We are to the last of the 4 basic things to do for great skin and number 4 is protection. No matter how many skin treatments we receive or how many products we use, if we don’t protect it all we have wasted our time and money.
Obviously we can’t live in a cave and there are times we will have to be in the sun, but when we are, we must take every precaution to protect ourselves from too much sun exposure. Sun is the biggest cause of aging skin, but there are multiple things we can do to protect ourselves.
1) Wear protective clothing. Light colors and lightly woven fabrics can be worn over our arms, chest and legs even in the warmest weather. There are many companies who sell clothing pre-treated with protection. To see some of the trendiest fashions for summer wear, do an internet search for Coolibar, Sunprecautions, Rei, Solartex and LL Bean. You’ll be pleasantly surprised.
2) Wear sunglasses with large lens to cover as much of your face as possible. Not only will you be protecting more skin, but you’ll squint less. That cuts down on crow’s feet. Always make sure you choose sunglasses that offer UV protection that block 99 to 100 percent of both UVA and UVB rays. Avoid sunglasses that neglect to offer details about their UV protection. Keep in mind that the color and degree of darkness sunglasses provide have nothing to do with the sunglasses’ ability to block UV rays.
3) Wear a hat when you plan to be in the sun for a long period of time. I’d like to say a ball cap is enough, but it isn’t. A ball cap doesn’t cast a very big shadow and it leaves our cheeks, chin and neck exposed. Instead find a large-brimmed hat. The larger the brim of the hat, the more protection it will provide. There are so many stylish hats available these days; no one even has to know why you’re wearing it.
4) Always seek shade. If you’re at the lake, try to stay under a tree. If you have a pool, purchase a large umbrella and stay under it as much as possible. If you’re going to the ball park or soccer field, buy a lawn chair with a covering attached to the chair. Every spring I see them at most major department stores. I always keep an umbrella in my car because I never know when I may need it to provide shade for myself.
5) Last, but never least, wear sunscreen 365 days a year. Always use a sunscreen with an SPF of no less than 30. Make sure is offers both UVA and UVB protection and offers broad-spectrum protection. Use sunscreen that is a sunscreen only and never mixed with a makeup or moisturizer. Reapply every 1-1.5 hours of continued sun exposure. If you are sweating a lot, reapply often because when we wipe off sweat, we also wipe off sunscreen. Use a water resistant sunscreen when enjoying water sports and reapply every time you get out of the pool or lake. On your face, neck and chest, use a sunscreen developed for those areas. Some of my favorites are Nia24, Neova and Rosa Graf Suntime. If you are using sunscreen over the other parts of your body, you can buy the bigger more cost effective bottles of Banana Boat, Bullfrog, Neutrogena and Blue Lizard from Walmart, Walgreens, etc. And always remember that sunscreen expires quickly. If you have bottles of sunscreen that are over 6 months old, throw them away and buy new.
Several useful sites:
Coolibar . com
Sunprecautions . com
Solartex . com
Sungrubbies . com
Rei . com
Sundayafternoons . com
Sunprotection . net
Opticsplanet . com
Squidoo . com
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