Is there such thing as anti-aging, "healthy" sunscreen?

So let’s talk about what we’re trying to combat, the aging process. There’s to forms of aging, intrinsic and actinic aging and you’ve probably heard me talk about this before but it’s so important; those two factors alone, 10% being intrinsic or due to hereditary in skin type. If you’re a fair skinned person you’re going to age quicker. If you’re a dark skinned person it means you have more melanin in your skin which is a natural defense mechanism, you’re going to age slower. But the reality is intrinsic aging is only 10% of the aging process or what you see visibly. It’s that matter deteriorating because it’s the law of nature that matter deteriorates. So I want to take you to something visual to help you understand this.


Think about an apple on a tree and when that apple falls to the ground and when it’s exposed to the environment, how long do you think it really lasts? Because nature’s law is that it deteriorates. You’re probably going to get three to four days before the sun and the environment attacks it and takes all the moisture out of it and it shrivels up and it’s completely uneatable. Now if you take that same apple and you pick it from the tree and you preserve it and you protect it and you put a coating on it to save it, that apple can actually make it to market six months later.

So that’s the whole premise of protection, putting a coating of some kind to fight off environmental factors so that you can prolong that matter deteriorating the skin, it’s not different. We are no different as human beings. So I want you to visually think about that as we go through this and understand that you want to protect the surface of the skin. You want to protect it from the factors that it is exposed to in the environment. And then you’re protecting that 10% of matter deteriorating.

Now the other type of aging is actinic aging and that unbelievably accounts for 90% of the visible signs of aging. Actinic aging is exposure to the sun. And when you look at the sun’s rays there are really three forms of identifiable rays, UVA, UVB, and UVC. Now UVC rays are stopped by the ozone layer and they don’t make it to our earth. They’re very deadly and very detrimental to human beings and life on this planet. They’re protected by the ozone layer. And that’s why so many people are concerned about the ozone layer.

UVB rays are the next medium length ray. That goes through the ozone layer; it bounces off the surface of the skins. Now UVB stands for burning, it burns the skin. This is what causes skin cancer. Now when you look at UVA rays, that’s the longest ray and that ray penetrates the ozone layer, it penetrates the surface of the skin and destroys collagen elastin underneath the skin’s surface. So that’s where you get wrinkling and sagging and aging. So you really have to look at protection very, very broadly and get broad spectrum ingredients that will protect against UVA and UVB rays.

You want to protect the surface of the skin and you want to protect underneath the skin. Keeping the collagen and elastin in tact and keeping the surface of the skin safe from the burning rays of UVB, those are the things that cause cancer. So I hope you understand from hearing that that we really have to take a comprehensive approach to protecting the skin and that’s why when we formulated before we used broad spectrum sun screens that I’ll get in to. And then we used key RE9 elements which are anti-aging elements to help support the skin’s natural functions in keeping that aging process at a slow pass.

60% of Americans still actively seek a sun tan, that’s the skin’s first indication of sun damage, and less then 30% of Americans apply sun screen while on vacation and less then 20% wear sun screen year round. Before Sun products are for everyday use. They’re not just for the beach or your next vacation. Before Sun can and should be used everyday in conjunction with your regular skincare regimen.

Through AIRD, the Arbonne Institute of Reach and Development, we have developed a line of sun care anti-aging products that are very unique in the market place. Now when you look at the marketplace and you see sun screen in it most people look and focus on the level of SPF, is it an 8, is it a 10, is it a 40. Well of course we’ve looked at those factors but we’ve also incorporated the technology and the advancements that we learned through AIRD and we have a true anti-aging sun care line that has broad spectrum SPF factors.

So let’s talk about. The sun care products and one color product in our Before Sun care line. We have introduced broad sun screen ingredients, UVA and UVB protectors. So we’re not only absorbing light, we’re reflecting light and we’re getting a broad spectrum protection and that’s really, really important when it comes to sun screen. The type of sun screens used is very, very important.

We’ve also incorporated RE9 anti-aging elements. We recognize that UVA rays especially when they penetrate the skin’s surface they wreak havoc on collagen and elastin and that’s what gives our skin support and structure. So we’ve incorporated those ingredients that help to support the natural function of producing collagen and elastin. We’ve also incorporated vitamin C. Now Vitamin C on its own is a great anti-oxidant it protects against free radicals. Free radicals are very destructive to healthy skin cells. And we’ve used it in the pro-vitamin C form, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate so the skin is getting its best advantage from vitamin C. This also supports the healthy development of collagen and elastin. It helps our skin perform naturally and healthfully at the same time it’s being exposed to something that can be very detrimental.

