There's a handful of things that can scare you into wearing sunscreen: fine lines, age spots, wrinkles on wrinkles, a killer burn. But when you have a darker complexion, it's easy to think that all of these sun-related skin issues don't apply, because you erroneously think you're immune to the sun's aging rays. The harsh reality is, UVA and UVB rays are dangerous to everybody, no matter how dark your complexion is. And where more serious consequences like skin cancer are concerned, dark-skinned people may be at an even greater risk.
Raise your hand if you've ever gotten an embarrassing, lobster-like sunburn or a dorky farmer's tan. Yup, us too. What about having tanorexic tendencies by soaking up the sun any chance you get and/or hitting up the tanning bed for that insta-bronze and rush of endorphins? Check. Or what about arduously applying sunscreen, but missing that big patch on your upper back, the tops of your feet or your scalp? Check. If you're guilty as charged to some of these sunscreen offenses, then let's get with it already and make healthy skin a priority.
Poor pores. Even though they're essential for a healthy complexion (they release protective oils onto the surface of your skin), we like to think we'd be better off without them. Unfortunately, it's a bit of a myth that we can shrink our pores down to micro size. Their magnitude is largely determined by our genes. The good news is, treating skin right (hello, daily sunscreen!) can help keep pore size in check. The rest comes down to sleight of hand. Here, the 10 latest and greatest products to help make your pores do a disappearing act.
Aging is an inevitable and, dare we say, enviable byproduct of living a long and joyful life. But showing the signs of that forward-moving clock? Well, that is something we have control over. As they say, knowledge is power -- and here at TotalBeauty.com, we are always on the hunt for info that will help us help you look and feel your best. Recently, we were invited to study with the RoC® Academy™, a new online tool from the skin-care brand RoC® that explains some common misconceptions about retinols and tested our anti-aging IQs. (We're happy to report: We passed with flying colors!)
Let's face it: Being a mom is one of the hardest jobs out there. And, thanks to things like college funds, family vacations and, you know, feeding a family, most of us lack the cash -- and time -- for a beauty salon treatment, a spa massage or facial. That's why we asked spa owners, beauty authors and brands for relaxing, DIY at-home recipes to help mom unwind on Mother's Day. All of these are quick, easy and you can make them with stuff that's already in your kitchen.
Ah, springtime. The sun is out, the flowers are blooming ... aaand you're sneezing up your lungs, unleashing a flood of tears every two seconds and scratching your skin repeatedly. Yes, allergy season is officially upon us and allergists say we're in for a doozy this season, thanks to the atypically long winter.
Neutrogena is a drugstore fave — who among us didn't reach for their products during our acne-prone teen years? The brand has many standouts in the skincare, sunscreen and hair categories — and a fair share of duds. See which to buy and which to avoid according to TotalBeauty.com members.
After slathering on a slew of serums, creams, lotions, sunscreens, oils, we've come up with the end-all be-all guide for the best beauty products for your face. Think of us as your skin-savvy friend who can give you the best recommendations for face products (without being annoyingly offensive), like acne treatments that won't make your skin and flaky mess, and dark spot correctors that erase sun damage.
I didn't start out as a pimply person. In high school, I had relatively good skin. I occasionally got red spots, but they healed quickly and went away on their own.
Cold weather is good for some things like skiing, snowmen and the occasional hot toddy consumption, but for your skin, it's torture. That's why, by the time spring comes around, your dry, cracked skin is fed up and ready for a little taste of spring time weather.
If you've seen the movie "Bride Wars," you're familiar with the hysterical scene where Kate Hudson's character switches out the color in her frenemy Anne Hathaway's spray tanning booth. What happens? Hathway's character steps out and realizes she's become Manhattan's first Oompa-Loompa.
Sometimes your regular skin care routine just doesn't cut it for combating the dry, dull and rough skin that crops up in winter, and it needs a little extra TLC to get soft and healthy-looking again. Which is why we asked 20 women to shake up their beauty regimens and rethink the way they use Vaseline® Jelly, a true wonder product that deeply moisturizes to heal dry skin. Turns out, there are quite a few ways to use Vaseline® Jelly. Like, oh, about a zillion. From a rich overnight treatment that locks in moisture to a hydrating exfoliating scrub, Vaseline® Jelly was put to the test in every way that you can imagine -- and our reviewers even discovered a few totally DIY beauty treatments. But does Vaseline® Jelly work better than their regular skin care products? See what our reviewers have to say.
Like braces and heartbreak, acne is something most of us endured as teens. Eventually, you outgrow those epic awkward years, but in a cruel twist of fate, acne can rear its red, inflamed head well into adulthood -- especially in winter. Cold winter weather means there is less moisture in the air, which leads to drier skin. To compensate for lost moisture, the skin overproduces sebum, which combines with dead skin cells to block hair follicles. Then, boom: You break out.
Fewer things can take your skin from dull and dry to radiant and glowing faster than microdermabrasion. The heavy-duty exfoliation process can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles in addition to unclogging pores and evening out skin tone. But popping into the spa for treatments can drain your wallet and suck up your free time.
Everyone has their pet peeves in the realm of skin care. Wrinkles, blackheads, enlarged pores, acne, dark circles -- the list is practically endless. Although certain conditions can be influenced by your skin type, age or lifestyle, the likelihood of some problems can hinge on your skin tone. Case in point: African American women are more likely to suffer from keloid scars, ingrown hairs, hyperpigmentation and eczema -- four skin conditions that are not only more prevalent in dark skin, but sometimes hard to detect and to treat.
Hyperpigmentation, dark spots, manchas -- there are many names for those unfortunate, darkened patches that pop up on your face and body. Latin women are particularly prone to dark spots, which is why it has become the No. 1 skin care issue among Latinas. Not only is this skin issue difficult to treat in darker skin tones, there are also many ways that women unintentionally make their spots even worse. (Uh, super-manchas?) That's why it's crucial to understand why you get dark spots -- how they form, why they stick around, and how you can start to knock 'em out.
We could tell you all of the gory side effects of spending too much time in the sun. We could list all of the harm sun damage causes (wrinkles, freckles, tumors, skin cancer). We could scare you with statistics about melanoma and skin cancer (two million people are diagnosed every year). We could tell you the number of people who die every year because of this horrible, mostly preventable disease (as many as 8,800 in 2012). And how's this for terrifying: every year, there are more new cases of skin cancer diagnosed than breast, prostate, lung and colon cancer ... combined.