Beating The January Blues

By Kristie Furniss

January is notoriously a tricky month to navigate - we’ve just finished weeks of partying, celebrating and over indulging and now, all of sudden, the festive magic is gone and the Christmas comedown is real.

Apart from ‘Dry January’ and the oh-so familiar detox, there are simple steps you can take to kick start the new year and lift your mood.

Declutter Your Life

Whether it's clothes you never wear or unwanted emails, getting rid of all the unnecessary items that have been cluttering up your life is certainly a great way to help clear your mind and allow you to feel organised and ready to face the year ahead.

Commit To Life Admin

It is something we often put off or avoid, but getting on top of paying bills, household chores, personal banking and making appointments will leave you feeling more prepared and in control. Putting aside a weekend dedicated to completing life admin can be an excellent way to achieve everything in a short space of time, giving you more time for the things you really enjoy.

Plan A Getaway

According to research completed by Booking.com, three quarters of people get excited just from researching where to go on holiday. In fact, around 80% of people say that looking at pictures of potential destinations and beautiful accommodation makes them feel happy and excited. Therefore, it is no surprise that in today’s fast-paced and high-stress world holidays act as a kind of relief and break from the everyday stresses of modern life. Even just a short weekend break can be the essential escape we need, so get researching!

Exercise More

Winter can often make us less motivated to exercise, but it's essential to keep moving if you want to boost your mood. It is proven that physical activity causes chemical changes in the brain which can help boost mood and reduce mild depression and protect people against anxiety. Exercise also helps encourage a better night’s sleep, making you feel brighter and more awake for the day ahead.

Get Outside

Sunlight boosts the amount of serotonin (the happy hormone) in the body. During the cold, winter months, the amount of serotonin in the body reduces because of the shorter days, so it’s really important to try and get as much sunlight as possible. Even a 30 minute walk at lunchtime can help improve your mood and boost happiness levels.

Be Tech Smart

We know that a constant use of technology can negatively impact our mood and that it is important to avoid using our smart phone at least 90 minutes before bedtime. Thus, now is a better time than any to kick the habit and commit to filling your time by reading a book, taking a relaxing bath or listening to music. This will reduce feelings of anxiety, allow your mind to relax and help you have a better night’s sleep.

Following these positive steps will allow you to feel organised, healthy, happy and well rested; helping to further enhance your life and allow you to enter 2019 with an optimistic, determined and purposeful mindset.

Note: Always seek professional help if you think you might be suffering from depression, anxiety or any other mental health issue.

As the cold months roll in it's easy to think SPF can take a backseat in your skincare routine. But Daily DNA Defence SPF30 is much more than just a sunscreen, it’s your final coat of skin armour, it’s weather protection for your skin.

Our award-winning, broad-spectrum SPF protects your skin from more than just UV rays. It guards against environmental pollutants and blue light
emitted from your screens. Meanwhile, winter’s cold air, winds and rain can damage your skin barrier.

During and after exposure to the elements, Daily DNA Defence protects and repairs your cells DNA.

And more than this, it’s the best make-up primer. Talk about a multi-tasking product! Its lightweight formula sits comfortably under your foundation, ensuring your make-up stays fresh and stays ‘put’ all day.

Keep reading as we deep dive into the benefits of Daily DNA Defence SPF30 and why it’s an essential part of your winter skincare regime.

Broad-spectrum, photostable protection with Daily DNA Defence SPF30

Not all SPF products are created equal, Daily DNA Defence SPF30 offers broad-spectrum protection. This means that it shields your skin from both UVA rays (the ones that age your skin) and UVB rays (the ones that burn your skin). If your moisturiser or foundation contains an SPF it’s worth checking, make sure you’re covered for both UVA and UVB. Many of those products only protect against UVB, leaving your skin vulnerable to the long-term damage caused by UVA rays.

I’m guessing that you follow your daily skincare regime to promote skin health and to keep your skin looking great for your age? Using Daily DNA Defence SPF30 will help you avoid undoing all that effort by providing the UVA protection your skin truly needs.

And here's the bonus: our SPF is photostable, meaning it won’t break down or lose effectiveness in the sun. However, if you're by the pool make sure to reapply every two hours as water, sweat and towel drying can remove it, leaving your skin vulnerable.

Blue light and pollution protection

In today’s world, your skin is up against more than just the sun. Daily DNA Defence SPF30 also shields your skin from two often overlooked threats: blue light and pollution.

Blue light, mainly from our smart devices and pollution in the atmosphere. Blue light and pollution trigger changes in your skin cells, even leading to cell death. Unprotected exposure to these will lead to hyperpigmentation and can damage your skin’s health. Most blue light comes from smart technology, which is used daily by most of us. Pollution is all around; levels are higher in towns and cities all year.

DNA Defence and Repair: protecting your skin at the cellular level

When your skin is exposed to radiation it faces more than just surface damage, your cells DNA is at risk. Daily DNA Defence SPF30 acts like a "virtual parasol," shielding your cells during exposure to harmful rays. But the protection doesn’t stop there. After exposure, your body naturally works to repair DNA damage. Your cells naturally produce an enzyme which kickstarts the repair process of your DNA. Thanks to the powerful repairing ingredients in our formula this process is accelerated up to 100 times, meaning your skin recovers faster, stays healthier and sustains less long term damage.

In summary, wear Daily DNA Defence SPF30 as your final coat of skin armour each day in all seasons and you can rest assured you’re doing your best to protect your skin.

Magical make-up priming

We know that finding the perfect daily SPF texture is a challenge. We’ve been there too. Most SPFs feel like a layer too many, leaving skin feeling greasy, heavy or cause foundation to slide off by midday. This is why we made our product for you. A super light veil, which is suitable for even the most sensitive skin. With no oily or white residue, it’s non-pore blocking and
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No make-up, no problem

For our men and/or non make-up wearers, our handy pocket size product gives you the same invisible veil and matt skin finish. Skiers, golfers and cyclists will love that it slips easily into a pocket, bag or pouch.

Where else should you be applying your SPF?

Your SPF isn’t just for your face, use all the way down to your décollete and up to your hairline. Not forgetting areas like the tops of your lips, ears, nose and the backs of your hands. These are often overlooked spots that are equally exposed to the sun, whether you’re lounging by the pool or simply driving. The backs of your hands are quick to show signs of ageing, so it’s vital to keep them protected. And if you’re grabbing some winter sun make sure to apply it to the tops of your feet.

How much SPF should you use?

Aim for about the size of a 5 pence piece for each application. However, this should come after Step 2 – Skin Boost and Step 3 – Skin Defence Cream in your skincare routine. If you're planning to sunbathe, apply Daily DNA Defence SPF30 at least 15 minutes before heading outside. Once you're in the sun reapply after 15 minutes for the ultimate protection, then continue every two hours.

And remember, swimming, sweating or towel drying can remove your SPF, so be sure to reapply regularly to keep your skin fully protected.