In the Summer spirit, we turned to skin care expert Jean-Pierre Mastey—president of Los Angeles-based, men’s grooming line Baxter of California—for some end-of-season skincare tips.

What is a summer must-have for good skin?

The most important product is sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays—the rays that cost premature aging, skin cancer and painful sunburns.

Don’t forget to put some sunscreen on your hair and scalp—especially if you dye your hair. Not only will the sun strip the color and burn your scalp, but the sun can actually burn the hair itself and change its texture. After you apply sunscreen to your body, just run your fingers through your hair with the extra lotion left on your hands.

What SPF level will save us from the sun? I still get burned even though I put on sunscreen before hitting the beach.

The American Cancer Society recommends using a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher. More important than the number is the frequency of application. It’s a misconception that people put it on once and you’re good to go for a day in the sun. If you’re swimming at the beach or sweating a lot, apply it every hour. Otherwise, you can apply it every two to three hours.

What if I look better with a tan? Tan lines can be quite sexy.

A spray tan or a tan that comes out of a tube is the only safe way to tan. It’s amazing how much damage the sun can do to your skin. It can cause premature aging like causing ages spots, fine lines, wrinkles, and that rough, leathery look.

I break out a lot during the summer. I feel like I’m going through a second puberty. What am I doing wrong?

Most men have oily skin and during the summer months, the heat and humidity will cause your body to create excess oil and sweat. With the oil slick on your face, all the dirt and oil will cause breakouts, and blemishes. I recommend washing your face a few times a day with a gentle cleanser.

In addition to washing my face in the morning and at night, I like to wash before and after the gym. If I can’t make it to my house to wash my face before the gym, I’ll use a gentle, alcohol-free toner instead. But don’t use any harsh cleansers or your skin will pump out more oil and worsen your skin problems. Keeping your skin clean is the best way to steer clear of breakouts. Using a scrub or a clay mask once or twice a week can also help keep your skin under control.

What about mattifying lotions and blotting tissues for mopping up the oil? Are they any good?

Those are more aesthetic fixes than real skin care solutions, but they do work for those times that you need to make a good impression and you are away from home.

Does skin have different needs during the summer than during the winter months? It seems to act out like a troublesome teen during the warm months.

Yes. In the summer, your skin is oilier and you sweat more, but in the winter, your skin tends to be dryer. So, when its hot, you’ll want to use a light, oil-free moisturizer with sunscreen instead of the thicker, balm-like creams that are too heavy. Save those for the winter.

So how do you get a full 30 days?

— Don’t exfoliate. It will shed your tan faster than anything else.
— Keep your skin moisturized. Moist skin is happy skin. It won’t necessarily slow your exfoliation, but it will prevent your skin from drying out and flaking.
— If you want to go longer than 30 days but don’t trust tanning bulbs, a sunless tanner is the only safe way to go.

Read the full story after the jump!

Avoiding Goodbyes to the Summer Tan

By NICK BURNS
Published in the NY Times: September 7, 2006

LIVING in Tacoma, Wash., Donna Villa might be forgiven for seeking a perpetual tan.

“I think that I look healthier with color in my skin and when I don’t tan, I almost look sickly,” she said. “If I lived in an area with less rain, I might not be such a fanatic about tanning.”

Ms. Villa, 45, who runs a skin-care clinic in Tacoma, is aware of the risks. While she spends her summer weekends lying by the pool, she makes sure to wear SPF 44 sunscreen. Once summer is over, though, she heads to indoor tanning salons, hoping to keep her tan lines fresh.

A tan, without further exposure to sun or tanning bulbs, can last only about 30 days, said Dr. Thomas Kupper, chairman of dermatology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. He said it takes about one month for the epidermis, the outermost layer of skin, to renew itself by shedding old skin cells and replenishing them with fresh ones.

That has not stopped some companies from marketing products they say can extend the life of your tan, part of the estimated $534 million market in 2006 for sun products, according to Mintel, a market research company that tracks cosmetics.

Some products, like California Tan’s Total Immersion Tan Extender, add copper peptides or tyrosine, which companies say play vital roles in the synthesis of melanin. Dr. Ezra Kest, a cosmetic dermatologist in Los Angeles, is skeptical. “I haven’t seen any clinical research about applying tyrosine or copper topically to extend a tan,” he said, “and I’m not sure that it makes any difference.”

Other products are developed with the idea that keeping skin moisturized and healthy will slow the natural exfoliation process. And many rely on self-tanning additives like dihydroxyacetone (DHA) or erythrulose.

