How to Care for Your Skin During the Summer

Summer is a perfect time to get some color, but as we know this has to be done responsibly. Here are some tips to care for your skin.

-Protecting your Body: Most importantly, protect yourself from getting too much sun. Everyone must be self conscious about getting burned and decreasing other skin problems, like cancer and aging, during the summer. That being said, no matter how intense the sun is, you must protect yourself from the sun everyday!!!! So wear sun screen! If you are really white, start off with SPF 50 minimum until you have a base to your tan, and then use 30. When you know you will be outside for a long time, put on the sunscreen at least 30 minutes before you go out so it can be absorbed into your skin. Bring the sunscreen you are using with you when you leave the house so after approximately two hours, depending on the intensity of the sun that day, you can apply it again. (Because just applying it once won't help you after awhile.)

-Protecting your Face: Yes it is also very important to protect your face from the sun as much as possible. Your face will also need to use the sun screen rule as stated above. Now if you have a major concern about breakouts, you can still wear sunscreen worry free. Just use a moisturizer that comes with sunscreen in it or use a clear facial sunscreen. When you use this, start by doing your body and then wash your hands very well before you apply the sunscreen on your face. You should also protect your eyes and scalp with a hat and sun glasses.

-Tanning: There are several things you can do to help get tan faster. When starting start by going in the sun during the morning and evening hours. This way you avoid the most intense sun of the day and it will decrease the chances of you getting burned. Then as you develop a base color you can stay out longer. If you can be in the water, then you can develop a tan a little faster by quickly cooling off and drying in the sun. The sun's effect will increase when you are wet.

-Burns: If you accidentally forget about sun screen, have no fear! You can fix the burn and turn it to tan by using aloe or Palmer's Cocoa Butter. These products should be used at 2 to 3 times per day!  I recommend using aloe or an aloe gel if the sun burn is painful once per day and then alternating with cocoa butter. This treatment will prevent the skin from peeling and will reveal a beautiful tan.

Be conscious of your skin and have fun!

~Katrina