Summer time!

Great time to get out into that warm sunshine and soak in those rays?

Not without some protection!

I remember when I was younger and there was a huge fad with laying in the sun to toast yourself to get a deep tan. Being very fair skinned myself, this always resulted in sun burns and some of them were quite severe. I remember one summer in particular that I wanted to get a tan and be like everyone else. I laid in the sun and the result was a severe burn across my back that created so much pain and such large blisters that I had to wear loose cotton t-shirts and have salve put on my back to relieve the pain. Well, I learned the hard way, protect your skin when you are in the sun.

While there seems to be this belief that a nice toasty tone to your skin gives you the look of health, that is just not true. There are lots of articles out there and reams of research about the negative effects of the sun and its potential to damage your skin over the long term. Once the tone or color of your skin changes as a result of UV rays, the damage has been done. This also shoots the theory of creating a “base tan” as a way to protect your skin.

What to do when fun in the sun is not so fun after all.

So what do you do if you are unfortunate enough to get a sun burn?

Keep it cool! Use either a cold compress or soak in a cool tub to bring down the heat. I would not recommend using any salts or suds but perhaps a herbal bath with the Tres Spa Tub Teas especially Romance or Sanctuary.

Keep it moist! Using a lotion, cream or a body butter can help create moisture for your skin. I have many customers who use the Tres Spa Naked Body Butter. When I am asked by people what I use, this is the one. A body butter works to lay down a thicker coating of the skin than a lotion or even a cream since it contains no water. Continue to use the moisturizer as the dead skin peels away as this will help the new skin as well.

Here is a great article with simple steps to help relieve a burn from the Mayo Clinic:Sunburn

If you experience severe sun burn or other exposure symptoms such as dizziness, headache, or vomiting, you should seek immediate medical attention.

Best defense? Don’t be there to receive the offence.

Okay so we’ve all heard about the benefits of a little daily dose of sunshine and the rays providing the much needed vitamin D. You don’t want to live in a cave hiding away from those lovely happy and inviting rays of the sun so you know you are going to get outside and enjoy. Who could blame you? Do yourself a favor though and avoid all of the hassle and pain with toasting your skin by protecting yourself.

The best ways to protect your skin from damaging rays are;

Avoid the sun during the hours of 10am to 4pm

Wear protective clothing. Lose fitting clothes that cover the skin and hats to protect your face and neck.

Use liberal amounts of a sunscreen with a high SPF value.

To learn more about Tres Spa and to see a full list of products available, please visit our on-line store at www.tresspa.com

So what's the difference between a Body Butter and a Lotion?

What is the difference between a body butter and a lotion?
At the base they are very similar. Both are important items in keeping your skin supple, both are designed to help keep your skin moist, and both can be used from head to toe. But they differ in the composition of oils and butters as well as in preservation, absorption rate, and consistency.

Body Butters are made from the nut butters of various plants like Shea, Cocoa, Kukui, and Mango to name a few. Some are based on only one butter and others combine more than one type of nut butter. There are also body butters that whip the nut butters with other oils like the one we make at Tres Spa. The
Tres Spa Whipped Body Butters tend to spread easier on the skin out of the jar where more solid butters take some warming from your skin’s heat to improve spread ability. I also prefer the whipped butter since I can add other ingredients that are beneficial for your skin like Vit E and Aloe Vera gel.

Another key difference in body butters is that they do not require additional preservatives since they contain no water. We do add a antioxidant though to help prolong the shelf life for you. We use ROE which a natural antioxidant. In addition, many of the essential oils we use in our custom blends will act as an added antioxidant.

All butters are sensitive to external heat and if your butter is exposed to a heat source, it will melt. Don’t panic though. All you need to do is chill the butter and it will return to a more solid state. Butters are great for laying down a thinker moisture barrier to help keep your skin feeling supple and soft. Since the body butters are thicker than a lotion or a cream, they do take longer to absorb in. I recommend using the body butter just after you shower since your skin is more able to absorb the nutrients as the pores are open. Another great use for body butters is for massage.

Lotions are much thinner since, in addition to other things, they contain water and since there is water they also require a preservative. There is much debate about preservatives and which ones may be harmful . Tres Spa lotions are paraben free. They do contain EDTA for a preservative at less than .1%. You can read more about this preservative at Cometicsaftey.org. Here is the direct link to information about EDTA: http://tinyurl.com/m4gzwz

Lotions may contain a nut butter but predominantly they are made of other oils and various additives. For the Tres Spa lotion we have chamomile extract and green tea extract as an addition. Since lotions are thinner, they are faster to absorb into the skin. The oils in lotion (as well as some of the additives they may have) still make an excellent moisturizer . Since they are less susceptible to heat conditions, they are a great companion to carry around with you during your day so you can apply when you feel you need it. Butters aren’t as good for this as they will melt in heat.

If you would like to learn more about our products, please visit our on-line store at www.tresspa.com