Here comes the sun...don't let it age your skin!

Almost everyone enjoys summer, especially after the long and dreary Vancouver spring. In fact, most of us can't wait to shed our cardies and jeans, and get into shorts and a tee. There's only one problem: It's already almost Summer Solstice—when the sun is strongest, and our winter-pale skin at greater risk for burning.  Last year, the weather pattern was similar, and the incidence of sunburn far greater than in previous years, when the sun introduced itself slowly during April and May.

So what  should we do to best prepare our skin for summer exposure?

Of course, of greatest importance is wearing sunscreen—no matter how much you want to sport an attractive tan. The sun is the skin's number one ager, and also increases the risk of skin cancers and other lesions. But people still want to look healthy and sun kissed, and this is where a high quality faux tan comes into play.

Spa Utopia has you covered  in both respects. We have some of the best sunscreens/skin enhancers available today, and also St. Tropez self tanning products and salon spray-on tan. This means you don't have to ruin your skin by basking in the sun (or worse, in a tanning salon), and can look healthy and tanned in a matter of hours.

Blocking UV light

People are always surprised to know that the rays that cause wrinkling are not restricted to the UVB rays we encounter outside on sunny summer days. Rather, wrinkling is accelerated by UVA light, whcih is all about us every day of the year. UVA light is daylight: if it's light outside, then UVA rays are present. These skin-spoilers pass through glass as well, meaning your skin can age as you sit next to a window during the winter, reading about your next sunny vacation destination! UVB light is strongest in summer (and closer to the tropics) and also damages the skin's collagen and elastin matrix. However, people are more likely to protect themselves against UVB light as these are burning rays. UVB light can, however, pass through clouds, meaning you can sustain a sunburn even on a dull day.

The answer to both UVA and UVB damage is to wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen every day of the year, even if you are intending to stay indoors. Spa Utopia carries a number of sunscreens for the face and body (don't forget the back of your hands) such as Pro-Derm™ and the always-popular Jane Iredale SPF 20 mineral makeup.

The perfect self tan











St Tropez self tanning products are second to none in quality and—applied correctly—will give you smooth, sleek colour. Try St. Tropez Everyday Gradual Tan Mousse for the body and Everyday Gradual Tan for the face (plus a number of other formulations including a tan optimizer and self-tan spray). Until midnight, June 16, if you purchase any St. Tropez tanning product/s online, we will include an Applicator Mitt free of charge. Shipping is free if your purchase exceeds $50.

Of course, before using a self-tanning product, you will need to exfoliate, perhaps with our wonderfully smoothing Spa Utopia Body Scrub & Polish. Exfoliation ensures that the actual tanning ingredient doesn't stain heavily keratinized skin cells that are due to flake off as part of the skin's renewal process.

You might also consider having a St. Tropez Full Body Spray Tan at Spa Utopia, for an instant tan that will have your friends and co-workers wondering how you slipped off to Hawaii without anyone noticing!

Other suncare tips

Here are some ways to protect yourself from the sun's harmful rays (some you will likely know, and some may be new to you!)

•  Cover up with a wide-brimmed sunhat (this year's "in" fashion accessory) and cap sleeves. No matter how high the SPF of a sunscreen, it will still allow rays through. Long sleeves and pants are even better.

•  Following on from the above, use a sunscreen that contains antioxidants to minimize damage from rays that do slip through. (Pro-Derm™, available from Spa Utopia locations or online, contains antioxidants.)

•  Always apply your sunscreen at least half an hour before going into the sun. Apply according to packaging instructions. Most sunscreens absorb UV light and, in doing so, break down and become less protective— making reapplication necessary every two hours or so. Others are formulated to keep on working all day without reapplication.

•  Avoid direct sun between the hours of 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. 

•  Remember that sand and water intensify the sun's rays. Always wear waterproof sunscreen when swimming on sunny days.

•  Munch on broccoli (raw or cooked), carrots and dark chocolate and sip pomegranate juice.  All these foods increase your skin's ability to reduce sun damage.

The Beauty of Medical Esthetics at Spa Utopia

Did you know that Medi-Spa treatments are among the many popular beauty-enhancing services available from Spa Utopia?

Our Medical Esthetics Photo Therapy treatments include Photo Rejuvenation, Skin Tightening and Laser Hair Removal. All treatments are administered by our highly skilled Medical Skin Care Therapists, who have received comprehensive training from medical practitioners for these advanced technologies. In addition, each has successfully completed our extensive in-house training requirements and is committed to ensuring a successful and safe outcome for your procedure/s.

For all three therapies (which are available to men and women), you will be required to have a prior consultation with a Spa Utopia Medical Skin Care Therapist. The nominal fee for this consultation is applied to your subsequent treatment/s.

Photo Rejuvenation

Photo Rejuvenation or Broad Band Light™ Therapy (BBL) allows the Medical Skin Care Therapist to precisely treat fine wrinkles, age and sun spots, small facial veins (capillaries), and rosacea.

