 ‘Ninety per cent of problems associated with ageing are the result of too much sun exposure,’ says skin expert Dr. Peter Pugliese. When sunlight hits the skin, its rays generate the production of ‘free radicals’ (molecules which break down the collagen and elastin) that give skin its firmness and tone. It also turbo-charges the production of skin pigment, known as melanin, which results in the appearance of ‘sun spots’ or ‘age spots’. Taking preventive steps against the harmful effects of the sun is; finally, better than trying to cure damaged skin. Protecting skin from burning rays UVB (remember ‘B’ for burning) and damaging UVA rays (remember ‘A’ for ageing) is central in the months between April and October. Skin creams delivering this optimum protection are easy to find, and good choices include: Clarins Hydra-Balance Lotion SPF15 (£26), Olay Total Effects Time Resist Moisturizer SPF15 (£18.50), Body Shop Vitamin C SPF15 Daily Moisturizer (£8), Origins Have a Nice Day Super-Charged Moisture Cream SPF15, £22.50 and L’Oreal Plenitude Age Perfect.
In winter, though, and certainly if you live in Northern Europe, you’ll need to change your sunscreen strategy and adjust your skincare routine. If you spend more of your time at home, or it’s raining or cloudy and you hardly see the light of day, there’s no need to burden skin with chemical sunscreens. An antioxidant moisturizer featuring a generous dose of vitamins like A, C, E (and other plant elements such as pycnogenol, an antioxidant from pine bark or polyphenols, which comes from grapes and help ‘mop up’ the damage caused by exposure to sun and pollution) will offer enough protection. But, ‘if you’re going skiing or spending a lot of time outdoors, playing golf, or walking on a bright winter’s day when there’s frost on the ground, an SPF15 is a good idea,’ says Professor Nicholas Lowe, a Consultant Dermatologist who has clinics in London and Santa Monica, California, and is a Clinical Professor at University of California in Los Angeles. Excellent choices for protection in winter weather are Elemis Skin Multi-Vitamin Serum, £26.50, Avon Anew Multi-Boost Daily Vitamin Moisturizer, £10, Clarins Energizing Morning Cream (£29.50), E’SPA Concept Regenerating Moisture Complex (£40), and Intensive Bio Complex, £35. According to Dr Daniel Maes, Estée Lauder’s star skin researcher, ‘if women are only going to do one thing for their skin, I would advise use a moisturizer with an antioxidant.’ Dr Maes is such a supporter of antioxidants that he believes, ‘it ought to be the obligation of the cosmetics industry to provide this protection in every new product.’ He gives explanation that antioxidants protect skin and in fact make possible to re-establish itself to a certain degree.
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