Dr. Kest said exfoliating speeds up the fading process. If moisturizing helps, it’s not for very long. Dr. Kupper says the only safe way to prolong your tan is by using sunless tanners containing DHA. “As far as we know, there are no ill effects with sunless tanning,” he said. “But self tanners don’t make you resistant to sunburn, so remember to wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen.” NICK BURNS

]]> http://hommegrooming.com/2006/09/07/want-to-extend-your-summer-tan/feed/ 0 http://hommegrooming.com/2006/09/07/how-to-repair-sun-damaged-skin/ http://hommegrooming.com/2006/09/07/how-to-repair-sun-damaged-skin/#comments Thu, 07 Sep 2006 15:02:39 +0000 Nick http://hommegrooming.com/?p=60 The New York Times has a fantastic story about how to repair your damaged skin after a summer of beach going and sun worshipping. It touches on the FDA ban on hydroquinone and the various options a dermatologist has to offer for erasing annoying brown spots, broken capillaries, facial redness and even removing pre-cancerous skin cells before they turn into something more serious.

Check it out!

In the interest of full-disclosure, I should tell you that I wrote the story, so I’m a bit biased.

]]> http://hommegrooming.com/2006/09/07/how-to-repair-sun-damaged-skin/feed/ 1 http://hommegrooming.com/2006/08/19/the-truth-about-sunscreen/ http://hommegrooming.com/2006/08/19/the-truth-about-sunscreen/#comments Sat, 19 Aug 2006 15:45:24 +0000 Nick http://hommegrooming.com/?p=40 Yes, I’m on still on holiday, but I had to pass this along:

I read this story on Health Day via Yahoo! News about sunscreen and how the SPF rating is misleading to us consumers.

According to the story, when an SPF rating is tested, researchers glob on more of the product than what a normal guy would apply to his skin. AND while an SPF 30 means that it should boost your natural sun protection 30 times, the sweating and rubbing makes SPF 30 last for only ONE HOUR to 80 minutes.

There isn’t a standardized way to measure UVA protection, so SPF ratings only refer to protection against sunburns, which is caused by UVB rays. But even some UVB rays are busting through your protection:

“An SPF 15 blocks 94 percent of UVB rays, while SPF 30 blocks 97 percent of UVB rays. There isn’t yet a rating system for UVA rays that cause photoaging.”

I was also interested to read that there’s hope to develop a sunscreen pill. Wouldn’t that be amazing? I’ll sign up for that clinical trial!
So, the moral of the story is to reapply your sunscreen often, use it every day (even when it is cloudy), and grab a sunscreen with Mexoryl.

]]> http://hommegrooming.com/2006/08/19/the-truth-about-sunscreen/feed/ 0 http://hommegrooming.com/2006/04/05/switch-it-up/ http://hommegrooming.com/2006/04/05/switch-it-up/#comments Wed, 05 Apr 2006 01:05:59 +0000 Nick http://hommegrooming.com/?p=6 It’s heating up around here and that means that it’s just about time to put away your winter moisturizer and swap in something a little lighter. Most guys get dry skin during the winter months, so it’s important to use a thicker, more moisturizing formula like Clinique’s Skin Supplies for Men Maximum Hydrator, but once the Spring and Summer months roll around, your skin can take on a shiny appearance. Guys are oil-prone for a number of reasons like hormones and heat, so it’s important to swap in a lighter moisturizer like Shiseido Men’s Moisturizing Emulsion. It dries quickly and won’t contribute to mug shine. If that’s still too thick, you could try their Hydrating Lotion.

Still having some shine troubles? Try an anti-shine moisturizer like Dermalogica’s Oil Control Lotion, which helps prevent oil production while soaking up the extras. It’s light and absorbs quickly. I tend to carry Shiseido Men’s Anti Shine Refresher in my bag. It has a cooling sensation when it goes on and a little goes a long way to clean up an oil slick.

And don’t forget about sunscreen! They’re not all created equal, as I’m sure you’ve heard. I’m a firm believer in sunscreens above SPF 15. SPF 15 is great if you’re not a pale redhead like me—I get sunburned when I open the refrigerator. If your moisturizer contains sunblocking ingredients and claims an SPF 15 rating, you should still consider adding another sunscreen on top of your moisturizer just to be safe. You might not put on enough moisturizer to get the full protection from the sunscreen ingredients. If you’re oil-prone and layering moisturizer and sunscreen leave your face oily, consider using your sunscreen alone. Most sunscreens include a number of moisturizing ingredients in them, so doubling up might not be necessary.  I’m a huge fan of La Roche-Posay’s Anthelios Fluide Extreme that comes at an SPF rating of 50+. Because it comes in a more liquid form instead of a thicker formula, you’re less likely to get so oily.

