It was the final vacation day of our family road trip to California. We woke up to an overcast, yet pleasantly warm day. After a morning at the aquarium, we had lunch and made our way to the waterpark. For most of the afternoon, we relaxed and floated around the lazy river, enjoying the warm breeze blowing up from the coast and the occasional sunshine break through the clouds. It was the perfect end to our vacation that began in Olympia, took us down the Oregon Coast and through the redwoods with stops in San Francisco, Disneyland and LEGO Land.
Except for one big mistake.
Though I had been dutiful at sunscreen applications for the family the entire trip, the morning overcast sky lulled me into a false sense of security. When I woke up the next morning, I could already feel the burn on my face, chest and shoulders. I wasn’t the only one. My fair skinned older son was lobster red from his belly button up. My husband burned on his shoulders and back, all the places that he didn’t already have a tan. Even my younger son, the one that never burns, received his first sunburn ever.
It was time to check out and start the two day drive back home. The sunburns took their toll. Our dehydrated children got road sick. The car couldn’t get cool enough for anyone’s comfort. The sun that beat through the windows was oppressive. And I began to blister. I had practically ruined the family vacation with one mistake.
When I look back now to all my bad summer memories, almost all of them involve a sunburn.
“Sunscreen is the most important self-care tip I can recommend to anyone,” say Chloe Johnson, esthetician at Laser Artistry and Medi Spa, “I recommend applying a mineral SPF 30 or greater every two hours or directly after water exposure.” Sun exposure increases visible effects of aging in the form of wrinkles, increases uneven pigmentation, and the damage can be aggravating to some skin conditions such as rosacea. Worst of all, it leads to skin cancer. Washington State has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the county. Regular and diligent application of sunscreen can protect against sun damage.
Laser Artistry & Medi Spa has a number of skincare treatments that can boost daily skincare regimens to keep your skin in peak condition. They offer a variety of ZO Skin Heath facials that can hydrate, nourish and protect. Customers can choose from a hydrating facial, which helps replenish moisture; a brightening facial, which reduces the appearance of wrinkles and targets pigmentation concerns; and an ultra-renew facial treatment, which deep cleans the pores and works well with acne-prone, oily, or rosacea skin.
Another popular treatment that Chloe can provide is dermaplanning. This involves gentle resurfacing of the face to remove dead skin cells and the vellus, which are the tiny hairs that some people have on their face, often called peach fuzz. This exfoliating procedure is great for all skin types.
Chloe can also provide full body waxing services to get customers ready for the beach. During the summer Brazilian, bikini, and underarm waxing is very popular, but Chloe is also available to wax legs, arms, faces, and anywhere people are looking to remove unwanted body hair. She offers soft and hard wax. Waxing is a great way to remove hair, and also reduce the amount of hair that grows back. During the month of June, Laser Artistry & Medi Spa will be offering waxing specials with savings of $10 off a brow and tint and $15 off a Brazilian wax.
Laser Artistry & Medi Spa also has a variety of ZO Skin Health products available to purchase, from cleansers and moisturizers to sunscreens. Chloe can recommend the right product for the client’s specific skincare needs. ZO products will be offered at a discount of 25 percent off regular price for June as well.
In addition to regular sunscreen use and Laser Artistry & Medi Spa’s skincare treatments, there is another thing people can do, not just for their skin, but for their whole body: hydration. Skincare products can only do so much. The products work by adding back vitamins and nutrients to the skin, adding moisture to the surface layers and providing a protective barrier which helps lock moisture in and keep environmental damagers out. But you can give your body an extra boost by getting plenty of hydrating fluids, and eating water-rich foods that will keep you feeling great and looking good. When the body becomes dehydrated, the skin is one of the first places to suffer, as the vital organs hoard the water for use in the most essential places. By making sure to stay hydrated, you can keep your skin, and your whole body, looking and feeling its best.
While the family sunburn didn’t completely ruin our family vacation, it sure put a damper on those last couple days of travel. Now, our whole family is much more diligent about sunscreen whether we are on vacation or out and about around town.
Visit the Laser Artistry & Medi Spa website to take a look at all the services and products they offer, or call them at 360-753-4221 to schedule an appointment today.
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