The sun can either be a best friend or worst enemy at this time of year. Its rays can warm the skin to the golden bronze or burn it to a dry red.
Summer sun is exactly what many crave all year. The cold dreary winter months cause girls to desire the warm weather and hot sun more than anything.
Look no further than Facebook for evidence. Throughout January, February, and March, newsfeeds are speckled with profile pictures dedicated to sweet memories on the beach with friends or lounging poolside in the heat. Thankfully, those pleasant days are fast approaching.
As the sun becomes more and more bold, skin becomes more and more at risk. It is important that skin is properly protected to prevent irreversible skin damage and skin cancer!
“In their favor, UV rays activate vitamin D, kill certain germs, and boost our mood. But overexposure to UV rays damage the skin. Irreperably,” according to Loreal.com. Immediate effects are the deepened or reddened skin tone. Later, sunburn appears, the skin color deepens for a few days and then upper layers thicken.
Long term effects can be wrinkles, premature aging, or cancers, according to L’Oreal. So, it is important to take the sun seriously.
SPF is all a matter of preference and skin tone, but whatever the protection factor, coat sunscreen all over. “On your body, slather on a shot glass’s worth of a broad spectrum sunscreen that’s at least SPF 30.
For your face, you’ll need another teaspoon,” according to Allure. The magazine said it is important to do so long before actually going outside. Give SPF 20 minutes to sink into skin before exposing it to the sun.
Skin protection doesn’t just stop at that. It is also essential to soothe skin after lying out in the sun for a few hours. Moisturize with lotion to make sure that skin doesn’t dry. There are even shower gels that are specifically made for a bathing after long days in the sun, pool and seawater.
For instance, there are post-sun cleansers like Guinot’s Sun Care Shower Gel. “Its packed with Jojoba oil to combat that chlorine and salt water have on your skin,” according to Harpersbazarr.com. “It will also dissolve the film and residue that some sunscreens leave behind. Now there’s no reason to skip SPF this season.”
During the summer months, sunscreen is something that many girls forget to think about, but it is necessary to combat premature aging and cancer. Allure.com says to never run out of sunscreen and always keep some on hand.
Even on a cloudy day, the sun is always around, so the sunscreen should always be around as well. Coating on a decent amount at the right time is crucial for protecting the skin against the sun’s abrasive UV rays. So have fun in the sun, but care for skin while doing it!