I Always Wear Protection. The Truth About Sunscreen.

What's the difference between Chemical and Chemical-Free Sunscreens?
Chemical sunscreens contain man-made chemicals that absorb UV rays. They are colorless and odorless. Recent research has discovered that many of these synthetic ingredients are not photostable, which means that when they are exposed to sunlight they generate free radicals which can lead to skin aging and
have been shown to interfere with the body’s hormonal systems. They can also cause allergic reaction and irritation. The words "ironic" and "holy shit" come to mind.

Chemical-Free sunscreen lotions or "Physical Sunscreen" contains ingredients like titanium oxide and/or zinc oxide which physically block and scatter ultraviolet radiation. Code SC sunblock--I Always Wear Protection SPF 30--is made with Z-Cote and T-Lite, which are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide products in very fine-powdered form. These micronized ingredients actually reflect the damaging UVB and UVA rays before they reach the living tissues in your skin.

Don't Chemical-Free Sunscreens Leave a White Film on the Skin?
We use smaller sized ingredients in I Always Wear Protection SPF 30, which makes it less visible on the skin's surface.

Are Natural Ingredients Strong Enough to Protect Me From Sun Damage?
The combination of titanium dioxide and zinc offers "broad spectrum protection" which means that it will protect skin from UVB (burning rays) and UVA (rays that cause skin damage). BUT, with natural sunscreen it's important to use enough to protect the skin. Experts recommend applying more than 1 tablespoon per body part, because it works by reflecting the sun's rays, which means it has to be properly applied to work.

What's the Deal with SPF? What Does that Mean Exactly?
Sun Protection Factor (SPF) is a measure of the amount of time a sunscreen can be relied on to protect skin from UVB (burning) rays.

Example: If you start to look red after 20 (unprotected) minutes in the sun, using an SPF 15 sunscreen will (theoretically) prevent the burn 15 times longer or for about five hours.

But, you should know, that sunscreen (chemical or chemical-free) should always be reapplied every 2 hours, or more often after exposure to water or excessive sweating, in order to keep it effective.

If it's cloudy or overcast I don't need sunscreen.
Wrong. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, up to 40% of UVA (cancer and wrinkle causing rays) can reach the earth on a cloudy day. Burning or getting a little red from a sunny day is only your skin's reaction to UVB (burning) rays and tells you little about the amount of UVA damage you may be getting.

OK, I Need Sunscreen. Now What?
I Always Wear Protection SPF 30 is chemical-free and reef friendly, which means that you won't harm any marine life when it's worn in the water. Traditional sunscreens can rinse off in the water and pollute the water and harm reefs and marine life. Click here for I Always Wear Protection http://www.code-sc.com/bestsellers-store/-product.aspx?id=7

Why You Should Care About Parabens

What Are Parabens? 

Parabens are preservatives that have been used in almost all body and skin care products for years to keep the formulas fresh so they don't go bad. They are listed on ingredient labels as methylparaben, propylparaben, ethylparaben, butylparaben, and benzylparaben. They are very inexpensive and they do their job well; so well, that for years manufacturers were adding parabens to nearly every personal care product created until the late 1990's when some suspicious medical research was discovered. Parabens mimic the female hormone, estrogen. Not good.

Dangers of Parabens for Men 
Higher estrogen concentrations in males can lead to more body fat, lower muscle mass, and gynecomastia (the development of breasts in men).
More recently, Japanese research linked the estrogenic activity of parabens to male reproductive system damage, including low sperm count and decreased testosterone levels. More frightening, the damage occurred at doses well below the accepted daily intake.

Of course men aren’t the only ones in danger of paraben absorption. Women can be at greater risk of developing breast tumors, suggesting that the paraben exposure came from products routinely applied to the skin. One study found parabens in 20 human breast tumors, with methylparaben in the highest concentrations.
Breast tissue may not be the only problem sparked by parabens. In one study, benzylparaben applied to the skin of immature female mice increased the size of their uteruses, a result similar to that caused by pure estrogen. The researchers who conducted this study speculate that parabens could have the same affect in people. Since parabens have routinely been included in toiletries designed for babies and children, this could impact a girl’s reproductive health in her later years.

Parabens Can Make You Look Older
Not all the damage from paraben absorption is internal. They can also make your skin look older by decreasing skin tone (the overall tightness of your skin) and speeding up the development of wrinkles and age spots (the brown discolorations normaly seen on old guys and those who spend too much time in the sun). How do we know this could happen? Researchers from Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine in Japan discovered this when they applied methylparabens to skin in amounts similar to what you would find in cosmetics. When the skin was then exposed to ultraviolet light, 19% of the cells died compared to just 6% in untreated skin. The level of lipid peroxide, a substance that speeds up the aging process, was also three times higher in the paraben-treated skin.
The really bad news is that they don't just disappear. Parabens can sit on your skin and build up with daily application until they cause an allergic reaction like eczema, a rash or something else equally as ugly and uncomfortable.

