Protect Yourself From the Sun

In the spring and summer, you may find yourself spending a lot of time enjoying the outdoors. Though a day in the sun can be a lot of fun, it’s not without risks. Even if you have a dark complexion, you are not immune to the damage that can be caused by the sun. Repeated and prolonged exposure to the damaging UV rays from sunlight can lead to skin cancer, no matter your skintone.

Wear Sunscreen

Image: Nordstrom

Protect yourself by wearing a sunscreen with SPF. If you are going to spend long periods in the direct sunlight, use a sunscreen product with an SPF 15 to 30. Re-apply your sunscreen lotion every couple hours throughout the day, or even more often if you go into the water.

A moisturizing sunscreen can also help protect the skin from premature signs of aging, including fine lines, wrinkles, age spots, and uneven tone and texture. But protecting yourself isn’t just about your face and body, your hair and eyes need protection from the sun’s harmful UV rays too.

Protect Your Hair

Your hair also can be protected in a variety of ways. You can put on a hat or scarf to cover your hair completely, or use haircare products that contain sunscreen. You can also apply sunscreen lotion directly to your scalp before spending extensive time in the sun.

After you come home from a day at the pool or beach, rinse your hair right away to flush out chlorine and salt water. Follow up with a deep hair conditioner, as the sunlight and other elements can lead to dry, damaged hair.

Protect Your Eyes

To protect your eyes from the sun’s rays, select a top quality pair of sunglasses that are stylish and also provide 100% UV protection. Wrap around sunglasses offer extra protection. Rather than purchasing trendy sunglasses, choose a style that you are going to be able to wear year in and year out. You don’t want to drop several hundred dollars on a pair of fad sunglasses just to wear them for a few months.

Here are a few of my favorite sunny essentials:

• BullFrog Sunblock Surfer Formula – 8 hours of waterproof protection!
• Eric Javits Squishee Hats – Stylish, packable and don’t lose their shape
• Armani Exchange Oversized Sunglasses – Retro look without a big price tag