Q: Why should I use Sun Protection For Rich Complexions sunscreens?
A: The EXTRASHADE line of Sun Protection For Rich Complexions products is specifically formulated to help defend against the sun and protect you from skin cancer and long-term sun damage while nurturing your skin to prevent inflammation and darker marks, leaving the appearance of an even skin tone.
Q: Do I have a Rich Complexion?
A: Although EXTRASHADE Daily Defense Hydrating Sunscreen Lotion is specially formulated for Rich Complexions, it will also be effective and beneficial for those with less melanin in their skin. If you are of African American, Asian, Latin, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Native American, or mixed ethnic descent, you are probably considered Rich Complexion. Rich Complexions range in shades from tan to olive to deep dark brown. Rich Complexions contain increased levels of the pigment melanin, as compared to other skin types. The amount of melanin among different people can vary dramatically and depends greatly upon your heritage.
Q: What are the health benefits of EXTRASHADE Daily Defense?
A: EXTRASHADE Daily Defense is formulated with ingredients to repair, moisturize, and rejuvenate your skin. It is created to prevent skin diseases and minimize skin damage to give you a younger appearance and help maintain an even tone that results in your overall health and well-being.
Q: Why do people with more melanin or extra pigmentation need sunscreen?
A: Sun exposure can cause dark patches and uneven skin tone. It prevents damage to the skin that can occur for many years. Darker tones don’t burn as easily, which often leads to the belief that you don’t really need to wear sunscreen all the time. While Rich Complexions have the benefit of more melanin, which helps protect the skin from some environmental damage, this does not make you immune to all of the damaging effects of the sun. The built-in sun protection provided by the melanin in your skin is definitely not enough. You should always protect your skin from sun damage by routinely using sunscreen.
Q: How will EXTRASHADE protect my child’s skin?
A: EXTRASHADE is formulated to absorb the harmful ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays before they can affect the skin. The powerful super hydrator hyaluronic acid and very potent antioxidant pomegranate, working with our advanced formulations, provide a photo-protective effect to reduce the risk of UV damage and skin cancer. To nurture your child’s skin, it is important to avoid irritants. EXTRASHADE is formulated without fragrance, lanolin, dye, alcohol, or propylene glycol alcohol that may stimulate the production of excessive melanin. EXTRASHADE is infused with vitamins, botanical extracts essential to prevent water loss and secure the natural moisture barrier, anti-inflammatory ingredients to calm irritations normally affecting very sensitive tan, olive, and darker skin, and antioxidants to neutralize free radical activity.
Q: How should EXTRASHADE be applied to the skin?
A: The most effective way to use EXTRASHADE is to apply it 30 minutes prior to sun exposure. Reapply after 80 minutes in the water or after sweating.
Q: Why is sun protection important to effective treatment for dark marks, discolorations, blemishes, or scars (sometimes called hyperpigmentation)?
A: When a hyperpigmented area is exposed to UV light, more melanin production is triggered, causing further darkening. Ironically, melanin production and further darkening of the skin are just your skin trying to protect itself from UV light. Daily application of a minimum sunscreen of SPF 30 will help shield the skin from UV light to control melanin production.
Q: What makes EXTRASHADE so effective for Rich Complexions?
A: It is formulated with a multitude of ingredients to protect against UVA/UVB and their harmful effects. It focuses on sun damage and not just sunburn. It takes into consideration the other problems that constant sun exposure may have on the highly sensitive nature of rich complexions, such as uneven skin tone and hyperpigmentation (also termed blemishes, dark marks, and scars). It focuses on solutions for these specific problems sun damage can cause to people who already have some shade. The combination of all the ingredients working together to solve the issues of sun damage while nourishing the skin, continuous hydration, preventing discoloration, and helping existing marks from becoming darker in the sun all at once is unlike any other sun protection that is available.
Q: Do EXTRASHADE sun care products provide broad-spectrum protection?
A: Yes, EXTRASHADE sunscreen products are uniquely photostabilized to provide broad-spectrum protection against UVA and UVB rays.
Q: What is ‘broad-spectrum protection’?
