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Summer is the season for sand, sea, and surf. A lot of us head to the beach for that much-needed R ‘n R or to simply cool down. However, not everyone is comfortable showing more skin than necessary. I sat down with Aiza Diuco, founder and CEO of Age Defying Solutions Philippines, to ask her what her thoughts are about summer, and how to achieve a healthy, glowing skin.
Thoughts on summer
Clinically, I’m hypersensitive to the sun. As a child, I looked forward to summer breaks not so much because I loved going to the beach, but because school was over. I was diagnosed with solar urticaria. From the time I was a child up to now, whenever I am exposed to the sun, I always get rashes, sometimes even hives. They appear in areas that are not covered by clothes.
My eyes also get very watery when exposed to too much sunlight, and when I am under the sun for fifteen minutes, I get a headache. So growing up, I would ask myself, “Am I a real life vampire?”
Don’t get me wrong, I still love the sights, sounds, and smells of summer. I just have to make sure I take the necessary precautions to protect my skin.
On the dangers of prolonged sun exposure
One thing I realized when I was growing up, is that you really need to protect yourself from the sun. They say you need sunlight for Vitamin D, but prolonged exposure causes more harm than good, especially from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
UVA rays, or what I call UV Aging, are the rays that cause premature wrinkles and sunspots. They are also present in fluorescent lamps and spotlights. That’s why people who are constantly exposed to these rays age faster. UVB rays, or what I call UV Burning, activate the melanocytes, which are naturally present in our skin. Melanocytes produce melanin, which is the brown pigment that protects our skin from UV rays.
Light-skinned people produce less melanin, and therefore tend to become more sensitive to the sun, so I can never stress this enough: please protect yourself from the sun so you can have a healthy, glowing skin.
I always tell people who use our whitening products, to really avoid sun exposure. Even if you spend a lot of money on such products, whether they be Glupa or other brands, but keep exposing yourself to the sun, they won’t work.
On the products she uses to protect her skin from the sun
All our products have Sun Protection Factor 15, which means they don’t block out the sun. You would need a higher SPF than that – a minimum of SPF50. Our products are basically sunscreens, which help protect people undergoing whitening, against minimum sun exposure. Let’s say you walk under the sun for fifteen minutes, then our products are sufficient. But longer than that, and you will need a higher SPF.
I also avoid sun exposure from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. I try to do activities that do not require me to be under the sun during those hours. When you are under the sun, you sweat, which then opens your pores. When the pores are open, they are more susceptible to dirt, and more prone to breakouts. Your face becomes oilier because the sebaceous glands tend to produce more sebum.
To protect my skin, I use Glupa Lotion for my arms and Glupa Cream for my face. Because I get very minimum sun exposure, SPF15 is enough to protect my skin from harmful UV rays.
On what makes skin glow
It has to start from within. Hydration would be number one for me. I drink a lot of water every day. Sometimes, people ask me if I am fish and I say, “Maybe in my past life.” When you’re hydrated, you undergo detoxification. All toxins are flushed out. When you eat lots of fruits, especially the ones rich in Vitamins C and A, it will definitely show on your skin. I make sure I eat fruits twice daily. Sometimes I only eat fruits for dinner. I love watermelon, grapes, apples, pears, mandarins, and mangoes.
On products she uses to achieve glowing skin
I take Glupa Capsule, which is an antioxidant, immune system booster, detoxifier, and skin whitener. As you know, glutathione is naturally present in our body, with the liver as its reservoir. As we age, the glutathione level in our body decreases, and aside from the normal aging process, environmental and non-environmental factors like pollution, stress, and medication contribute to the depletion of glutathione. This is why it is important to take supplemental glutathione.
One unique thing about Glupa Capsule is that it is the only glutathione supplement with papaya. Papaya is a very important absorption aid. Papain, which is a digestive enzyme found in papaya, breaks down the large glutathione molecules into smaller molecules so it can penetrate the gastrointestinal tract, which means the body absorbs more of it.
Papaya is rich in benzyl isothiocyanate, which naturally raises the glutathione level in the body. So, imagine when you combine it with glutathione. The combination makes our product so much more effective than others. It truly is the best glutathione supplement available in the market.
I also advise people to cleanse with a cleanser that doesn’t dry your skin nor leave residue. Glupa Soap is a cold process soap so the glycerin in the soap is retained, therefore it doesn’t dry the skin. It is also easy to rinse so it doesn’t leave any residue on the skin. Because it undergoes cold process, all the ingredients remain intact.
After cleansing, it is important to use a toner for additional cleansing and to close the pores. When we wash our face, or when we rub or massage it, the pores open up so we can remove dirt. The toner also acts as a pore minimizer, which makes your skin look and feel smoother. I personally use Glupa Toner, which is very effective in skin whitening, deep cleansing, and pore minimizing.
After that, moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. That’s what my mother used to tell me. I use Glupa Cream for my face and neck. It is not just a skin whitener, it is also a moisturizer. It is rich in Vitamin E, which is a great skin moisturizer, grapeseed extract, and Clair Blanche, a multifunctional whitening agent composed of fruit and root extracts.
Lastly, I want to emphasize that sleep is very crucial to achieve glowing skin. No matter how much fluids, vitamins, supplementation you put in your body, if you don’t get enough sleep, your skin will not glow. Cell regeneration happens when we are asleep. When you have healthy cells, it shows.
Also, a healthy psychological and emotional wellbeing helps a lot. If you know how to manage stress and handle emotional turmoil, and you have a positive outlook in life, it will definitely manifest on your skin.
