Have Fun in the Sun Without Aging Prematurely
The best part of the summer is the pleasant weather and being able to spend more time outdoors at beaches, on trails, and picnicking in parks. Although we all love feeling the sun our skin, we also know the damaging effects it can have on our bodies. Did you know that the skin products you use can help your skin stay healthy and young? Keep reading to learn how.
Damaging Effects of Ultraviolet (UV) Rays
As much as you enjoy basking in the sun, you know how damaging it can be if you don’t take the right precautions. Public health messaging has done a great job of raising awareness about how UV rays increase your risk of skin cancer, and why sunscreen is a must.
There are two main types of UV rays, and they are both damaging to your skin: UVA and UVB. UVA rays are the ones that cause wrinkles and tans. UVB rays are the ones that lead to sunburns and skin cancer.
Too much exposure to direct sunlight can cause:
- red, burnt, and parched skin
- wrinkles and fine lines
- age spots, freckles, or other discoloration
The sun is most dangerous during the summer, and for people who live at higher elevations or in the tropics. Even when it’s cloudy, UV rays are coming through, so you still need to protect your skin. Luckily, there are ways to prevent damage from the sun, and to help your skin counteract the effects of UV rays.
How to Protect Your Skin from UV Rays
You know that too much sun is bad for you, so how do you find a healthy balance between enjoying the outdoors and preventing premature aging? The answer is prevention and treatment.
Ways to prevent sun damage:
- Always use sunscreen before going outdoors (even when it’s cloudy)! You should choose a product that is labelled as “broad spectrum” which means it protects against both UVA and UVB. You should choose a sunscreen that has a minimum sun protection factor (SPF) of 15, but much higher if you’ll be in direct sunlight for a prolonged period.
- Stay in the shade during peak sunlight hours. The sunlight is at its most intense during the middle of the day.
- Wear clothing to protect your skin. Everyone loves wearing dresses, sleeveless tops, and shorts in the summer months, but if you are going to be in direct sunlight for a long period, consider wearing light, long-sleeved shirts, a hat, and sunglasses. Nowadays you can even get lightweight clothing that has built-in SPF.
Even when you take precautions, you may find yourself with dry, burnt skin. There are several products you can use to soothe, repair, and rejuvenate your damaged skin to minimize the wrinkles.
Ways to treat sun-damaged skin:
- Drink plenty of water. Staying hydrated is important for the health of your skin, especially after you have been exposed to sunlight for an extended period.
- Use a gentle cream high in antioxidants and full of naturally soothing ingredients that will calm inflammation. UV rays cause oxidative stress in your skin, meaning they cause free radicals to be produced. Free radicals damage your cells and lead to premature aging. Antioxidants bind to these free radicals and neutralize them so that they don’t cause damage.
Try our soothing Night Cream, which is rich in vitamins A, C, and E, which all help to bind free radicals and prevent wrinkles. It also contains Rooibos (link to Rooibos blog) for more antioxidant action.
- Treat the area around your eyes. The skin around your eyes is very sensitive and is often neglected. After a day of squinting in the sun, you definitely will want to apply a gentle moisturizer like our Eye Cream on the under eye area. The cream is full of antioxidants and includes soothing chamomile and African shea butter to hydrate your skin.
- Gently exfoliate to remove dead and damaged skin. Using a gentle product to remove dead skin from the surface of your face will help your skin cycle generate a healthy new layer. If your skin is burnt you will want to wait to do this, but if it is just dull and dry after too much sun, exfoliation will help brighten it up.
Try our gentle Mud Masque to treat your skin to a detoxifying, mineral-rich experience that will leave remove your dead skin cells and leave your face feeling firmer.
Now that you know how to take care of your skin during the summer months, get out there and enjoy the weather! For more options to keep your skin healthy and young, visit our product page to learn more about the natural ingredients we use to keep you smiling.
