Why is the sun bad for your skin?
With the exception of the 10-15 minutes of sunlight most of us need 2-3 times a week to maintain healthy vitamin D levels, the sun is actually horrible for our skin. But why? Sunlight contains ultraviolet rays (UV) and when? those rays penetrate the skin cells, they wreak havoc on the way the skin grows, repairs, and thus, appears. That means UV light:
- Damages the connective tissue in the skin, making it less elastic. This leads to lines, wrinkles, and sagging.
- Causes hyperpigmentation, aka sunspots, which make the skin appear older.
- Penetrates into the skin cell and alter the cell’s DNA, which can cause the cell to change in ways that can cause skin cancer.
- Scary, right? Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United Statesa€“ but also the most preventable. How? Let’s discuss.
Sun Safety Tip #1: Protect.
SPF all year round, all the time, no matter what.? If your skin is exposed and you’re going outside (even if it’s cloudy or you’re only going to be in the car), lather up.
Thankfully, there are products on the market now that don’t? smell or? feel? like the sunscreen we use when we hit the beach on vacay. I like moisturizers and primers that include SPF because it combines two steps into one. I am in? love? with this tinted primer with SPF from TIZO because it protects from UV rays (SPF 40!), primes the skin, and provides a little bit of coverage all in one handy tube. It also has vitamins C and E, which helps neutralize free radicalsa€“ bonus! I really dig this because it has a matte finish and the texture is almost mousse-like. It feels lovely!
I get my TIZO tinted primer from AesthetiCare. TIZO is a medical-grade product line, which means it contains higher levels of active ingredients vs. over-the-counter brands, like the ones you find in drugstores, at Target, and at Sephora or Ulta. Higher levels of those actives = a better, harder-working product and more bang for your buck. If there’s anything you shouldn’t half-ass, it’s skincare and sun protection! (Oh, and it’s cruelty-free and a reef-friendly product, which means it’s safe for our oceansa€“ so important.)
I’ll use this tinted primer alone (no foundation needed; the coverage is light but works for me) with concealer for a fresh, protected face. I’ll bring it down to my neck and chest for everyday weara€“ keep in mind, whatever you’re doing to your face, you should be doing to your neck, chest, and the backs of your hands.
I keep this hand cream in my purse and car and apply it frequently throughout the day. You really don’t realize how much UV exposure your hands get when you’re driving arounda€“ gotta protect ’em!
Sun Safety Tip #2: Don’t forget to reapply.
It’s pretty easy to add SPF to your morning routine, but reapplication is another story. By the time I’m ready to head home from work after a day at the office, the SPF I applied that morning in the bathroom is long gone in terms of protection. (Most sunscreens protect for about 2 hours in non-swimming situations.) But slapping on a layer of lotion (or even that lovely primer)? over my makeup just isn’t going to happen, so what’s an SPF-obsessed girl to do?
Powder sunscreen.
Yes, it’s a thing and it’s a game-changer.
ColoreScience Sunforgettable Mineral SPF 50 Sunscreen is a powdered sunscreen with a built-in brush. You give it a little shake (with the cap on) and the product loads into the brush, then you swipe it over any area you want to protect. It comes in 4 colorsa€“ fair, medium, deep, and tana€“ and provides a little mattifying action in addition to sun protection.
I keep this in my purse and reapply as I’m leaving the office or the gym. I love using it on my face (even over makeup!), the backs of my hands (if hand lotion isn’t your jam, this is a non-greasy alternative), and my chest. For pool days, it’s awesome because you never have to worry about sunscreen in your eyes and it helps mattify. It’s also perfect for protecting the ears (which are so easy to miss when you’re applying full-body SPF!).
Sun Safety Tip #3: Get bronzed without the UV.
True life: I used to? love a session in the tanning bed. High school + college years were peppered with me spending time baking myself under sun lamps. Now we know how dangerous tanning beds can be and how they prematurely age your skin. I got smart in my mid-20s and quit my tanning bed habit, but I still love the way my skin looks with a tan. (This pale + freckled girl is melanin-lacking, that’s for sure!)
Enter: sunless tanner. The only way to safely get a tan!
I love? Eco Tan’s Organic Cacao Self Tanning + Firming Mousse for a quick + natural-looking tan. I leave it on for a few hours and then rinse; it gives just enough color to make you look sun-kissed without going full-stop Bronzed Vacation Goddess. Packed with ingredients like coffee, blood orange, and ginger, it smoothes skin and reduces the appearance of cellulite. Bonus: it’s paraben-, sulfate-, and cruelty-free.
When I want a deep, dark tan, I reach for this stuff from St. Tropez. It’s my go-to for I-swear-this-is-really-my-tan skin all summer long.
Self-tanner success starts with the application. Do yourself a favor a get a mitt to apply. it allows you to really rub the tanner in without staining your hands. After you’re done, rinse it with water and a little hand soap and you can use it again and again.
And you know that sticky + tacky feeling you get after self-tanning? Use a fluffy powder brush to apply a little body powder on those sticky spots and boom! Immediate dryness.
Want more sunless tanning tips? I give you a step-by-step rundown of my process toward the end of this post.
KC friends! Get your medical-grade skincare from AesthetiCare. You can trust everything they stock their shelves with is tried, tested, and true in terms of maximum results! You can score a cute pair of sunnies (clear acrylic mirrored wayfarers, so on trend!) with any SPF purchase in the month of May.
Note: if you are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant, check with your doctor before switching up your skincare routine to make sure the ingredients are safe to use during pregnancy.