]]> http://hommegrooming.com/2006/04/05/switch-it-up/feed/ 0 http://hommegrooming.com/2006/04/03/face-it-spring-is-here/ http://hommegrooming.com/2006/04/03/face-it-spring-is-here/#comments Mon, 03 Apr 2006 17:31:00 +0000 Nick http://hommegrooming.com/?p=5 Get a head start on spring and summer with a tan that screams tropical getaway instead of fluorescent office tan. Spreading on a sunless tanner on your face is not as risky as it once was thanks to new formulations designed specifically for the needs of your face. So, stop reaching for the same tanner that you use to bronze up your chicken legs, and consider one of my six favorites. They won’t clog your pores with oils, and usually contain lower-levels of tanning agents, like dihydroxyacetone (DHA), for a subtle tan that appears after a few days of repeated use—which eliminates streaking, missed spots, awkward shades and all-knowing looks from coworkers that ruin you island tanning fantasy.

The All In One: L’Oreal Men’s Expert Healthy Look SPF 15 ($10.49, Coming Soon! drugstores nationwide)
Simplify your morning routine and get a tan with L’Oreal Paris’ Men’s Healthy Look SPF 15. This daily moisturizer is also a sunscreen and sunless tanner in one. While the propylene glycol moisturizes and Active Defense System’s peppermint helps soothe and prevent razor burn, the physical blockers offer protection against UVA and UVB rays and sugarcane-derived dihydroxyacetone (DHA) imparts a streak-free tan that deepens with each daily use. Perfect for the guy who likes to travel light.

The Choose Your Color: Jergen’s Natural Glow Face [Drugstore.com]
One tan does not fit all, and thanks to last year’s obsession with Natural Glow Body Moisturizer, Jergen’s brings Natural Glow Face in three shades to accommodate all skin tones from fair to dark skin tones. Now, guys with dark tans can enjoy the benefits of the build-a-tan—getting a subtle tan with the first application and achieving maximum results after a week of daily use. This oil-free moisturizer is packed with vitamin E, glycerin, tanning-agents DHA and erythrulose to create a balanced tan that works with your natural skin tone—not against it.

The Immediate Bronzer: Bella Bronze Olive & Grape Seed Extract Tinted Self-Tanner [BellaBronzeSun.com]
Tapping the natural resources of a small Mediterranean island near Sicily, Bella Bronze mixes antioxidant-rich tarocco oranges and grape seed extract with moisturizing hyaluronic acid, olive oil, and shea butter to improve skin texture. Henna, iron oxides and extracts for the erba ruggia flower create a subtle immediate color that help to prevent missed areas while the DHA and erythrulose-induced tan arrives about three hours later. Be sure to wait 15 minutes for the cream to absorb before getting dressed or you’ll find that more than just your face will get a little extra color.

The Beginner’s Cream: Neutrogena Build A Tan Face SPF 15 [Drugstore.com]
The pioneers of the build-a-tan are still on top for beginners, control freaks and guys with fair to medium skin tones who worry about the the tell-tale signs of fake tanning: streaks, splotches and orange hues. As one of the most customizable tanners, your tan will not get any darker that you like. Use it everyday in place of your daily moisturizer to get the color you want, then spread out touch-ups to two or three times a week. Guys with darker skin tones might find that it takes a while to achieve the color they want. With humectants like glycerin and beeswax, and SPF 15 for added sun protection, even pale guys can feel confident on the beach with a healthy looking tan instead of a sunburn.

The Low Maintenance: Coppertone Gradual Tan Faces [Drugstore.com]
If build-a-tans require too many days of slathering to achieve and maintain the color you want, Coppertone’s Gradual Tan Faces requires less of a commitment with fewer applications and more time between upkeep. Get a light but noticeable color with the first application and a deeper bronze tan within just three applications. Use it more frequently to get a darker tan or less frequently to lighten up until you’ve found the color that’s right for you. Infused with antioxidant vitamin e, and moisturizers provitamin B5 and glycerin, consider swapping your daily moisturizer for this two-in-one when you need a little extra color in your cheeks

The Quickie: Shiseido Men Moisturizing Self Tanner [MakeMeHeal]
Short on time? This quick absorbing moisturizer and self-tanner won’t make you wait to get dressed. In addition to DHA, this creamy emulsion includes amino acid thiotaurine and antioxidant green tea extract to curb excess oil, and Shiseido’s proprietary Damage Defense Complex to moisturize and strengthen skin’s protection against environmental aggressors. Used after cleansing and shaving, this emulsion can replace a moisturizer or aftershave and frequent use will deepen the tan. Color appears within two to three hours and lasts about a week, so it’s easy to pencil into your schedule.

]]> http://hommegrooming.com/2006/04/03/face-it-spring-is-here/feed/ 0