Caring for Pale Skin in the Sun
The warmer weather has arrived and with it has come the blistering sunshine. Now I love a cheeky little sunbathe as much as the next person, but as someone who has pale skin, I have to be careful about how I look after it if I know I'm going to be exposed to the sun, even for as little as 15 or 20 minutes. So how do I care for my pale skin when the sun comes out?
I use high-factor sun cream
I cannot express how important it is for you to apply sun cream to your skin, even your face, if you're serious about protecting your skin from the sun. Your makeup or moisturiser might contain SPF, but it's not nearly enough to protect to your skin completely. I like to use factor 50 sun cream mainly because I can't find anything with a higher factor.
If I can't get my hands on factor 50, I'll use factor 30 and then swap that out for a factor 50 sun cream when I can find some. I wrote a blog post last year about my favourite sun cream, so if I can get that again in a higher factor, then I'll be happy! Read that blog post here.
I use as many skincare products as possible that contain SPF
I know I've already said that skincare and makeup products that contain SPF isn't enough, but if I combine that with a good layer of sun cream, then I'm laughing. I find that my nose and forehead are more exposed than other parts of my body, so I'll but on my moisturiser, containing SPF, then sun cream, then I'll apply makeup that also contains SPF.
It's important to note, however, that not every foundation, concealer or other makeup product contains SPF, so make sure you read the label and use it conjunction with sun cream. You can get some brilliant non-greasy sun creams that are easy to apply, effortless to work into the skin and dries exceptionally quickly.
I avoid sitting in the sun for long periods of time
Even though you're slathered in sun cream, it actually wears off as the day goes on. This means that you have to keep reapplying it every few hours (make sure you read the label to make sure when it needs another top up).
The most I'll sit in the sun for would be no more than an hour or two and then I seek some shade or retreat back indoors to give my skin a break from the UV rays and also the heat. Little and often is enough for you to catch a bit of a tan, but please make sure you wear sun cream.
I remember last summer going running almost every single day, even in 27 degree Celsius heat. The most I'd be out for is about 45 minutes depending on the distance I was going, but I actually got a really nice, somewhat even, tan. So much so you could see the outline of the arm band I wear to put my phone in to track my runs.
My point is, I was wearing sun cream which, admittedly, might have come off as I sweated, but that was about the only time I'd be in the sun and so it doesn't take much for you to catch the sun. Imagine what I would have looked like if I hadn't have been wearing sun cream. I guarantee I'd have suffered sunburn and that's never good.
I try to keep my head covered
I must admit, I'm not great at remembering to do this, but the intention is always there. Even if I can sit under a tree or parasol and I'm happy that my head is covered by a bit of shade, I'll be happy. I do really need to buy a nice sun hat and I might well do before we go to Florida (hopefully), because that'll involve a lot of walking around and very little shade. If I do buy a sun hat, I'm sure I'll write a blog post about it :)
I don't exfoliate my skin as often during the summer
Where this might seem a little extreme, exfoliated skin doesn't mean it's dirty. You exfoliate to get rid of dead skin cells, not cleanse your skin. I'll still wash my face etc but I won't exfoliate every time I have a shower when the sun comes out. There is such a thing as over-exfoliating and this can cause skin to become even more dry and cracked.
If you don't exfoliate as often, then you aren't removing that extra layer of skin which acts as a good natural barrier between your live tissue and the sun's UV rays. If you don't want to change your exfoliating routine, then make sure to apply as much sun cream as possible on a regular basis, perhaps more frequently than you would have done otherwise.
I keep my skin well-hydrated & apply after-sun when needed
Caring for skin that's been exposed to the sun doesn't stop when it gets dark. Your skin has still been exposed to harmful UV rays and so you should use your nighttime skincare routine to give your body some TLC.
I like to have a shower, apply moisturiser with SPF and then, over the top, I'll apply a bit of after-sun. You could either apply after-sun or moisturiser, it's up to you, but I like to use both in conjunction with each other as opposed to one over the other.
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I hope you enjoyed this blog post? Let me know in the comments how you like to look after your skin when the sun comes out and I'll see you again very soon with a brand new blog post :)
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