A: The sun’s ultraviolet spectrum ranges from 290 nanometers (nm) to 400 nm, with UVB rays at the lower end and UVA rays at the higher end. Broad-spectrum protection refers to sunscreen products that contain ingredients that protect against UVB and UVA rays up to 360 nm or above. Avobenzone and zinc oxide are FDA-approved sunscreen active ingredients that provide broad-spectrum protection throughout the entire UVA spectrum.
Q: Is EXTRASHADE Daily Defense PABA-free?
A: Yes, EXTRASHADE is PABA-free.
Q: Are your products natural/organic?
A: Our products are not all 100% natural or organic. However, EXTRASHADE products are free of ingredients such as fragrances, dyes, propylene glycol, lanolin, alcohol, and other chemicals. These ingredients are in many mainstream sun care products and are all potential irritants that have the potential to lead to irritation of your skin, as well as pigmentation problems or the development of dark marks.
Q: Are your products tested on animals?
A: No, none of EXTRASHADE products are tested on animals.
Q: Can I use EXTRASHADE Daily Defense on my face?
A: Yes, EXTRASHADE Daily Defense Hydrating Sunscreen Lotion is designed to be gentle enough for facial and body use.
Q: Can I use EXTRASHADE Daily Defense as a moisturizer?
A: As EXTRASHADE Daily Defense Hydrating Sunscreen Lotion contains a moisturizer, you may wish to use this product in place of your moisturizer in the morning.
Q: What is Ultraviolet (UV) light?
A: UV light is radiation energy in the form of invisible light waves. UV light is emitted by both the sun and tanning lamps. The sun discharges three types of ultraviolet radiation: ultraviolet A (UV-A), ultraviolet B (UVB), and ultraviolet C (UVC). Only UVA and UVB reach the earth. UVC does not penetrate the earth’s upper atmosphere. Although research has long implicated UVB as the most likely form of UV to damage the skin and cause skin cancer, recent studies suggest that UVA is also dangerous. Tanning lamps also produce UVA and/or UVB. These artificial rays affect the skin in the same way as UVA and UVB from the sun.
Q: When and where are UV rays most intense?
A: UVB rays are most intense at noon and the hours immediately before and after (between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.), particularly in the late spring, summer, and early autumn. Although they are less concentrated at other times of the day and year, UVB and UVA can still damage the skin and eyes even in the dead of winter. UVA rays stay the same all day, every day, all year long. UVB rays also increase in intensity in relation to altitude and latitude. The higher the altitude, the greater the concentration of UVB rays. Likewise, the rays are more powerful the nearer the latitude to the equator. UV rays “bounce” off reflective surfaces, including water, sand, and snow. Thus, a skier, swimmer, fisherman, or beachcomber may be bombarded with UV rays from above and below. Many outdoors lovers who skipped sunscreen have learned this lesson the hard way.
Q: Why does the skin tan after exposure to UV rays?
A: The skin contains a pigment called melanin. It colors the skin, imparting the variety of skin tones we all recognize. Melanin blocks at least some of the UV rays from penetrating the skin. After repeated or prolonged exposure to UV rays, the skin produces more melanin. Consequently, the skin darkens, or tans, which in turn protects the skin.
Q: What is the minimum SPF recommended for kids?
A: For children 6 months of age and older, we recommend sunscreens with an SPF 30 or higher. Babies under 6 months should be kept out of the sun.
Q: What is the difference between UVA rays and UVB rays?
A: UVA rays penetrate deeply into the skin and contribute to premature skin aging and skin cancer. Our exposure to UVA is more constant than to UVB — we encounter UVA rays no matter what the season or time of day. UVB rays are the main cause of sunburn, but they also contribute significantly to premature skin aging and skin cancer. High SPF sunscreen products (those with an SPF 30) are designed primarily to absorb UVB plus the shorter UVA rays.
Q: Does using sunscreen prevent the body from getting enough vitamin D?
A: It takes a very small amount of sun exposure usually achieved through normal daily activity to trigger the body to produce vitamin D. The rest of the time, it is important to use sunscreen to prevent skin cancer and other forms of skin damage.