This is a sponsored guest post. All opinions are my own.
Did you ever wish you lived in a cave where the harmful rays of the sun don’t touch your skin? However, no matter how hard you wish, it is impossible to escape the damage that sunlight inflicts on our skin. While sunlight helps boost our mood and is responsible for the synthesis of vitamin D in our bodies, too much exposure to it will damage our complexion and may even cause serious conditions like skin cancer.
If you care about your health in general, then you need to find ways to reduce—if not completely avoid—the adverse effects of sunlight on your skin. Below are some of the necessary steps you need to follow to ensure protection from the sun’s harmful rays.
Drink a Lot of Fluids
Exposing yourself to the heat of the sun for even at least one hour can dry out your skin. When your skin is dehydrated, it can become flaky and even start developing premature wrinkles.
If you’re planning go out in the sun for even as little as one hour, make sure that you hydrate yourself with water. Drink at least 2.1 liters or 8 glasses of water per day. A sports drink is also another beverage you can consume in addition to water since it contains electrolytes. However, make sure to avoid alcohol and caffeine as these drinks can further cause dehydration.
Use an Appropriate Sunscreen
Wearing sunscreen on a daily basis is one of the best ways to protect the parts of your skin that are exposed to the sun. However, make sure that the sun care product you choose actually offers ample protection. To do so, look for a sunscreen with high SPF and PA ratings.
SPF or sun protection factor is a measuring system developed by Swiss chemist Franz Greiter in 1974 which relates to UVB protection. PA, on the other hand, is a measurement of protection grade against UVA, which was first used in Japanese beauty products. As a rule of thumb, you should choose a sunscreen that offers protection grade of above SPF 50 and PA+++.
If you use makeup on a daily basis, you can also consider using cosmetic products that contain sun care ingredients. The Pony Effect Everlasting Cushion Foundation from Memebox, for example, provides SPF50 and PA+++ protection so you don’t only get coverage for blemishes and uneven skin tone, you also get proper UVB and UVA protection.
Protect the Skin around Your Eyes
The skin around under your eyes deserve protection, too. They’re very delicate and can make you look older or younger depending on the quality of care you put on this area of your face. A natural and practical way to protect them when you go out in the sun is to wear big sunglasses.
If you are concerned about the style of your sunglasses, choose an angular frame if your face is round. Conversely, choose a roundish frame if you have a square-shaped face.
The best benefit of caring for the skin under your eyes is that you also get eye protection per se. Go for sunglasses that provide ultraviolet light protection and polarizing effect. Polarized sunglasses reduce glare and also prevent light from getting to your cheeks.
Wear an Oversized Hat
Wearing a wide-brimmed hat is a great way to provide additional protection for your face on top of using a sunscreen. These hats do not only ensure enhanced sun protection, they also make you look more attractive, in many cases.
When choosing a hat, look for one with a brim that measures 8 cm or more. It’s best to get a hat with a very wide brim if you’re planning to spend long hours outdoors, such as when you’re spending your day at the beach or if you’re planning to watch a game of golf.
Limit Your Time Under the Sun
Consider not spending time outdoors between 10:00 in the morning and 3:00 in the afternoon. During this time of the day, the sun is highest in the sky, and ultraviolet bombardment is at its peak. Moreover, remember that the more time you spend outdoors, the more you are exposed to the sun’s radiation.
It’s best to seek shade during these hours of the day. One way to do so is to carry an umbrella with you so that you can prevent directly exposing yourself to sunlight. Also avoid walking under the sun altogether. If you’re going from one place to another and it requires significant time walking in broad daylight, take the public transportation or grab an Uber ride instead. You can do your walking exercises earlier in the morning or later in the afternoon or evening instead.
Wear Protective Clothing
Aside from hats, sunglasses, and umbrellas, tightly woven clothes are another type of gear that you can use for sun protection. Not only do tightly woven protective clothing keep you more comfortable under the heat of daytime, they will also protect you from the sun’s potentially harmful rays. Ideally, you should wear pants and long-sleeved shirt for broader protection, but make sure to choose products that are breathable and cool to the skin so that you don’t get dehydrated or suffer from heat exhaustion.
Even better, there are light clothes that offer actual UV protection, much like sunscreens do. Such fabrics feature an ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) that blocks radiation. You can choose UPF ratings that range from 15 to 50+, in order of the level of UV protection the article of clothing offers. One of the downsides to UPF garments is that there is often not a lot of designs to choose from. This can be a problem if you’re the picky type when it comes to style. These garments also tend to cost more than normal clothes.
The sun’s radiation can cause irreversible damage to your skin, so it’s best to avoid excessive exposure to sunlight. Thankfully, with the tips provided above, you are now better equipped to protect yourself from the damaging effects of sun exposure.
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Hi there! I am Emily Evert, the owner of Emily Reviews. I am 28 and live in a small town in Michigan with my boyfriend Ryan and our two pugs. I have a large family and I adore my nieces and nephews. I love reading memoirs, and learning about child development and psychology. I love watching The Game of Thrones, Teen Mom, Sister Wives and Veep. I like listening to Jason Isbell, John Prine, and other alt-country or Americana music. I created Emily Reviews as a creative outlet to share my life and the products that I love with others.
This post currently has one response.
These are such good comments. I have oversized sunglasses and most always wear something on my arms. I rarely wear shorts outside. I just need to better about always having on sunscreen.