How Can I Avoid Exposure?
Code SC, along with an ever increasing number of natural manufacturers, uses safe, non-toxic compounds to preserve products. In addition to using an active level of citrus essential oils such as lemon and orange, which are natural preservatives, we use these common non-toxic preservatives in Code SC products: •Phenoxyethanol: A nontoxic, broad-spectrum preservative used to protect against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Phenoxyethanol must be used in conjunction with other preservatives like potassium sorbate to be effective.


•Polyaminopropyl biguanide: Kills a wide range of both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. An excellent alternative to parabens, polyaminopropyl biguanide does not disrupt hormones or release either formaldehyde or volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
•Potassium sorbate: Derived from the mountain laurel ash, potassium sorbate is a mild antimicrobial that also protects against yeasts. It is used in conjunction with phenoxyethanol to protect against gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria.

How to Spot Parabens
Read ingredient labels! Parabens are most common in personal care products, including deodorant, toothpaste, and hair care products. They are also used in pharmaceutical products and foods. Be safe and stick to natural personal care products such as Code SC and organic foods whenever possible. Code SC offers free ground shipping and ships anywhere in the USA, in addition to being carried in many retailers around the country, so there's really no excuse to subject yourself to paraben danger. Be careful out there, knowledge is power! 

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References:Darbre PD, Harvey PW. “Paraben esters: review of recent studies of endocrine toxicity, absorption, esterase and human exposure, and discussion of potential human health risks.” Journal of Applied Toxicology. 2008;28:561-578.
Ishiwatari S, Suzuki T, Hitomi T, et al. “Effects of methyl paraben on skin keratinocytes.” Journal of Applied Toxicology. 2007;27:1-9.
Pedersen KL, Pedersen SN, Christiansen LB, et al. “The preservatives ethyl-, propyl- and butylparaben are oestrogenic in an in vivo fish assay.” Pharmacology and Toxicology. 2000;86:110-113.
Routledge EJ, Parker J, Odum J, et al. “Some alkyl hydroxy benzoate preservatives (parabens) are estrogenic.” Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology. 1998;153:12-19.

Code SC at the Grammy Gift Lounge

We gave away the I Always Wear Protection SPF 30 at the 98.7 KIIS FM Grammy Gift Lounge on Friday, February 11. The response was fantastic and we made quite a few celeb fans! See all the photos on our Facebook page and check out this list of our new celebrity fans:

Celebrities:

Kennedy – Star 98.7 DJ

Jamie Hilfiger – Model

Brendan Robinson – Pretty Little Liars

Yo Boy – Rapper

Benny Cassette – Musician

The Fling – Band

Cassi Thompson – Big Love

Sabi – Singer (The Bangz)

Kym Johnson – Dancing with the Stars

Saint Motel – Band

Kimberly Locke – American Idol

Fivel Stewart – Twilight

Tinsel Korey – Twilight

Booboo Stewart - Twilight

Lee Dewyze – American Idol

Jo Frost – The Super Nanny

Mya – Singer

Nico Vega – Band

Erik Michael – O-Town

Cold War Kids – Band

Queen Caveat – Band

Kristen Quintrall – Actress

Shar Jackson – Actress

Chuck Hittinger – Pretty Little Liars

Livvi Franc – Musician

One AM Radio – Band

Taylor Momsen and The Pretty Reckless - Band

Kiptyn and Tenley – The Bachelor Pad

Tamara Barney – Real Housewives of Orange County

Ross Matthews – Comedian

Natalie Getz – The Bachelor Pad

Taylor Armstrong – Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

Media:
E! News

Star 98.7

KIIS FM

US Weekly

Los Angeles Magazine

OK! Magazine

Star Magazine

LA Times

944

Brentwood Magazine

People Magazine

Life & Style Magazine

KTLA

InTouch Weekly

FOX 11

PopGadget.net

Is Men's Wear Back? - Men's Wear News - WWD.com

Is Men's Wear Back? - Men's Wear News - WWD.com

Not a far reach to assume that taking care of your skin is also going to give you a leg up when it comes to confidence, job success, personal success....

Another great review of Code SC

One of the countrys most exclusive shopping reviewers tried out the Code SC products and (naturally) loved 'em. She wrote a review in her most recent newsletter. Check it out …

Daily Happenings Product Review

I recently got introduced to Code SC. Code SC is an eco-friendly, natural skin care line, created for men (however, I'm thinking with the smart marketing and great, natural products, a lot of women use their products too!) Every product is made from wild harvested, medicinal plants and herbs found in Western Washington. When I found out Code SC is based in Washington State, I wanted to try it out! Always looking for reasons to buy local!

Click the link to read on...http://www.daily-happenings.com/search?q=

Code Skin Care Think Tank