Sunning the Skin Safely

English weather is like being in an on-again, off again relationship. A few days of glorious heat had us all out in our shorts and t-shirts, only for the central heating to be turned back on a week later! But fear not! I have it on good authority (the weather forecast) that the sun will be back. And when it comes back, we will be prepared and we will look after our bodies. Here are some top tips to enjoying the hot weather safely:

 

 

  • Sunscreen!
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    As well as the things we know about (sun damage, sunspots, premature aging), did you also know that UVB radiation appears to reduce the effectiveness of the immune system, according to the World health Organization? Exposure to UV can alter the activity and distribution of some of the cells responsible for healing.

    A handy tip is to not wait until you’re outside to apply - SPF takes a good 20 minutes to sink into your skin. Better yet, put on your sun cream before your clothes so as not to miss any areas. 

    If you are using a body lotion as well (we’d recommend our Lavender Body Lotion), make sure you do this first. As a rule of thumb, sun cream should be the last thing to go on. If you find it too much of a faff to apply two layers, some brands combine their moisturisers with an SPF. Our friendly stockists of OW Big Green Smile sell a few versions.


  • Accessorise!
  • It’s summertime. When else can we get away with living out our boho chic fantasies by wearing oversized hat, sunnies, shawls and the like?


  • Be careful around water and sand
  • Beaches. The perfect place to spend those hot summer days. However, you need to be extra cautious in these areas, as water and sand reflect the damaging rays of the sun, which can increase your chances of causing some damage.


  • The Shadow Rule
  • No, not GRR Martin’s next novel, but a simple method for sun protection. The shadow rule indirectly determines the sun's altitude by observing the length of a person's shadow during the time course of a day. Therefore, when a person's shadow is shorter than the person is tall, the intensity of UVR from the sun is more likely to cause sunburn.

     

  • Aftercare
  • Even if you're not in the sun, keeping your skin safe is still super important! Spending a lot of time in the sun can dehydrate you. A good moisturiser is just the thing to rehydrate the skin. Finally, don't forget to drink water all throughout the day!!!


    The skin is our largest organ and protects us from so much. Take care of it so that it can do its job. Happy safe sunning!

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