Who doesn’t like to spend the long days of summer out in the sun? While you’re out relaxing by the pool, it’s easy to forgo your skin routine for the sake of convenience. However, if you want to preserve your gorgeous skin, you’ll want to make sure that you’re not only adhering to your skin care routine, but also making a point to protect yourself from the summer sun.
The ABC’s of Sun Safety
Sometimes, the hardest part of protecting yourself from the sun is figuring out where to start. When you’re in doubt, it’s always best to follow the ABCs: away, block, and cover up:
- Away: It’s tempting to step outside when the sun’s at its peak , especially if you’re looking to perfect your tan. The more time you spend in the sun, though, the more likely it is that you’ll expose yourself not only to skin diseases, but also to long-term skin damage as well. When the sun is high, stay away from unprotected areas.
- Block: It’s never a bad idea to invest in sunblock, even if you want to get a consistent tan. Come the dog days of summer, be sure to block the sun’s rays by wearing SPF 15 or higher.
- Cover up: If you’re out swimming or relaxing on the beach, don’t let your swimsuit be the only barrier between you and the sun. Instead, cover up and be sure to have a T-shirt or a hat on hand, especially if you’re out when the sun’s at its strongest.
Learn Your Sunscreen Secrets
Blocking the harshest of the sun’s rays from your skin takes more work than just applying sunscreen once per day. Instead, you’ll want to understand how to put your sunscreen to the most effective use once the days start to get longer. As you’re preparing to go outside, make sure that you:
- Regularly apply sunscreen, instead of just applying it once. Ideally, you’ll want to reapply a protective layer every two hours or after you’ve gone for a swim.
- Always apply sunscreen, even if it’s cloudy outside.
- Make sure the sunscreen you’re using hasn’t expired.
To Tan or Not to Tan
It’s tempting to take advantage of the summer heat and try to tan. Unfortunately, unhealthy tanning habits can leave you with more than just a sunburn. Excessive and unsafe tanning is known to lead to skin cancer later in life.
Instead, if you want to find that sun-kissed look you’ve always dreamed of, be sure to protect yourself first. Apply sunscreen even if you want to go out and tan for the day. Avoid indoor tanning beds or tanning for an extended or unnatural period of time. If you want to cheat a little, you can even use natural self-tanner to capture the look of sun-kissed skin, without exposing yourself to deadly amounts of UV light.
Preventing Summer Dry Skin
It’s never a bad idea to have a moisturizer on hand. If you tend to have dry skin, however, or if you find yourself spending several hours outdoors at a time, you may want to boost your moisturizing regimen. A strong moisturizer, ideally with aloe, can not only help you cope with sunburned skin, but also prevent chlorine and other chemicals used in pool water from making your skin vulnerable to damage.
That said, be sure to use moisturizers that aren’t heavy in artificial ingredients. Moisturizers that are high in artificial ingredients can actually worsen the condition of your skin, if they’re used too often.
Balancing Your Diet
One of the best ways to stay healthy in the summer months is to ensure that you’re eating and drinking properly. For every fruity beverage you have, make sure you’re drinking a glass of water. Similarly, be sure that you’re eating lots of foods with Vitamin A in them. Vitamin A will keep your skin from drying out and can work to prevent significant sun damage.
Summer’s all about relaxing and having fun. You’ll want to stay diligent, though, if you want to protect the health of your skin! If you want customized advice, you can always ask a skin care specialist from Tricoci University about the best approach.