As the longer, warmer days are fast approaching (bring it on!) The UV rays are starting to rise, here are some tips for helping look after your skin this summer season..
Hydrate! Hydration is essential both internally and externally, we all find it much easier to increase our water intake as the weather gets warmer, try incorporating in some extra goodness for added antioxidant benefits, blueberries, raspberry’s, strawberry’s- give us all the berries! Antioxidants work to get that skin glowing from within! Increasing plumpness, elasticity, skin texture and turning free radicals into energy to keep that skin youthful! Externally – especially after a big day in the sun you may need some additional hydration put back into your skin! To keep a hydrating mask in the fridge is my summer tip! You can pop it on to leave on over night to help restore the hydration levels back into the skin to help re-energise and replenish.
Sun protection, this is one of those products you either love or hate, the important thing is finding what works for you and your skin! You want a physical sun protection not a chemical and this is determined by the ingredients included and how they work to protect your skin, ingredients you want to look for to make your SPF physical are titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, these reflect the sun and block the UV rays from absorbing into your skin, unlike chemical sun protections which may block the sun but they absorb UV rays causing damage like age acceleration or even aiding in progression to skin cancers. Not to mention the environmental factors chemical SPF can leave on the waters and contribute to blocking your skin!
How to use your sun protection correctly is another big factor, the difference between using an SPF 30+, to an SPF 50+ is actually very minimal, its measured as to how many UV rays it deflects and the difference is actually 1% (literally) and while it all helps, you don’t need to be hell-bent on using an SPF50+ if its not the right one for you.
The main factor which is often misunderstood is actually the amount of product you need to use to be able to get the full factor 50, so many of us think by applying a little bit of 50+ to our face in the morning means we are covered for the day- wrong!
You actually need about 1 full teaspoon size amount of SPF product for your full face and neck, that’s quite a lot more then id say were all using! Re-application is super important, your protection usually lasts at least 4 hours (some products vary, but most decent brands will have at least 4 hours of wear) and if your out on the water or swimming that may need to be increased too as the reflection off the water can mimic the UV rays so your getting that UV damage from all angles!
Kate Olsen - Founder, Cove Medispa