During your initial consultation, you will receive an indepth analysis of your skin and may also have a photograph taken with a UV camera. This highly specialized photography provides details of damage to the skin caused by the sun, and which may not be visible to the naked eye. Your treatment will be tailored to suit your skin's condition and your desired results.

BBL therapy delivers pulsed light onto the skin which gently heats it. The heat is absorbed by the targeted cells, encouraging collagen production and destroying the melanin that causes hyperpigmentation and age spots. Small capillaries are gently, but effectively eliminated. The flushing associated with rosacea is also effectively reduced through BBL treatment. These targeted treatments are achieved through the use of different filters.

You can read more about Photo Rejuvenation here.

BBL treatment is available at our Langley and North Vancouver locations.

Skin Tightening

Now you can have visibly smoother, tauter skin, without the discomfort or downtime of surgery. Skin-Tyte™ is an advanced, light-based system that specifically targets the cells of the dermis, and recaptures the firmness associated with youthful skin.

Fast and gentle, Skin Tyte™ delivers light energy (heat) to the dermis through a specific filter while keeping the surface of the skin cool. The energy absorbed by the targeted area stimulates your skin to increase collagen production. The collagen fibers continue to strengthen after your treatment and you will see improved results over the months ahead.

You can read more about Skin Tightening here.

Skin Tightening is available at both our Langley and North Vancouver locations.

Laser Hair Removal

Imagine never having to shave, wax, tweeze, or apply messy creams again! If you want a smooth, sleek, hair-free body, all of the time, then laser hair removal may be the perfect option for you.

Our LightSheer™ diode laser system is the recognized gold standard in laser hair removal. This exciting technology offers a long-lasting solution to unwanted hair on the face, back, legs, bikini line or any other body area. The LightSheer™ is non-invasive, gentle on sensitive areas like the lip and underarms, and effectively treats unwanted hair on all skin types, including ethnic and dark complexions.

The LightSheer™ works by sending pulses of light to the hair follicles, where natural pigments absorb the light. This destroys the existing hair and inhibits regrowth. At the same time, the surface of your skin is kept cool and comfortable. Most people achieve permanent hair reduction and clinical studies show that if some hairs do return, they are typically lighter and less dense than prior to laser treatment. LightSheer™ treatments are tolerated very well, and you can generally return to work and resume all regular activities immediately.

You can read more about Laser Hair Removal here.

Laser Hair Removal is available at our Langley and North Vancouver location.

A word about photo aging...

A Photo Rejuvenation or Skin Tightening treatment at Spa Utopia will help restore your skin to a more youthful appearance, and encourage fresh collagen production. However, the best way to "treat" skin aging is to prevent it in the first place! A good sun protection program, strictly adhered to, will prevent sun damage (photo aging) such as wrinkling and age spots—and, if you have had a photo therapy treatment, will ensure the results last as long as possible).

Spa Utopia carries some of the most advanced sun protection products available—and every one of them is a pleasure to use, unlike many sun-protection creams and lotions. If you are going on a sunny vacation, or spend a lot of time outdoors, you may wish to invest in Pro-Derm™ sunscreen with an SPF of 60. This highly specialized formulation is moisturizing, non-greasy, and contains no unpleasant chemicals. (Many savvy women use this formula daily on their hands, to prevent tell-tale signs of aging such as brown spots.)

Shop online for Pro-Derm™ products here.

For daily prevention of sun damage, you may also want to use Jane Iredale mineral makeup with an SPF of 20—a popular choice among women who want to protect their skin against sun damage while avoiding the chemicals often present in sunscreens.

For more information on Medical Esthetic treatments at Spa Utopia, please contact our Langley location at  604-539-8772 or North Vancouver location at 604-980-3977 for information and booking for any of the three treatments. Please remember that prior to any treatment, you will be asked to book a consultation with a Medical Skin Care Therapist.

Spa Utopia tips to protect your skin from the sun's harmful rays

Although most of us understand that the single greatest cause to skin aging is the sun, and most of us remember to wear sunscreen on the beach, almost everyone forgets their sunscreen from time to time.  And even if we're vigilant about using sunscreen on a sunny day, it's easy to forget that the UVA rays that cause deep wrinkling are about us every day of the year, even when it's raining!  UVA rays are the light we see as daylight. They penetrate deeper into the skin than the UVB rays that are responsible for tanning and burning, scrambling the proteins that form the skin's supportive matrix, in much the same way that heat scrambles an egg. They even penetrate glass, aging your skin as you work by your office window, or drive to the mall. (Have you noticed how your skin is more pigmented on the driver's side, if you often drive, and on the passenger side if you normally leave the driving to someone else?)

In the summer, the damage caused by UVA light is intensified by the UVB rays that are strongest at this time of year. UVB light can also cause wrinkling, along with drying and burning of the skin's surface layers.