We also incorporated peptides. Now those are protein strands. What we’ve learned from incorporating Peptides into skincare products is that we can enhance the skin’s own natural ability to build collagen and elastin. So not only are we using broad spectrum SPF ingredients or sun protection factor ingredients, we’re incorporation key anti-aging elements. We’re giving you a double bang in these products so that you can in fact fight the factors of the aging process.

Now that you understand Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate and vitamin C, we’ve put all of these ingredients including the SPF into a viable, targeted, delivery system. This is something we are very proud of here at Arbonne. Microscopic spheres that allow you to take key ingredients, target them, and deliver them in the skin’s surface. They are very, very important. They are what help bring Peptides, which are protein strands to the surface of the skin. And these protein strands are also very important in helping the skin’s own natural functions in developing collagen and elastin. So we have great tone and texture, visible improvement on the skin while at the same time we’re protecting against the sun. That’s the most important part because remember 90% of the visible signs of aging are due to sun exposure.

Now on top of using those key anti-aging elements we’ve also not deviated from our foundation base on herbal and botanical principal. There’s nothing new about the fact that herbs through nature have everything they need to provide a benefit. When you look at the chemical breakdown on an herb, one herb alone, you’ll see a amino acid profile. These are the building blocks to proteins. You’ll see a trace mineral profile which helps with firmness and tone and texture of the skin. Then you’ll see a vitamin profile.

All of this is a natural complex within one herbal extract. These herbs when incorporated into formulations give you the benefits of all of those aspects of their natural chemical complexes. Again, we never deviate from our foundation, pure, safe, beneficial, based on herbal and botanical principals, and in this case using highly advanced anti-aging ingredients in a highly advanced delivery system.

So let’s talk about what we’re combating with these ingredients. We talked about UVA, aging process, loss of elasticity, sagging of the skin. We have broad spectrum ingredients in there that protect against UVA rays those being Parsol 1789 this is a trade marked ingredient, it is one of the most recent introductions to the cosmetic world as far as being a great UVA light absorber and it is really highly affective in these formulations and our delivery system. Now UVB rays which we’re also trying to combat here, those cause pigmented aged spots, discoloration of the skin and skin cancer; we use oxybenzone and we use also zinc oxide which area light reflectors, these are minerals. So we have broad spectrum ingredients to get sun protection faster.

Let’s talk about factor because I know people say all the time; well, this is only an 8 or this is only a 15, my dermatologist recommends a 45. The reality is that sun protection factor and the number stands for how many times longer you can stay in the sun without receiving damage. The higher level sun screens you go to; the 30’s, the 45’s, the 60’s simply means that they have higher levels of the ingredients in there to sustain its ability to protect from the sun.

Let’s look at each of the products. Save Face & Body SPF 15. Again SPF 15 standing for, I can stay 15 times longer in the sun then if I had nothing and still have full protection. I want you to hear this when I say this, most people experience damage from exposure to sun within the first 60 seconds so 15 times really isn’t that long of a period of time when you take into consideration how quickly the sun can damage your skin. In the case of a 15, in the case of this product not being water proof, you would reapply this often; if you’re out on a daily activity, or you would wear it underneath your foundation and underneath your daily skincare regimen this will support your sun protection faster. It is daily used, it can be used everyday. It can be used underneath every single Arbonne product. It is an oil and water emulsion and it can be used with any of the Arbonne products because it absorbs very quickly.

Another thing I want you to remember is that all sun screens must be applied prior to going in the sun. You can’t go out, lay by the pool, expect to get a little bit of color and then apply the sun screen. You’re going to get sunburned because remember it happens very quickly. Most sun screens need to be applied at least 15 to 30 minutes before exposure to be affective. So keep that in mind.

The next product I want to talk about is Damage Control SPF 30. This is a water resistant sun screen. What is the difference between water resistant and water proof? In our case we use heavy emollients or oils to repel water and make it water resistant. This is the safest way to make a product water safe. If you use water proof, you have to use higher levels of chemicals that are absorbed into the skin and that can be very irritating and that’s something we don’t want to have at Arbonne. So we use heavy oils, we use it in a heavy emollient emulsion and it repels water. Now in the case of this product it is specifically designed for outdoor activities, water sports and in our studies it showed that its affectivity at 30% SPF factor was still viable after 40 minutes in the water. It’s a very affective water resistant sun screen.

