Keeping germs at bay with sensitive skin August 21, 2015 10:10

The topic of hand washing usually comes up in the winter season, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't talk about it throughout the whole year.

We all know washing our hands thoroughly and frequently is the best way to stop the spread of germs and reduce our risk of getting sick. But what are we supposed to do if we have sensitive skin that gets angrier with each washing?

I know for me, I often went back and forth between washing frequently only to suffer with itchy, scaly hands; and avoiding washing my hands which usually resulted in catching a bug.

That was, until I discovered what ingredients my skin reacted to (hint: SLS among other things), and found a soap that worked for me and our whole family.

In our house, we keep Purple Urchin soap at each sink, and I actually look forward to sudsing up and catching a waft of my personal favourite, Lavender Limeade.

-R

Sunscreens: different types. Who knew? August 17, 2015 10:19 1 Comment

We are nearing the end of August, but summer hasn't left us just yet.

The sun is still shining (yay!) which means that a lot of us fellow Canadians are still spending as much time as we can outside.

Sunscreen can play an important role in your skincare regime especially during the summer months, and for those of us with sensitive skin, finding the right one can be a bit of a journey.

Sunscreens are classified according to their active ingredients and whether they contain physical filters or chemical filters, or both.

According to the Health Canada website:

Chemical filters absorb some of the UVA and UVB radiation and convert it into heat.

Physical filters are small particles (usually zinc oxide or titanium dioxide) that scatter and reflect both UVB and UVA radiation.

Our family chooses to use physical barrier sunscreen like Green Beaver's which allow us to safely spend as much time as we can outside.

Enjoy the rest of the summer!

-R