I get asked all the time how I get so tan over the summer. I used to lay out in the sun with only tanning oil on but once I became more aware of the harmful effects of sun damage to your skin, I quickly made skin care my top priority. This post is dedicated to healing that painful sunburn that we all get a least once a summer.
- Quality Sun Tan Lotion
Let me tell you, this may seem like the most obvious tip but a lot of people don’t take the quality of their sunscreen into consideration. Quality suntan lotion is generally a little more pricy then the cheap stuff but it is so worth the cost. For example, this Hawaiian Tropic’s sunscreen has built in moisturizers so that even if your skin starts to burn, it has moisturizer on it to start working fast to reduce the burn. I also love Sun Bum’s products as well. It’s important that you’re getting quality suntan lotions so that you can prevent the burns before they happen and prevent long term skin damage.
2. Don’t Exfoliate or Peel Your Skin
It might be extremely tempting to sit and peel off that dead skin or use an exfoliating scrub in the shower but DON’T DO IT!! Stripping off that dead skin prior to it naturally coming off will leave your skin extremely damaged and stripped of the moisture that it needs to recover. That dead skin is helping retain the moisture that your skin will need to heal. You can purchase Sun Balm’s to apply to the peeling skin that can help speed up the process of your the dead skin coming off if you don’t like the way it looks.
3. Moisturize Immediately
I swear by this tip to keep my skin tan and not getting burnt. Even if I’m red after being out in the sun, whenever I get out of it I make sure to use an “after sun” moisturizer that is designed to help replenish what my skin lost from being out all day. Moisturizing is your best friend in the summer and so many people neglect this step. I really believe that moisturizing after I get out of the sun and using a sun lotion infused with moisturizer, I get the best tans that are long lasting.
4. Solarcaine
I was so surprised when people have never heard of this product. Solar Cane is basically used like aloe except its in a spray bottle and is cooling when applied. I don’t like to use aloe because it’s too sticky for me and also rubbing damaged skin isn’t the best idea. This product does the job of aloe except works so much better for some reason. I’ve seen people who get the worst sunburns put this on right after being in the sun and they’re not even pink. I highly recommend getting this and adding it to your after sun routine. It also will help take away the pain and burning sensation that sunburn leaves.
I also just want to put out a disclaimer that being out in the sun all day is not good for you. I love laying out and getting tan but as I get older, I realize more and more how harmful sun rays can be to your skin. A once in awhile sunburn is not the end of the world but please be cautious this summer because sun damage is irreversible.
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