It’s vital to protect your skin from the sun 365 days a year. Repeatedly exposure to the sun can cause skin cancer and various other skin problems like freckles, tanning, redness etc. Using sunscreen is not the ONLY solution of protecting your skin against the sun as no sunscreen guarantees 100% UVA and UVB protection. It also gets tougher if you have no knowledge about what vitamins and nutrients are helpful for your skin. You can’t miss on Vitamin C and Vitamin E during summers. So choose products that are enriched with Vitamin E and Vitamin C components.
Below you’ll find ways to protect your skin against the sun exposure:
Use Sunscreen daily:
Your skin is exposed to the sun everyday even while you’re sitting at home. So sunscreen is not only for the beach vacations but is essential for daily use. Use a broad spectrum sunscreen daily on your face and exposed part of your skin with SPF 30 or above that protects against UVA and UVB rays. Always choose cosmetics, lip balm that has SPF. Remember to apply sunscreen twice a day daily.
Vitamin C is the main ingredient that helps fight ageing caused by sun, removes dark circles and keeps the skin hydrated. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that your skin needs especially during summers.
Seek Shade:
The sun’s rays are stronger between 10am to 4pm. So if possible, try to stay indoors at this time or schedule meetings, play time etc. in the evening or early morning. But if the work is unavoidable, seek shade – trees, umbrellas and shelters. If you are at the beach, choose an umbrella which is UPF 30 (Ultraviolet protection factor) or more.
Cover up:
While you are in the water during the day, try wearing a rash guard instead of a T-shirt. Wet T-shirts are less UV protection than dry ones. Rash guards are made up of polyester and stretchy material and many also have a UPF built-in.
Wear a wide brimmed hat out in the sun. The brim should be at least 3 inches. Sun exposure can also damage the eyes. So wear sunglasses that protect your vision and your skin. Frames that are larger or wrapped around glasses provide the best protection against the sun. Look for labels that specify UVA and UVB protection.
Avoid tanning at Indoors:
No tan is a safe tan. Indoor tanning such as tanning lamps or beds damages the skin through UVA and UVB rays. This may also cause skin cancer. Protect your skin by avoiding indoor tanning. If you really wish to go for that tanned look, then choose sunless tanning lotions.
Moisturize your lips:
Lips are the most sensitive part of the face. The skin on the lip’s is the thinnest which makes it more vulnerable to sun damage resulting in lip lines and wrinkles. So, it is vital to apply and reapply sun protection lip balm daily.
Look for Vitamin E as the main ingredient when choosing your lip care. Vitamin E helps maintain the smooth texture of the lips and also make them look glossy. It also keeps the skin smooth and hydrated. Vitamin E helps fight against hyperpigmentation caused by harsh sun rays. It acts as a natural antioxidant to keep a check on skin-ageing.
Boost your antioxidants intake:
Increasing antioxidants in your diet can help protect from the sun. Some foods that you can include are fruits like grapes, raspberries and blueberries, watermelon, avocado, tomatoes, kale, broccoli, sweet potatoes. Green leafy vegetables and green tea. Load up on these nutritional and beneficial options as they are healthy for body and skin.
Alternatively, you may choose to apply products that have antioxidant properties. The night cream helps moisturise and restores your skin throughout the night that has lost its hydration while out in the day. It is rich in proteins and vitamins that leaves the skin hydrated and is loaded with Vitamin E, Olive oil, Shea butter, Aloe Vera gel. Make use of a brightening face wash to fight against tanning during summers. This face wash takes all the urban pollutants so that your skin remains rejuvenated. It contains Vitamin C and grapeseed oil that will lighten and brighten your skin.
Your lips are also exposed to the sun which causes pigmentation. Make use of nourishing lip care enriched with Vitamin E, Almond Oil, and Mango Butter. For an overall brightening and tan removal, make use of a brightening face pack loaded with kaolin clay and vitamin C. To restore your skin’s shine and lighten the dark spots make use of night serum enriched with Hyaluronic Acid and vitamin C. Your eyes need that extra care. To reduce dark circles, include under eye cream that is rich in Vitamin E +C, Cucumber & Caffeine Extract to your daily skincare regime.
Avoid reflective surfaces:
Did you know? Surfaces like water and sand can reflect upto 80% of the sun’s rays magnifying your sun exposure. If you are out in the open or at the beach make sure to cover up the exposed parts with sunscreen or under a giant umbrella. Put on the sun hat, sunglasses and be safe from the UV exposure.
Conclusion:
Nobody wants to skip the beach. Right? So keeping the above precautions in mind will keep you away from the sun. Because too much exposure to the sun is risky to your skin and health. Overexposure to the sun can cause sunburn, eye damage and premature wrinkles. As you now know, vitamins play an important role in keeping our body and skin healthy. Therefore, look for products that contain antioxidants for glowing skin and beat the heat.
Author Bio:
Neha Malhotra is a well-known Cosmetic advisor with the abilities to keep a track and predict the market trends with the utmost accuracy. She has worked in different beauty sectors dealing with the entire range of natural skincare products.