LOVE . SUN . BEAUTY

Q: Can clouds and wrinkles?

A: Yes and no. Let’s start with the no. Clouds do not emit anything dangerous or damaging to our skin. They don’t have much of an effect on our skin or body, other than the fact that they can impact how hot or cold or sunny or overcast it is outside.

Indirectly, clouds can cause wrinkles and it’s largely because we think clouds actually protect us from the sun. 

During sunny days, we know we should be wearing sunscreen, UV wear, sunglasses, and a hat when outdoors. When it’s cloudy or overcast out, we often neglect using them. We don’t think it’s sunny enough to wear sunglasses so we leave them in our car, and we assume UV rays aren’t damaging our skin because we can’t see the sun.

However, even on cloudy days, the sun is still present. It’s so powerful and strong that, even through clouds, the sun’s UV rays are penetrating our skin, causing wrinkles, sun spots, and, possibly, skin cancer. Even if you live in Seattle, you should be protecting yourself just as much as you would if you lived in Los Angeles.

You should make it a rule of thumb that whenever you go outdoors, you should protect your skin premature aging. On your face, always wear sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher and sunglasses. For your body and particularly your hands and chest (which are quick to age due to sun damage), wear a wrap and gloves made with UPF 50+. We recommend Sundriven driving gloves and seven-way wrap, both of which are stylish, comfortable, and luxurious.

The best way to remember to protect your skin is to make it a daily habit. It may help to leave a tube of sunscreen, a UV wear wrap, and sunglasses by your front door so you never forget to use them before you leave the house.

Gloves have been around since the beginning of fashion. The “clothing of hands,” gloves have evolved to coincide with changing fashions. In a series of articles, we’ll be looking at glove fashions throughout history. Today, we’re focusing on the late 1800s.

Throughout the 1800s, gloves were a very popular fashion accessory for women. There were a number of etiquette rules regarding when you could wear gloves and when it was considered improper. Typically, gloves were worn for any type of public occasion and event, such as having tea during the day, attending sporting events, and evening dances and dinners.

 During the 1890s, fashion was approaching the Edwardian period of the early 1900s. For the entire 1890 decade, long, full-length suede gloves with buttons running along the side were the most popular style. Some gloves could have upwards of 20 buttons! The most common colors were beige, brown, and gray. Other popular styles included silk and leather, though not as popular as suede. These gloves were tight fitting and took quite a bit of time to put on, as you had to button and unbutton them to put them on and take them off. To match such long gloves, women typically wore dresses with short sleeves. These dresses typically had bustles, to make the backside look larger. Gloves were worn in both warm and cold weather. While men often removed them to shake hands, women typically kept them on.

Gloves made quite a statement in the 1890s and quickly revealed a woman’s social and economic standing. A woman wouldn’t dare go out in public with wrinkled or dirty gloves, or ones out of style. Today, gloves may not be as common, but women still wear them year-round.

A fashionable long glove is Sundriven’s long touchscreen-friendly gloves, which provide UPF 50+ protection from UVA and UVB rays. These gloves are proof that women can still wear gloves while still looking fashion-forward and stylish.

One of the biggest winter beauty no-nos is to stop wearing sunscreen. It doesn’t matter what the temperature outside is. The sun is so powerful, UV rays easily pass through clouds. In winter, it’s especially important to take care of your skin. You should be moisturizing and protecting from sun damage. Depending on your skin type, you may need significantly more moisture during the wintertime and your average morning moisturizer and sunscreen combo may not cut it.

When it comes to layering products, there’s a specific order in which to apply. You want to start with the lightest product, such as a serum. Next, even if your sunscreen is thicker than your moisturizer, you should still apply your sunscreen first. You want to make sure your sunscreen can fully absorb into your skin. If you apply moisturizer first, the sunscreen may not completely sink into your skin and provide complete protection.

As we approach winter, here is your go-to morning skincare routine:

If you have dry skin, wash your face with a cream face wash. After patting dry, apply a lightweight serum, such as Fresh’s Hydrating Face Serum. Let the serum soak into your skin for one to two minutes. Next, apply a sunscreen with at least SPF 30+. Make sure it protects against both UVA and UVB rays! A great newer offering is Murad’s Invisiblur™ Perfecting Shield. Once you’ve applied a thick layer of sunscreen, wait at least three minutes for it to soak into your skin. Finally, follow with a day moisturizer.

Even if you have oily or combination skin, you still want to moisturize. Start with a lightweight sunscreen. We love the Supergoop! Anti-Aging City Sunscreen Serum SPF 30. It’s very lightweight, as it’s a serum, but protects against both UVA and UVB rays. Once your sunscreen has set, follow with a non-oily moisturizer, like Clinique’s Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel. Gel moisturizers are ideal for oily and combination skin, as it’s more water-based and, therefore, less greasy.

Most dermatologists recommend that you don’t apply more than three formulas at a time. Along with your moisturizer and sunscreen, you could also apply a serum, but don’t apply anything else. Applying too many products can overwhelm your skin and can possibly prevent certain ingredients from working. When in doubt, try to find products that can double as both moisturizers and sunscreens.

Beyond your skincare, make sure you protect your body from sun damage as well. Stay warm and protected with the Sundriven Lena 6-way hooded wrap. You can wear it in – yep, you guessed it! – six different ways. The botanical fabric keeps you warm, without ever feeling clammy or sweaty. Best of all, the fabric has UPF 50+.