How to protect your skin from the sun

The holidays are coming! Protect your skin! The heat is coming as well and the sun won’t spare you if you don’t protect yourself. Yes, you only have one skin for life, unfortunately you can’t change it like snakes do. This is why it is important to protect our skin correctly. However, we have to tell you a secret: sunscreen is not the only means of protection. Yes, yes, you read that right. There are natural alternatives to protect your skin from the sun, but be careful, sunscreen is still the most effective way to protect yourself from UV rays, but for small exposures all year round, you can protect yourself in other ways.

Sunscreen 

First, let’s focus on your health. Conventional sunscreen is made up of chemical UV filters. Yes, it protects you from the sun, but these filters can also be harmful to your skin by triggering allergies or eczema on contact with the skin. In addition, conventional sunscreen is effective but short-lived. 20 minutes after applying your cream, you will need to apply it again. Finally, these creams do not give us a real vacation… In addition, sunscreen is not good to apply on your sunburn. So, yes, you obviously have to protect your sunburn, but you have to keep in mind that your skin is very thin in its areas and that sunscreen can go beyond the skin barrier. With all its chemical composition, it is therefore not recommended to apply it on the parts affected by sunburn.

Finally, using sunscreen does not help our dear planet as well as the marine fauna and flora. When you swim, all the excess cream ends up directly in the marine environment. Even organic sunscreen is required by law to include chemical filters. Moreover, organic sunscreen generally has lower protection indices than conventional creams.

When and why should we protect ourselves

Sun protection is a recurring theme only during the summer. However, in reality, you should protect your face and body parts exposed to the sun all year round. This is why natural protection methods are useful. Even with cloudy weather, the sun manages to send us ultraviolet rays. In other words, it is not impossible to catch a sunburn under a cloudy sky. Also, we too often forget that tanning does not protect against the sun. Even if you are already exposed to the rays, you must continue to protect yourself.

Protecting your skin is beneficial for both the short term and the long term. For the short term, it saves us from having that burning pain after burning in the sun all afternoon; and for the long term, it guarantees us a more beautiful skin and protects us from future potential wrinkles, spots or dryness problems.

How to protect your skin from the sun without sunscreen

Before exposing yourself to the sun, first prepare your skin and body. For this, you can adapt your diet by adding carotenoids. These are antioxidants that help protect against the sun. Carotenoids are present in red, orange and green fruits and vegetables, such as peaches, kiwis, strawberries or even carrots, spinach, peppers… Carotenoids can also be found in food supplements to prepare for tanning but the body assimilates them better when they come directly from food. Also, adding oils of natural origin (olive oil, rapeseed, etc.) to your dishes improves skin elasticity and fights inflammation.

For exposure to the sun, it is preferable to expose yourself gradually and to avoid the peak hours of the sun, i.e. between 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. or between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. during heat waves. Seeking shade is the most effective solution to avoid sunburn, you can either find it under trees or create a shade spot with the help of a parasol. If the umbrella is too heavy to take to the beach or you don’t have one, take light clothing that will protect your skin. Don’t forget your hat or cap to avoid sunburn on the scalp!

You can also spread carrot oil on your body. This vegetable oil will provide you with sufficient sun protection for everyday life with a fairly low UV index. Aloe vera is also partly endowed with protective values. By applying it on your body, a thin layer will remain on your skin and cause a tightness effect. This is the one that can protect you from certain UV rays.

How to protect your acne-prone skin from the sun

There is a misconception that the sun is acne’s best friend because it supposedly dries out pimples. However, pimples don’t actually go away, they hide under the epidermis of your skin and therefore clog your pores. The sebum is then blocked and accumulates until the end of the exposures. Back home and… Catastrophe! Your buttons appear more numerous than they were before your stay. This is the “rebound effect”.

Thus, it is essential to protect your skin well in order to avoid this “rebound effect”. For this, it is necessary to use a non-comedogenic and non-greasy total screen. Also, if you are following a photosensitizing anti-acne treatment, consult your dermatologist about which cream to buy to ensure the best protection.

Although it’s the holidays and you want a little respite, you absolutely must continue and adapt your routine to the summer, that is to say, we cleanse the skin with a gentle cleansing gel morning and evening, we exfoliate with gentle scrubs once a week and we hydrate daily!

To cleanse your skin, goat’s milk soap is strongly recommended. This one has real anti-wrinkle and anti-acne virtues and offers us a gentle cleansing of the skin. In order to obtain the best skin cleansing, carry out your cleansing with a cleansing brush. This will bring you a more thorough and gentle cleaning.

Another tip that could upset more than one person: let your skin air out! Avoid makeup during the summer, or at least remove products from your routine that can clog your pores.

Also, it is possible to limit acne with diet. It is important to avoid too fatty and too sweet dishes and to eat healthy and balanced. So favor a plate full of fruits and vegetables (Psst! This will also help you promote a tan).

If you love swimming, this news will delight you: salt water is excellent for the skin. With magnesium, seawater would fight against the bacteria responsible for acne and promote healing.

Take care of your skin

Sunscreen is the most effective way to protect yourself from the sun. However, if you are resistant to the idea of ​​brushing yourself with chemicals all year round, you can adopt natural alternatives by changing your diet or creating your own sunscreen with vegetable oils. For acne-prone skin, sunscreen is essential, but it must be adapted to your skin type.