPF30 which protects skin from daily aggressors. This weightless, instantly absorbed, cream provides broad-spectrum SPF 30 protection to shield skin from the sun’s harmful rays and the product’s Enviro-Age Complex provides an invisible veil for additional protection from environmental pollution factors such as microparticles in the air. This product fits in with all of the Elemis lines including Biotec.

 

Vita Liberata: Best for organic formula

Vita Liberata's Passionflower and Argan Dry Oil SPF 50 deeply nourishes and protects the skin from UVA and UVB rays. Perfect for use on the beach, by the pool or during sport activities, the fast-absorbing formula leaves no greasy residue and stays water-resistant for up to eight hours.

It is also infused with Argan Oil, to deliver essential fatty acids and antioxidant vitamin E to neutralise free radicals and fight photoageing. Meanwhile, Passionflower Oil conditions dry and damaged skin.

 

Dermalogica: Best for sensitive skin

Super Sensitive Shield SPF 30 sunscreen is a broad spectrum sunscreen ideal for sensitised, reactive and recently resurfaced skin. Natural mineral sunscreens help shield against photodamage and UV exposure. It contains an exclusive UltraCalming™ Complex with oat and botanical actives to help minimise discomfort, burning and itching. The sheer formula provides optimal hydration and helps protect and reinforce barrier lipids, which are often compromised in sensitised skin conditions.

 

Philip Kingsley: Best for swimmers

It is important to protect hair, as well as the skin, from the harsh sun and the brand’s Swim Cap product further guards hair from chlorine and salt water. It extends the life of colour treated hair and prevents blonde locks from turning green in chlorinated water. A deeply nourishing treatment that leaves hair looking and feeling like silk, it contains hydrolyzed elastin to add strength, body and elasticity and improve moisture retention, reducing breakage.

 

 

 

In our every-evolving, dynamic environment, the one constant for GCC residents is year-round sunshine.

Yes, despite us enjoying incessant sunrays, sunscreen is still not deemed an essential part of people’s daily beauty routine, and when it is, many people are unaware of what constitutes an authentic skin-healthy sunscreen product.

Kate Duffy, head beauty trainer at Blissology, which distributes the Vita Liberata organic skincare line in the UAE explains: “I think we are aware [here] that the sun is very damaging, and that the sun in the UAE is extremely strong, however as the majority of people are not out [sunbathing] in the sun on a daily basis, they often don’t opt to wear a sunscreen as part of a daily routine.

“They may feel that they don’t need sunscreen as they will be either in the office, their car, or in a mall. But we must encourage clients to wear SPF on their necks, arms and hands daily as we are always subjected to the harsh UV rays, even while just moving to and from a cafe and especially while driving.” 

Lisa Williams, Dermalogica educator/trainer at Healthcare LLC, concurs saying: “Not only will sunscreen protect the skin from skin cancer, but the sun is the biggest environmental influence when it comes to ageing and pigmentation also.  

“In all my classes when teaching about the skin, I talk about sunscreen all the time. All skin therapists trained at the Dermalogica academy are not only taught the huge importance of sunscreen but also to educate, and retail SPF products to their customers too.”  

In fact, the salon or spa is the perfect venue for sunscreen education, during skin analysis and product prescription, and therefore it is imperative that all therapists are confident about their sunscreen knowledge and ability to recommend it.

Clare Maskell director of Blue Skies Trading, distributor of the Coola sunscreen line says, “​Skincare is an investment. If someone has just invested in a facial or body treatment, they care enough about their skin to protect it.”

Not only this, the application of sunscreen is essential after exfoliating treatments or laser or salons, spas or clinics.

“We always include the Reviderm Solar Skin Shield 30 in all our recommended products per facial skincare treatment,” says Mania El Baba, founder of Specialized Beauty and Reviderm partner in the region. “The Reviderm suncare line is suitable to use even after medical treatments such as lasers or chemical peels.”

​What to avoid

Not all sunscreen are made equal. The sun emits three types of rays, UVA, UVB and UVC. UVC is mostly filtered by the earth’s atmosphere and therefore doesn’t harm us. UVB causes delayed tanning, burning, skin ageing and cancer. UVA accounts for approximately 95 per cent of the UV radiation that reaches us. It can even penetrate glass. To protect against both UVB and UVA rays you need a broad spectrum sunscreen.

The two types of broad-spectrum sunscreens are chemical and mineral (also known as physical). Mineral sunscreens sit on top of the skin and deflect UV rays, providing immediate protection and formulated using natural minerals, such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide and are therefore good for sensitive skin or children. These types of sunscreen ingredients won’t pose any environmental threat either.

As the name suggests, chemical sunscreens employ various chemical actives. They penetrate the skin and work by changing UV rays into heat, releasing that heat from the skin. After application, these sunscreens take around 20 - 30 minutes to work.

Some ingredients in chemical sunscreen, such as oxybenzone, have generated recent controversy. Concerns have been raised about the chemicals in sunscreens after some studies have shown that they cause allergic skin reactions, appear in the bloodstream as a toxin, disrupt hormones and damage the ecosystem and pose a threat to coral reefs.

Duffy says: “All sun creams from Vita Librata are all certified organic and we use physical sunscreens, not chemical components. Oxybenzone is a chemical and is rated one of the most toxic chemicals used in cosmetics.

