As summer is now finally here I thought it would be fitting
to do a post about sun protection.
In the summer I do a lot of outdoor things. I enjoy watching
cricket, sitting in a garden/park & this weather is perfect for long walks.
All of these things need sun protection. So today I’m going to talk about sun protection
for your lips, face & body.
Lip
Protection
One part of the body that a lot of people seem to forget about
when it comes to sun protection is your lips. I won’t lie I have done this many
times then wished I had remembered to put something on them. It’s hard to tell
if your lips are damaged as they don’t go red as you would if you burnt the
rest of the skin but I find they get a lot drier than usual if I haven’t used
any protection.
Best way to stop this happening to your lips is to use a lip
balm with a SPF in. I personally like to use one that is still moisturizing for
my lips. My favorite is Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula lip balm, this has a SPF
15. You can find lots of brands that do higher SPF’s in lip balms, Nivea have a
sun protect but you can always layer the Palmer’s lip balm over the Nivea one
for added moisture.
Face
Protection
Another part of the body that is over looked quite a lot
when it comes to sun care is your face. So many think the SPF in there face
creams in enough for the day but it isn’t its ok for the UK weather in the
winter but in the summer our faces need more protection. When it comes to
protecting my face from the sun I like to use a high factor & stay with
this number. My favorite SPF for the face is Roc Soleil Protextion + SPF 50, I
find this doesn’t break out my skin & it sinks in very quickly. I use this
over my face cream as I don’t find it to be moisturizing but it’s a great face
SPF. Another high factor SPF I’ve tried that is a little easier to get hold of
but is a little pricier is La Roche-Posay Anthenlios XL SPF 50. I find the La
Roche-Posay one to be a little thicker & it really doesn’t sink in as well,
considering it costs more I was hoping it would be better but I find that the
Roc one is the best. Both face SPF’s have UVA + UVB protection & a UVA star
rating of 4.
Body
Protection
My biggest advice when it comes to sun protection for your
body is to start off with a high factor. Our bodies aren’t in the sun all year
round so we aren’t use to it like many other countries so I always recommended
to everyone I know to start off with a SPF 50 & work your way down to the
factor you are more than likely to use. I suggest going no lower than SPF 15, I
only go down to a SPF 20. The reason I suggest starting off with a high factor
is mostly because our skin isn’t use to the sun being that strong & it’s
better to start off high & go lower then start off with a low factor an
burning as your skin isn’t use to the sun or the low protection. I only suggest
going lower if you are to get a tan; if you want protection & don’t really
care about getting a tan then I suggest staying with a high factor like SPF 50.
I use Malibu SPF 50 spray lotion to start when I’m exposed
to the sun. This is a once a day cream but this means nothing really, I still
suggest applying this every hour or so instead of every 8 hours which they
suggest. If I’m trying to get a tan on holiday I will use this for the first
few days but if I’m at home I will use this for the first few weeks on summer
then work down to a lower SPF. This sun cream is a spray which I prefer as I find
them easier to apply; it’s a thin liquid & sinks into the skin very
quickly. This doesn’t have a strong sun cream smell which is nice. This sun cream
contains Vitamin E, Aloe Vera & its water resistant (I still recommend
apply straight after being in the water) This sun cream has UVA + UVB
protection & a star rating of 4.
My go to SPF 30 is by Australian Gold. This claims to be a spray
gel but it’s pretty much the same as the Malibu lotion spray. This sun cream
contains sunflowers, tea tree & olive fruit oil which provides hydration
that enhances the skins ability to achieve more of a tan. This also contains Vitamin
E & Aloe Vera. I use this sun cream for a few days as it has no star rating
which means it doesn’t protect against UVA + UVB as well as others that would
have the star rating. This sun cream has a really nice fruity smell.
My last sun cream is for when I want a tan. This is what I use
most of the summer. Hawaiian Tropic is my favorite brand & there
Protective Dry Spray oil is the best, I have this in SPF 20 + 10. I don’t really
use the 10 unless I’m in the sun for only a little bit & that’s right near
the end of summer. This sun cream is recommended
by the Skin Cancer Foundation as an effective sun cream. It’s enriched with coconut
which gives it an amazing fruity holiday smell. The oil doesn’t skin in straight
away so this is good if you plan to wear it when you’re wearing clothes but if
you are in your garden or by a pool this is a great sun cream. This sun cream
has UVA + UVB protection & a star rating of 3.
Lastly I always suggest using Aloe Vera gel after being in
the sun.
I suggest taking a look at the NHS site on sun protection as
well & Skin Cancer Foundation. I would always recommend discussing sun
protection further with your GP.
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