With the current circumstances in my life, I’ve gotten a lot of free time to myself. And all though I’ll be hitting an age milestone this year, your girl loves a good day in the sun. The last couple weeks I’ve been treating myself to some relaxing days in the park working on my tan because let’s face it nothing beats the feeling of having a natural tan. But I’m also very aware of how important it is to protect your skin while you’re young so you have healthy and youthful skin well into old age. So while I indulge in some sunbathing, there are also a few tips and products I ALWAYS use to make sure I’m sunspot and cancer-free.
Wear Sunscreen Everyday
First and foremost always, always always, and I mean ALWAYS wear sunscreen, not only does it keep you safe from a burn and skin cancer, but it can also keep away the wrinkles ance scars and can actually clear up acne prone skin! So make sure you’re wearing your sunscreen to protect not only your face but your arms legs elbows and feet.
Now some people believe that it’s only important to wear your sunscreen when you go outside but you should wear your sunscreen every single day, even when you’re sitting inside on the couch watching tv. The windows in your home only block UVB rays but they don’t block UVA which is the actual cause of wrinkles, darkspots and skin aging.
Get Built In SPF
I’ll be the first to admit, I’m lazy. I love getting ready in the morning and doing my hair and makeup but the skincare routine can get old and I hate having too many steps. So to keep my morning routine simple I like to buy makeup with built in sun protection. they make tinted sunscreens, foundations and moisturizers with SPF built right in to them to take yet another step out of your morning routine.
Fifteen or Higher
Another thing I have always had a hard time with is what type of SPF do I need? 15? 30? 50!? What is the right about of SPF to keep my skin safe? The answer depends on your sun exposure but it should be at least 15. I like to think 30 is a safe bet for everyday and bonus that’s usually what’s built into foundations. Along with the amount of SPF of course as you may already know the amount of times you apply is crucial. In the summer time we all inevitably sweat so you need to apply more frequently, but the rule of thumb is always every couple of hours.
Cover Your Skin
It’s hot, wearing layers is not in the cards for anyone but finding other ways to cover your skin and especially your face can be rather easy. Right now big summer hats are the perfect accessory for any patio date or afternoon walk, but wearing your mask can also be one of the best things to happen to your skin. Just like sunglasses protect your eyes from the sun your mask can protect you from sun damage and COVID. So incase you needed yet another reason to wear your mask this summer the health of your skin should be one.
Physical vs Chemical
As I’ve said before but paying attention to the ingredients in your skincare is so important. and what you may not know about your sunscreen is that there are two main types of sunscreen that can protect your skin from UVA and UVB rays. These two types are physical and chemical.
Your phyisical sunscreens sit on top of your skin and repell rays by sheliding the skin. These will include titanium dioxide, zinc oxide or both and need to be rubbed in really well to avoid a that white cast.
The chemical sunscreens absorb into the skin and will absorb UVA and UVB rays and inactivate them. products with chemical sunscreens will often feel very lightweight and include ingredients like avobenzone, oxybenzone, and octocrylene.
If you want to keep your skin youthful it is so important to protect it while you’re young. We all love a good day at the beach and a golden bronze but we need to be safe about it, wear your hat, know the ingredients in your skincare and I’ll say it one more time…always wear your sunscreen. What is your favorite sunscreen product?