“It is harsh on the skin and can cause acne, dermatitis and skin sensitivity. This ingredient protects the skin by absorbing the UVA and UVB sun rays however it’s not a healthy ingredient to have on your skin.”

Meanwhile, Williams concedes that Dermalogica uses a form of chemical sunscreens within some SPF moisturisers but adds that these do not contain oxybenzone. “At Dermalogica, we believe in a healthy skin and we do not want to use or do anything to compromise that,” she said.

“Oxybenzone is rated an ‘eight’ by the EWG (environmental working group) on their toxicity rating scale and it has been linked to hormonal disruption and has the potential to damage cells that may lead to skin cancer.  

“It has also been linked to early puberty in girls, low sperm count and male infertility.” 

British spa brand Elemis also shuns the use of oxybenzone. “People with sensitive skins should avoid using sunscreen with this ingredient in it,” says Svetlana Honders,senior marketing executive at Elemis’s Middle Eastern partner Luxuria Trading.

 

What to seek out

“What you want to look for are minerals, and not harsh chemicals, as the source of the sun protection factor,” says Duffy. “Minerals will give you a physical sunscreen block from the harmful rays without a build up of chemicals on the skin. Specific ingredients you want to look out for are, mineral powders, Mica, titanium dioxide and zinc oxide.

“Titanium dioxide is a key physical sunscreen. It works by deflecting and scattering damaging UV rays away from the skin. I believe that physical sunscreens are better for the skin as unlike chemical sunscreens they do not create heat in the skin. 

“Chemical sunscreens absorb into the skin to filter and absorb UV rays effectively protecting deeper layers of skin, but the draw back is that these chemical sunscreens can lead to skin irritation and other adverse reactions.”​

As well as being potential harmful to the human body, certain chemicals used in sunscreen can also play havoc with marine life. Recently, a bill has been passed in Hawaii, banning sunscreens containing chemicals known to be highly toxic to coral and marine life.

Hawaii became the first US state to pass the bill in May, and the legislation prohibits the distribution of sunscreens containing the chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate, which scientists have found contributes to coral bleaching when washed off in the ocean.

The Coola line offers reef-friendly sunscreens. “At Coola, we choose the most innovative, scientifically advanced ingredients that are also as natural, organic, sustainable, and locally sourced as can be,” explains Maskell.

The good news is that there is a plentitude of professional, skin-enhancing sunscreens on the marker. Read on to find the hottest products, which will keep skin cool this summer.

 

Reviderm: Best for post-treatment

The Solar Skin Shield SPF 30 protection against both UVA and UVB rays and combines skin protection with premature skin ageing prevention protection. Active ingredients include bio-technological oligopeptides and titanium dioxide in addition to skin-boosting vitamin E and hyaluronic acid. The product is free from emulsifiers and colouring agents or perfumes. It is also ideal for use on pre-damaged, blemished or sensitive skin, or after medical treatments such as lasers, chemical peels.

  

Coola: Best for reef-friendly formula

Coola’s Mineral Face SPF 30 Cucumber Matte Finish provides UV protection and gives skin a silky, matte appearance. This lightweight formula doesn’t clog pores or leave behind a visible trace, but moisturizes and nourishes the skin with antioxidants. Shea butter, plankton extract, and rose hip seed oil soothe and restore skin's moisture while the natural matte finish makes it ideal for normal or oily skin. The product is vegan, gluten and cruelty-free and formulated without of oxybenzone, parabens, sulfates, and phthalates ensuring it wont harm marine life.

 

Elemis: best for city skin

Elemis has just launched Daily Defence Shield SPF30 which protects skin from daily aggressors. This weightless, instantly absorbed, cream provides broad-spectrum SPF 30 protection to shield skin from the sun’s harmful rays and the product’s Enviro-Age Complex provides an invisible veil for additional protection from environmental pollution factors such as microparticles in the air. This product fits in with all of the Elemis lines including Biotec.

 

Vita Liberata: Best for organic formula

Vita Liberata's Passionflower and Argan Dry Oil SPF 50 deeply nourishes and protects the skin from UVA and UVB rays. Perfect for use on the beach, by the pool or during sport activities, the fast-absorbing formula leaves no greasy residue and stays water-resistant for up to eight hours.

It is also infused with Argan Oil, to deliver essential fatty acids and antioxidant vitamin E to neutralise free radicals and fight photoageing. Meanwhile, Passionflower Oil conditions dry and damaged skin.

 

Dermalogica: Best for sensitive skin

Super Sensitive Shield SPF 30 sunscreen is a broad spectrum sunscreen ideal for sensitised, reactive and recently resurfaced skin. Natural mineral sunscreens help shield against photodamage and UV exposure. It contains an exclusive UltraCalming™ Complex with oat and botanical actives to help minimise discomfort, burning and itching. The sheer formula provides optimal hydration and helps protect and reinforce barrier lipids, which are often compromised in sensitised skin conditions.

 

Philip Kingsley: Best for swimmers

It is important to protect hair, as well as the skin, from the harsh sun and the brand’s Swim Cap product further guards hair from chlorine and salt water. It extends the life of colour treated hair and prevents blonde locks from turning green in chlorinated water. A deeply nourishing treatment that leaves hair looking and feeling like silk, it contains hydrolyzed elastin to add strength, body and elasticity and improve moisture retention, reducing breakage.