Eucerin Skin First Prize Pack giveaway ($50 Sunglass Hut gift card!)

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{CLOSED} I am a Eucerin Skin First Ambassador, along with a few other amazing women. The idea behind the Eucerin Skin First network is to help and educate others about skin care.  I will also be bringing you healthy skin tips, and important information during the year, thanks to Eucerin.  This month I have new skin care facts and tips for you, as well as a Eucerin prize pack giveaway! Last month I posted about Eucerin and also some skin care tips for Summer. As Summer is drawing to an end, Eucerin wants to remind us that we still need to take care of our skin, for beauty and health reasons. I have been diligent about using the Eucerin products I received, and I feel armed with knowledge about the harmful effects of the sun’s rays. I also took the pledge on the Eucerin Skin First Facebook page.

Late summer highlights an important theme in the Skin FIRST movement; the dichotomy of risks and benefits of the sun’s warming rays. Though it provides us with vitamin D and a healthy outwards appearance, the sun’s rays can also inflict damage over both the short-term as well as over the course of our lifetime. Although sunburns and sunstroke are the most evident signs of over-exposure to the sun, we also have to be aware of the cumulative effects of sun exposure over the course of our lifetimes. In fact, up to 80 percent of our lifetime sun exposure is reached by the age of 20. But as we get older, we have a naturally decreasing ability to repair the damage caused by sun exposure. We have to take additional steps to properly maintain our skin as it becomes increasingly easier for it to burn, wrinkle and develop cancers. Even as our largest organ, we sometimes forget that our skin is our first line of defense against infections and diseases. Over time, sun exposure can actually weaken our skin and suppress our immune systems. This leaves our bodies more vulnerable to both skin diseases like cancer as well as viruses that can take advantage of our sun-weakened skin.

This is wonderful in formation!  I know I have been much more diligent about caring for my skin the older I get.  Initially my concern was that I didn’t want to get wrinkles, but at I get older, I have many more concerns.  I always want to look my best, and continue to look young as long as I can, but more importantly, I do not want to get skin cancer.  I sometimes forget that the skin is the human body’s largest organ, and it is very susceptible to damage.  It isn’t protected the way our other organs are. FACTOR #1 – SUNLIGHT: The strength of sunlight is the main factor for the quantity of UV radiation your skin can be exposed to. Latitude, altitude, time of day, season and cloud coverage can all have a dramatic effect on the sun’s impact on our skin. Even reflected sunlight from windows, pavement, water, snow and sand can raise the risk of overexposure. FACTOR #2 – SKIN COLOR: As skin color is determined by the amount of melanin present in the skin, ethnicity can also play a large role in sun exposure. Often a result of a group’s distance from the equator (and its stronger sunlight), darker skins are more resistant to the effects of sunlight than fairer skins. African-Americans, for example, are 20 times less likely to develop melanoma than those with white skin.2 Conversely, one study found that African-American women aged 15 to 49 have more than 20 times the risk of vitamin D deficiency than Caucasians.  Different skin colors will react to UV rays at different speeds. So one should be mindful of her skin’s susceptibilities when considering her exposure time or adding protection. FACTOR #3 – SUNSCREEN: The strength of sunscreen is determined by its Sun Protection Factor (SPF), a number that measures the amount of UV radiation required to sunburn with the sunscreen on, relative to the amount that would burn skin without it. For example, SPF-15 allows about 1/15 (about 6%) of the UV rays that would penetrate the skin without the sunscreen on. SPF-30 would allow 1/30 (about 3%) and so on. Summer is coming to an end soon, but that doesn’t mean we should let our guard down when it comes to protecting our skin.  The sun will be shining in the months ahead, and sunscreen and skin care is so very important.  Towards the end of summer, many of us look for ways to make sure the sense of freedom and relaxation we find outdoors stays with us in the coming months. This makes August an ideal time to look for ways to enrich your whole self, physically  and mentally.  Eucerin can help!  Last month I posted about taking the Eucerin Skin First pledge to put your skin first.  Have you done this yet?  It is so simple, and it is something you can do for yourself and hopefully you will encourage those you love to take the pledge too! You can also get a complimentary product by taking the Skin FIRST pledge on the Eucerin Facebook page through the Skin FIRST tab (supplies are limited, so you might want to hurry!) To help you in protecting your skin, Eucerin is offering a new prize pack to one of my readers! THE GIVEAWAY: One winner will receive a Eucerin Prize Pack which includes a $50 Sunglass Hut gift card Eucerin Everyday Protection Lotion in 15 and 30! Entering is simple. Can I count on you to take the pledge for healthy skin? For first (and required) entry, take the Eucerin Skin first Pledge by clicking the button below!  Come back and let me know in a comment that you have done so.

Click above to take the pledge!

Head over to Eighty MPH Mom, where you can win a Eucerin prize pack – a $50 Sunglass Hut gift card and Eucerin lotions!