Skin care for all ages: Diane Lai Skin Care

Both my husband and I are prone to eczema, and I have sensitive skin, so it is no surprise that both our children have the same tendencies. Winter weather is especially hard on the skin of this family. As a result, I am always on the lookout for hypoallergenic body care products that are health-friendly (i.e. as free as possible of any suspect chemicals), and effective for caring for sensitive skin that is prone to eczema, as well as hopefully being friendly to the environment. As you might know from previous posts, finding such products is not so easy.

Bathtime: E when she was a baby.

When I was expecting my first child, I made a habit of attending the bi-annual Baby Time Show in Toronto, as it was a good way to discover new products for babies, children and nursing mothers. It was at one of these shows that I first discovered Diane Lai skin care products. The products piqued my curiosity at the time, but it wasn't until a few months ago that I was able to try them out. Diane Lai's company very kindly supplied me with a few of their products to test and review.

Think pink

Regular readers have probably noticed the lack of style posts recently. It's due to a whole number of factors, all of which are combining to lead to a case of serious "style block".

I have many of these nights...

In an attempt to shake it off, I have been trying to think of what's drawing my eye these days.

Don't forget the sunscreen!

Now that summer is upon us, it's time to be really vigilant about sun protection.

E at her favourite spot, the Beach.

Around this time of the year, I start getting questions about sunscreens and I thought it would be a good time for a recap. I have written a couple of articles about sunscreens, with information on the difference between mineral sunblocks and sunscreens composed of synthetic organic compounds. Please take a look, as it will help decipher some of the chemical terminology surrounding sun care products:

• Sunscreens, a necessary evil
• Everything is chemistry Part 2: Good Chemistry

As you might already know, all natural-based sunblocks contain mineral sunblocks, zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, as the active ingredient. Unfortunately, I have yet to find a natural-based sunblock that applies well and wears well. They are almost always very thick, pasty and greasy with an oil content that tends to separate out from the formulation. I tried Badger Balm Unscented SPF 30 sunblock on my children and both broke out in pimply rashes. I also tried California Baby SPF 30 Sunblock, which was slightly better, but still very thick and hard to apply, and my son broke out in little pimples from it. My stance is that the best sun protection is the one that you are going to actually use, i.e. the one that applies well and doesn't cause skin irritation. 

The best sunscreens I have found so far are from French companies Vichy Laboratoires and La Roche-Posay. My top picks are as follows.

For children and anyone with sensitive skin:

• Vichy Capital Soleil Children's Face & Body Lotion SPF 50
• La Roche-Posay Anthelios Dermo-Kids SPF 45 - slightly thinner, more comfortable formulation that absorbs faster than the Vichy lotion , but also slightly lower SPF rating.

For the face:

• Vichy Capital Soleil Ultra Protection Fluid SPF 30 (reviewed here)
• La Roche-Posay Anthelios Ultra Fluid Lotion SPF 60

For sensitive areas of the face (around the eyes, ears, nose and mouth):

• Vichy Capital Soleil SPF 60 Ultra Protection Stick for Sensitive Zones (reviewed here)

All of the above-listed sunscreen products are fragrance-free and paraben-free.

And as always, remember the following:

• for lotions containing synthetic sunscreen compounds, apply 30 minutes before sun exposure;
• reapply 2-3 times throughout the day
• limit sun exposure between the peak UV hours of 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• wear a hat, and if you can, sun-protective clothing that is tightly woven
• for children, they should always wear a brimmed hat that is ideally rated UPF-50+

Happy summer!

Cheap thrills

Today is the deadline for tax returns in Canada, and this year especially, I have been feeling the pinch of pursestrings snapping shut. A long time ago, I read about "The Lipstick Index", the idea that sales of lipstick (and other cosmetics) tend to rise during times of economic uncertainty.

Image borrowed from The Economist (link here)

The Lipstick Index has been debunked by The Economist but I think the underlying theory is still correct. Most women are hardwired to feel that if they can treat themselves to a small luxury like a lipstick, it will make themselves feel better and not like they are in financial straits. It is definitely true in my case.

Artisanal body care: Leaves of Trees

This year's visit to the Green Living Show was the first time I went as part of the media. This made me approach the show very differently from previous years and I made a point of chatting with exhibitors whom I thought had something out of the ordinary to offer. For me, the standout brand at this year's GLS was Leaves of Trees.

I was first drawn to the display by the high quality packaging with the beautifully designed labels, reminiscent of an Old World Apothecary.

Image from Leaves of Trees website

However, when I started chatting with the company's founder, and learned more about her and her brand, I was completely blown away. Once you have read this story, I think you will be pretty impressed too.

NEWSFLASH: Fashion and Beauty at Toronto's Green Living Show

A quick newsflash today to remind people in the greater Toronto area that The Green Living Show is on this upcoming weekend, Friday April 12 to Sunday April 14. The exhibition is held in the Direct Energy Centre on the CNE Grounds. Admission is FREE if you bring a piece of electronics for recycling.

Beauty Face-off: Deep conditioning hair treatments

I am not sure if it was the freezing cold, dry weather, or if it was a reflection of my overall health, but my hair turned to straw over the winter months, and it looked and felt awful. I tried applying more conditioner, but I just ended up getting dirty roots showing through sooner rather than later. I took a look at deep-conditioning treatments to see if I could improve matters.

(Image source)