• Skin care.
  One of the best ways to look better is by keeping our skin healthy and glowing.
  
  
• Hydration and eating right.
  
  Drinking water helps keep the skin hydrated and supple, which can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. In addition, maintaining a well-balanced diet, including plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, is important too. These foods contain natural antioxidants which can benefit your skin as well as your overall health.
  
  
• Exercise.
  
  Regular exercise enhances blood flow, giving your skin a healthy glow. Exercise also can help reduce the production of stress-related hormones that may contribute to acne flare-ups. Indirect evidence shows that when you exercise, your level of stress diminishes. Reducing stress tends to quiet the adrenals. There is reduced hormone output, which helps control acne. Regular exercise also increases sweating, which in turn can unclog pores and have a positive effect on breakouts.
  
  
• Spending time with friends.
  Relaxing, laughing, connecting – all have a positive effect on our mind and body.
  
  
• Stress relief.
  
  One form of stress relief is getting regular massages. They help promote relaxation and increase blood circulation. Massage also exfoliates dead skin cells, which encourages cell regeneration. The result is healthier, better-looking skin.
  
  
• Adequate sleep.
  
  It seems we can never get enough! Sleep is essential for maintaining your metabolism, but it is also important for skin health. For example, sleep relaxes the facial muscles and that helps to smooth wrinkles and lines on your face. In addition, lack of sleep may alter the regulation of blood vessel tone and thus contribute to puffiness or bags under the eyes.

SKIN DAMAGE HAPPENS

Your skin is exposed to various stressors on a daily basis. Oxidative stress is caused by free radicals which are unstable molecules produced in your cells due to your own natural metabolism. But excess free radicals also can be formed by environmental exposure to the ozone, tobacco smoke and sunlight. This repeated free-radical insult causes skin to accumulate damage. As a result, the supportive network of collagen and elastin can become compromised.

That's certainly not what we want, because collagen plays a critical role in strengthening and supporting the skin, while elastin helps it "snap back" after stretching, which happens thousands of times each day with the facial expressions we make. As we age, cells divide more slowly, and the supporting collagen and elastin begin to thin in addition to having accumulated damage – all contributing to unwanted wrinkling and sagging.

VITAMIN C TO THE RESCUE

One of the best antioxidants for directly inhibiting free-radical damage is vitamin C, also known as L-ascorbic acid. Over time, humans have lost the ability to naturally synthesize vitamin C, so we must obtain this important vitamin through our diets. Vitamin C is very important to the skin since it directly scavenges free radicals, aids in the synthesis of collagen and defends the supportive network that gives skin its definition and fullness. According to dermatologists, vitamin C plays a critical role in aiding in the production of skin-firming collagen. Since the body can't produce vitamin C on its own, it is beneficial to apply it topically so the skin has a continuous supply.

Over the past 31 years, more people have had skin cancer than all other cancers combined, but fortunately, it is highly preventable. Scientific studies have determined that daily use of sunscreens can reduce your chances of developing some forms of skin cancer.*

Also, up to 90 percent of the visible changes commonly attributed to aging are caused by the sun.*

It is best to select a sunscreen that:

• prevents damaging rays.
  
  Sunlight contains damaging ultraviolet B and A rays. UVB rays are typically associated with sunburn; UVA rays penetrate more deeply into the skin and can cause sunlight-induced premature skin aging, wrinkling and age spots. Both UVB and UVA rays damage skin and can lead to skin cancer - even on cloudy and winter days. Suncreens absorb, reflect or scatter UV light to protect the skin. There are two types of sunscreens, physical and chemical:
  • Physical sunscreens reflect or scatter UV light before it penetrates the skin.
  • Chemical sunscreens absorb UV rays before they cause damage.

• includes a broad-spectrum SPF 15 or greater.
  
  An SPF 15 screens 93% of sunburn damage, and an SPF 30 screens 97% of sunburn damage. Broad-spectrum sunscreens protect against both UVB & UVA damage.
• easy to apply
  
  Be sure to apply sunscreen generously to all exposed areas and pay particular attention to the face, ears, neck, hands and arms. Sunscreens should be reapplied regularly – at least every two hours or after swimming, perspiring heavily or towel-drying.

Other ways to protect yourself from harmful rays are to seek the shade and wear protective gear such as hats and sunglasses.

All Mary Kay® sunscreen products feature the Skin Cancer Foundation Seal of Recommendation.



* www.skincancer.org