The scorching summer heat has descended upon the Carolinas. With all our time spent at the pool, the beach, and various outdoor sporting events, it’s essential to keep skin protected. There is a lot of chatter about choosing the right SPF products, so I caught up with our local go-to skin guru, Caci Di Russo, owner of Toccare Day Spa, to ask a few questions about summer skincare, needing SPF indoors, and to get the scoop on the best ways to prep and protect your skin from the harsh summer sun.
Choosing the Right SPF Products
In our last article with Toccare Day Spa ~ 5 Skincare Ingredients Every Woman Over 30 Needs to Know ~ Caci emphasized the importance of using SPF products in conjunction with certain serums and ingredients like Retin-A. That got me thinking about choosing an SPF. It may come as a surprise to you (it did to me), but several popular sunscreens, from leading brands, may contain toxic ingredients that could have harmful effects on you and your children.
“In 2019, when the federal Food and Drug Administration – the agency that governs sunscreen safety – proposed its most recent updates to sunscreen regulations, it found that only two ingredients, zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, could be classified as safe and effective, based on the currently available information. But in the past year, numerous new studies have raised new concerns about endocrine-disrupting effects from three other ingredients: homosalate, avobenzone and oxybenzone.” via www.ewg.org – full article at link
So where does that leave us? According to a recent post on Toccare’s blog, “mineral sunscreens are the safest option because they are made of naturally found minerals (zinc oxide and titanium dioxide) that protect the skin from harmful rays. These ingredients, unlike others found in chemical sunscreens, do not seep into the skin or have the potential to enter your bloodstream. Instead, they sit on-top of the skin and form a barrier which blocks UVA and UVB rays from reaching the skin. Not only is this safer for your internal health, but these ingredients can also help your skins exterior health, as they are naturally anti-inflammatory and serve as a barrier protector making them ideal for sensitive, acne-prone skin. If you’re someone who is concerned with anti-aging products, sunscreen should be one of the first things to add into your skincare routine!”
The most basic and easiest thing we can do to protect our skin is to make sure we have some level of SPF in our regular skincare regime. I started my chat with Caci by digging a little deeper into this topic and getting more information about sunscreens and products with SPF. When it comes to applying sunscreen products, especially the mineral ones, Caci recommends planning to apply sunscreen 1 hour prior to exposure and reapplying every two hours when in full sun. Below are the top green sunscreens she recommends and have found to be best sellers among clients.
Shop Sunscreen Products
Which Fall/ Winter Products Should be Discontinued for Summer?
Caci and her team suggest to clients that all deep exfoliation products should be done during the months between Halloween and Easter. And then deep cleansing and hydration should be the focus from Easter to Halloween. When it comes to products, products with retinol (shared in our last article) should be reserved for Halloween to Easter while vitamin C should be the hero ingredient between Easter and Halloween, as vitamin c boosts the skin’s natural defenses and targets hyperpigmentation. Caci’s tip on Vitamin C: “Make sure it is used with sunscreen! if the product doesn’t already contain SPF, a subsequent sunscreen product should be applied.” For more tips and info, check out this blog post on transitioning from Toccare.
Shop Vitamin C Products
Is it important to wear SPF indoors?
This is a point on sunscreen I’ve heard debated quite often so I asked Caci for her take on it. She said, “specific application of sunscreen isn’t needed when spending time indoors. Most makeup and skincare products have enough SPF in them to protect against any sun exposure you’d get going to or from your vehicle or during daily activities.” Caci also discussed the benefits of the sun and how small doses of unprotected sun exposure (about 15 minutes) at non-peak times are good for us. We get our vitamin D from the sun and that helps our bodies absorb other vitamins and nutrients that we need.
Toccare Recommended Relief
Caci has provided us all with a super simple and soothing home recovery treatment anyone can use after any amount of sun exposure. Pick up an actual aloe leaf (found in the produce section at most major grocery stores) and scoop the gel inside into a blender or mixer to blend with water. Use this mixture to soak several cotton rounds and put the rounds + the mixture into a tupperware container and keep cold. After sun exposure, use the cotton rounds on the skin for moisture + relief.
Finally, what are the best Toccare treatments for summer?
There are two services on the Toccare menu that Caci recommends for achieving deep cleansing + hydration in the summer. First is their popular Jet Clear Treatment facial enhancement. The Jet Clear is a hydro based treatment designed to deliver intense hydration while offering a deep cleanse and refreshing effect. The Jet Clear system infuses the skin with high pressured saline allowing it to fully penetrate and flush out the pores. This treatment is suitable for all skin types.
Caci’s second recommendation is a light enzyme peel/ vitamin c peel. You don’t want to compromize the barrier of the skin in the summer months so choosing a lighter peel will keep you refreshed and protected.
About Toccare Day Spa
Caci and her team are always ready to meet you and your skincare needs. While they prefer to spend time with each client’s skin and needs to provide a tailored experience, they are available Monday- Saturday at two Charlotte locations if you need to pick up a product or want to try any of the wonderful services they offer.
Myers Park:
Email: myerspark@toccaredayspa.com
Address: 715 Providence Rd Charlotte, NC 28207
Text or Call: 704-562-1912
Hours:
Mon + Fri: Â 9 am – 6 pm
Tues – Thurs: Â 9 am – 7 pm
Sat: Â 9 am – 4 pm
Sun: CLOSED
Dilworth:
Email: dilworth@toccaredayspa.com
Address: 1419 East Blvd Charlotte, NC 28203
Text or Call: 704-614-7503
Hours:
Mon + Fri: Â 9 am – 6 pm
Tues – Thurs: Â 9 am – 7 pm
Sat: Â 9 am – 4 pm
Sun: CLOSED
