#suncare

#suncare

Rare Disease Day, on 28 February, highlights the more than 6,100 conditions identified worldwide, including xeroderma pigmentosum (XP), a rare genetic disorder that affects just over 100 people in France. Those affected are often referred to as Children of the Moon, a name that reflects their extreme sensitivity to ultraviolet light.

People with acne-prone skin and sunscreen have long had a contentious relationship. As someone who's dealt with breakouts for two decades, I know the typical SPF pitfalls very well. Namely: breakouts. Out of all the skin care dilemmas that exist, this one's especially annoying. When you're just trying to do the most fundamentally healthy thing for your complexion - protect it from the sun's harmful rays - you don't want to deal with zits. I don't want to be punished for doing the right thing.

I caught myself doing it again last week-meticulously applying sunscreen to my face while completely ignoring my neck. It wasn't until I saw a photo from my friend's wedding that I noticed the difference. My face looked smooth and even-toned, but my neck? Let's just say it was telling a different story. The fine lines and slight sagging made me realize I'd been treating my neck like it was somehow immune to aging. Turns out, I've had it backward this whole time.

There was a big gap in the market. A lot of shades didn't complement our golden and olive skin tones. And as we age, our skin changes, but the makeup hasn't. A lot of makeup isn't infused with skincare. Especially for mature skin. I wanted to create something that enhances beauty while caring for it.

Blindness is a very scary disability, says Prof Lauren Ayton, deputy director of the Centre for Eye Research Australia at the University of Melbourne. But people don't realise actually about 90% of vision loss can be prevented or treated. And like many other problems, keeping the eyes healthy so often comes down to good diet, keeping active, and regular check-ups.

The front of the eye, and the cornea in particular, has more nerve endings per millimetre square than anywhere else in the body, says Dr Dilani Siriwardena, a consultant NHS ophthalmologist at Moorfields eye hospital in London and vice-president of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists. So it can be very sensitive. The tiniest scratch or piece of grit in your eye can feel like a brick.

You know those people who make you do a double-take when they mention their age? The ones who casually drop they're 52 but look like they could be in their mid-thirties? I met someone like this at a coffee shop last week. She mentioned her adult son was turning 30, and I nearly choked on my drink. I would've guessed she was maybe 40, tops. When I asked about her workout routine, she laughed and said she hadn't been to a gym in years.