Adding to the bad news is the fact that sun damage is cumulative—a little more taking place every time you are exposed to sunlight until the skin's collagen and elastin finally break down causing sagging and wrinkling.

All this could be avoided if we remembered to apply a broad spectrum (UVA and UVB protective) sunscreen every day.

Spa Utopia has a few good suggestions on how to make sure your skin is always protected from aging UV rays.

Available at all our locations is Pro-Derm™ SPF 60—a professional quality sunscreen that's free from parabens.  Pro-Derm™ SPF 60 is light-weight, penetrates rapidly, contains no colourants and does not have a whitening effect on the skin. It is enriched with natural protectors such as Ectoin (extremely effective against UVA damage), Omega and Shea Butter, antioxidants such as Phyllanthus Emblica (Indian Gooseberry) and Vitamin E, and Rosa Mosqueta essential oil. 

This product should be applied after cleansing, and 20-30 minutes prior to sun exposure, to allow the protective ingredients to penetrate the skin.

This outstanding formulation was originally designed for use with anti-aging or medical skin treatments such as microdermabrasion, peels and skin tightening.

Many Jane Iredale mineral formulations, also available at Spa Utopia, have an SPF high enough to protect you from the sun, (including daily damage from UVA rays).  Especially popular and effective are

Dream Tint  SPF 15 Tinted Moisturizer, a super-absorbent, hydrating and calming formulation that minimizes the appearance of pores and wrinkles.

Powder-Me SPF™ Dry Sunscreen - SPF 30, a translucent, tinted loose powder beloved of many Spa Utopia clients!

PurePressed® Base Mineral Foundation - SPF 20, a sheer, semi-matte foundation that also acts as a concealer.

Amazing Base® Loose Mineral Foundation - SPF 20, a silky, creamy and luminous powder you're sure to love.

Absence® Oil Control Primer - SPF 15, suitable for all skin types and may be worn under base or foundation.

PureMoist™ Lip Colour - SPF 18, a creamy, moist formula with staying power, and

Lip Drink™ - SPF 15, a colourless lip balm to keep your lips super soft and smooth.


Other tips to protect your skin

Always wear a sun hat. You'll look cool and your skin will thank you for it.

Wear long sleeves when you can. Arms age quickly as they are often exposed to the sun.

Remember to apply sunscreen to the back of your hands every day.

Always wear sun glasses when outside in the sun. UV light contributes to the development of cataracts.

Try to stay out of direct sunlight from 11 am to 4 pm daily.


A Special offer...

Spa Utopia Facebook Fans quoting the code provided will receive 10% off any product with an SPF purchased from Spa Utopia. To become a Facebook Fan, please click on the link in the sidebar.

Find Jane Iredale's newest spring collection at Spa Utopia

Is there anyone who doesn't look forward to spring? Energizing, renewing, and full of promise, spring is the time to try out a new makeup look on your winter-weary skin.

Jane Iredale's new spring makeup colours are perfect for the lighter looks we associate with the return of warmer weather, with soft honey tones and gentle corals complementing all skintones and hair colours.

Girls-in-the-know will love the Perfectly Nude collection which brings together all the tones of a lightly sun-flushed skin, with highlighters and shaders that allow multitasking for enhancing lips and eyes.

The collection consists of:

Perfectly Nude Eye Shadow Kit. Show but don't tell—a collection of five natural tones that can be used on their own or layered for a look that's uniquely "you." Choose from the gorgeous new shades of Cream, Foxy, Cappuccino, Antique Gold and Copper to make your eyes the unquestionable focal point of your face.

So Bronze™ 3. Ready, set, glow— the much-awaited threequel to So-Bronze 1 and So-Bronze 2. This beautiful set is suitable for sun goddesses and sun-shunners alike, providing a sun-kissed shimmer that enhances your features with a bewitching play of light. Use separately or mix together to add that special glow to cheeks, lips and eyes. 

Lip Fixation™. For staying power that shines— Now you can do double-duty beauty with two great products in one. Each Lip Fixation™ tube boasts a lip stain and a matching, silky lip gloss. Choose between Desire, Fascination and Craving and use as much or as little of the gloss as the occasion warrants. Perfect for the beach, the boardroom or bedroom, Lip Fixation™ contains natural ginger for a plumper pout and avocado for a lasting moisturizing effect. This ultra-hydrating and long-lasting formulation is sure to be a hit for those longer, warmer days of spring!

Jane Iredale mineral makeup is never formulated with oil, talc, FD&C dyes, synthetic preservatives, parabens or fragrance.

You can find the full line of Jane Iredale mineral makeup at Spa Utopia (and remember to ask for your complimentary touch-up following any Spa Utopia spa or salon treatment). If you become a Spa Utopia Facebook Fan (just hit the Facebook link in the sidebar), you will qualify for a $5.00 saving off any item from the new Jane Iredale Perfectly Nude spring collection!