Dr. Denese SPF 30 Defense Day Cream Review
As summer approaches, and we eagerly anticipate the transition from cold winds to warm sunshine, it is important to make sure we have everything we need to protect our skin from the sun’s harmful rays. Summer weather means it’s time to beef up your SPF protection and switch from heavy foundations that may streak and look oily, to more lightweight products like tinted moisturizers and BB creams. Stay protected while maintaining a fresh complexion with Dr. Denese SPF 30 Defense Day Cream, an oil-free flesh-tinted BB Cream loaded with SPF 30 UVA/UVB broad spectrum protection. It’s a 3-in-1 product that works a moisturizer, sunblock, and makeup primer, saving you time and money. You don’t have to worry about the color not matching your skin, since the moisturizer, which comes in one shade, is formulated with Dr. Denese’s Pro Melanin Technology™, and imparts an undetectable self-adjusting sheer tint for a flawless completion.
FTC Disclosure: This product was provided for review
Cost: $34.00 for 1.5 oz and $75 for 4oz
How to use: Apply a generous amount of the day cream every morning to the face and neck. The product is safe enough to use around the eyes, including the upper eyelid. Reapply every few hours if you’re spending the day outdoors.
What I like: The cream blends into the skin smoothly and leaves behind a nice, matte finish. You should wear SPF year round, so it’s a nice option as a multi-tasking primer when using foundation during the cooler months. It doesn’t have a strong odor, nor does it or leave behind white residue, characteristic of most sunscreens.
Extra Info: The product is not pigmented enough to cover flaws, but it will give you a smooth canvas. Hide your imperfections by placing concealer only in the areas you need it, after applying the cream.
Where to buy: drdenese.com
Beauty Secrets from my mom: #1 Cocoa butter
image from blackskinlightening.com
Since I was a little girl, I’ve always watched my mom massage Palmer’s Cocoa Butter all over her body, including her face. She takes a small washcloth, dips it into the butter in circular motions, and briskly applies it to her skin. She is approaching 60 now, without one wrinkle in sight on her perfectly soft, youthful-looking skin. When she wasn’t looking, I would stick my little finger into the jar and bore a hole through the butter, because I liked the way the smooth texture felt against my skin. To this day, she still inquires about the mysterious hole that used to show up in her cocoa butter years ago.
Just the other day, as I thought about writing about the benefits of cocoa butter, I decided to sneak into her room and bore a hole through her butter the way I did when I was a kid for, um, research purposes. Do you see the trouble you all make me get into? The soft, creamy, lightly-scented cocoa butter brought back memories of my childhood, and I walked out of her room with supple, silky hands.
Cocoa butter is the natural vegetable fat that is extracted from the residue of fermented cocoa beans, the fruit of Cacao Trees which is located mostly in tropical jungles, and is traditionally used to make chocolate products. It has a soft, chocolate aroma, and has been used in skin care for years.
Nothing beats the moisturizing properties of cocoa butter, which melts as soon as it makes skin contact and is absorbed very quickly. It creates a second skin for your body, since a thin layer of oil is left behind, acting as a barrier between skin and the environment, making it the perfect choice for people who suffer from dry skin condition such as eczema and dermatitis. It can also be applied to burned skin to soothe irritation, and the appearance of scars. It is also acclaimed for its ability to prevent and reduce the appearance of stretch marks. The butter is also known for its ant-aging properties, so I think my mom has the right idea, applying it onto her face every night. Like I said, the woman has absolutely no wrinkles. Here are my favorite Cocoa butter products you may want to give a try:
1. Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Original Solid Formula - My mom uses this every day to keep her skin moisturized. It’s also great to use for stretch marks, burns, and to reduce the appearance of dark spots.
2. Dove® Nourishing Care Shea Butter Beauty Bar – I suffer with eczema, especially during the cold winter months. This soap leaves my skin silky smooth, and keeps skin flare-ups at bay.
3. Cocoa Butter Moisturizing Stick – I always have a small stick of coca butter in my bag at all times. It comes in handy to treat dry skin, tame unruly flyaways, and condition cuticles.
4. Cococare Lip Balm Cocoa Butter – Keeps lips soft, supple and protected with this lip balm.
Get Glowing Skin this Summer
Summer is coming, which means it’s time for you to shake-up your beauty routine. Switch from the moisturizing cleanser you were using during the winter months, for something lighter and make sure these summer essentials are on your vanity:
◊Slather on the Sunscreen
Protect y
our skin from the sun by wearing sunscreen every day. For optimal use, apply every 1-2 hours, and be sure to apply it at least 15 minutes BEFORE going outside. It’s important to note that sunscreens do not last forever, so be sure to always check the expiration dates and toss the one you used last year. Sunscreens with a SPF of 30 or higher are best for the summer months.
Try this: New Ultra Sheer Liquid Daily Sunblock SPF 70 ($9.99)
◊Switch your Foundation with Tinted Moisturizer
Thick foundations tend to melt right off your face in hot weather. Tinted Moisturizers are much lighter and give you a fresh, dewy look.
Try this: Cover Girl CG Smoothers Tinted Moisturizer (about $7 at your local drugstore). I have been using this since high school, and it’s never failed me!
◊Protect your pout with Lip Balm
You’ve got the sunscreen for your body, and the tinted moisturizer for your face, but don’t forget about your lips! Your lips are one the most vulnerable parts of your body that can burn easily. Prevent your lips from peeling or getting sunburned by using a moisturizing lip balm that has at least SPF 15 in it. Wear alone, or under your favorite lip gloss or lipstick.
Try this: Banana Boat Aloe Vera with vitamin E Sunscreen lip balm ($1-2 at your local drugstore).
◊ Keep your Feet Soft & Touchable
During the summer your tootsies can breathe in a fashionable pair of sandals. Head to the spa and get a pedicure, or use a foot scrub twice a week to keep feet soft and healthy-looking.
Try this: Dr. Scholl’s For Her Pumice Foot Scrub 