We have Glow With It, After Sun Lotion this is an emollient moisturizer laden with botanicals specifically there to support anti-inflammatory or inflammation, redness, to stabilize or normalize the skin after it may have been exposed to extreme environmental conditions. This is a really, really great moisturizer when the skin has been exposed. Every single botanical in this product focus is around anti-inflammatory; cooling, soothing, and all those things that happen to the skin when it’s been exposed to the sun. It also helps to prolong a healthy, safe tan because it helps the skin cells stay moisturized and stay in tact for a longer period of time.

The next product I want to talk about and this is To the Rescue, Hair Protectant. This is a spray on, leave in conditioner. Why aren’t we claiming SPF here? It’s because the FDA recognizes hair and defines it as dead protein. You can’t protect something that’s already dead. So they will not allow you to make an SPF claim for a product to protect the hair. The reality is that by putting in sun screen ingredients light absorbers and light reflectors you can protect the hair strands from the damage of the sun. Most of us in today’s society have some kind of color treatment in our hair.

We’ve either damaged it or we have hair color in it. A product like this will help reflect the light and keep your color true much longer. It also, because it’s in a delivery system will absorb into the hair strand and protect it from the conditions of the environment. So you’re going to have healthy, shiny, conditioned hair even though it’s been exposed to the elements like the sun, like the wind, like salt water at the beach or the ocean. This is your best defense to keep your hair healthy and shiny even when you’re out in activities that are exposing it to these harmful environmental stresses.

The next product, Lip Saver SPF 30. We also put a high level SPF in there, 30 because we really want to protect our lips against the environmental stresses. Remember that as we age repetitive movements cause deeper lines and wrinkles. The minute you open your mouth and talk or drink water, you’re engaging in a repetitive movement.

You want to not only protect it from the sun but you want to deliver ingredients that will help combat that repetitive movement, put anti-aging elements in there so that you can build strong collagen and elastin so that you can support your skin’s natural ability to do that while at the same time protecting it from the sun.

The next product I’m going to talk about is Liquid Sunshine, Tan Enhancer, SPF 15. What’s interesting about this and what you’re probably wondering is, here you’re telling me not to get a tan and now you’re telling I can enhance my tan with a product. This product is really cool and unique in that it has self tanning abilities activated by sun and heat. If you’re going to be outside, if you’re going to be in an activity, if you’re going to be lounging by the pool, you can use the liquid sunshine tan enhancer, be fully protected from the sun while at the same those ingredients in there that are activated by the heat and the sun, they give you a nice healthy glow. It’s a safe way to get a tan when you’re out in the environment. Just like everybody else you’ll be lounging by the pool, you’ll be protected from the sun, and yet you’ll come out with a healthy glow. It’s the healthy, safe way to get a tan.

The next product is Made In The Shade, Self Tanner, SPF 15. Remember we put SPF in all of these products because we want people to have the protection necessary to get to market. You want to be that apple that makes it six months after being exposed to the environment by putting a protective coating on your skin; this is your best defense. In the case of Made In The Shade, this is a self tanner product that is formulated specifically to turn and convert melanin into a darker tone in the shade, no sun needed, no heat needed, no activation needed. It is a really cool delivery system in a spraying mist.
You have to shake the bottle well to get the ingredients mixed but once you spray it on it’s so easy to apply, it’s easily absorbed because it’s not in a cream base you don’t run as big a risk as getting uneven pigmentation or changes by applying around your elbows and your ankles; you’ve applied self tanners before. It’s a really convenient way to apply a self tanner. It gives you a nice, natural color and it smoothes on evenly and absorbs quickly and it’s a very, very safe way while delivering an SPF 15. So you can put your self tanner on and go in the sun and know that you’re protected.

The last product I want to talk about is No Sun Intended which is the bronzing powder. This is back by popular demand. Bronzing powders are designed just to add a healthy glow to wherever you want to put that on your skin. It can be on your upper chest, on your nose, on your cheeks, on your forehead. It’s a natural way to get a healthy glow without exposing your skin to the sun. This is a luxurious powder. It’s mineral based, it’s not talc based and so it gives you a nice even color without a powdery flakey finish. Again this comes with a giant Kabuki brush for easy application and really helps you get a healthy natural glow without exposing yourself to the sun.

This is what the Before Sun products are all about, before being the support to the after. It’s really; really important to understand that you need to incorporate these products with RE9 Advanced because RE9 anti-aging products are designed to support after the damage is done. These two are working together to provide great benefits. I think what you’re going to see over time, because the Baby Boomers are getting older, is that mainstream publications are going to educate people to the benefits of using a sun screen and you are perched and ready with the finest, most advanced, anti-aging sun care line Before Sun. Such an exciting time for Arbonne.