Boost Healing and Protection after Peels

I spend countless days prepping, peeling, and healing my skin, so it stands to reason that protecting that newly exposed skin is very important to me. Wearing my 30 SPF sunscreen just isn't enough during the summer. I've found a way to increase antioxidants, antibacterial action, and wound healing just by adding two ingredients: zinc and turmeric.

I love Keys Solar RX sunscreen, but during the summer, I need more than 30 SPF. I’ve found a way to boost the SPF in my sunscreen by adding zinc oxide powder. Uncoated zinc oxide powder is a natural healing element (think diaper rash ointment), and of course it reflects harmful UV rays.

There are two ways that I’ve boosted the SPF and healing properties of my sunscreen:
1.    Mixing the zinc powder with my zinc-based sunscreen, which makes it a bit thicker
2.    Using the zinc as a powder and brushing it on after I apply my sunscreen--this doubles as my finishing powder!!!

I really like #2 better, not only because I’m boosting the SPF and healing properties, but also because I’m using a product that doesn’t include many chemicals and preservatives (like the finishing powder I used to buy). The problem with #2 is that it tends to look just a bit white, especially during the summer, even though I have fair skin.

I’ve found a remedy that actually adds even more healing and protective power to my skin, before and after chemical peels.  Using my mortar and pestle, I grind just a pinch of Turmeric (also called curcumin; species is C. Longa or Curcuma Longa) with the zinc, and this gives it a light beige color (can be adjusted to vary the color). 

My skin's undertone is slightly yellow, so turmeric works really well to achieve a natural color for me, but if I had an olive or darker undertone, 100% cocoa powder would be perfect as a replacement for turmeric. Cocoa powder (100%, as in the product linked) provides an incredible array of benefits for the skin! I also use this cocoa powder in my smoothies!

Turmeric benefits the skin too, so just like my uncoated zinc oxide, it acts as an antibacterial agent. In addition, it has been shown to have UV photoprotective properties (which is boosting the SPF even more) and the ability to help wounds heal better. Turmeric is also a very strong antioxidant, so it will neutralize free radicals on the skin, which will protect against further damage. Turmeric has numerous benefits; I could devote an entire post to it, so any time I can incorporate it with my routine, I will.

Protecting skin that has been treated with chemical peels is very important because the new skin is even more vulnerable to UV damage, which causes brown spots, age spots, hyperpigmentation, even melanoma. UV rays also damage the underlying structure of skin, which causes wrinkles! I don't mean to be cliché, but an ounce of prevention truly is worth a pound of cure.

Using zinc oxide powder can be potentially harmful if inhaled, so I am very careful not to breathe in the powder or use it in an area that has air movement that would disrupt the powder. I also do not pour it; I gently spoon the powder from the bag. I’ve also read several studies on the safety of micronized particles, so I feel very comfortable using them.

Being a DIY'r, I love making and using products for myself because I know exactly what's in them--and it's so much less expensive than buying products that often don't live up to my expectations. My next DIY adventure will be to make sunscreen or sunblock using zinc oxide powder, my favorite oils, and beeswax. I will also test it this summer, along side my Solar Rx to see how it performs.