These four simple tips will teach you how to naturally protect your skin this summer. Everything from the best natural sunscreens to new foods you can eat!
Summer is HERE! The sun is shining, we're heading to the beach, spending hours at the park, and generally enjoying the warmth that summer brings. While super fun and enjoyable, spending hours and hours outside in the blazing sun also means we need to take precautions, especially where our skin is concerned.
Did you know that skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States? And by now I'm sure many of us know, prolonged and unprotected sun exposure is one of the leading causes of skin cancer.
Growing up, I was 100% that kid that spent my summers outside from dawn ‘til dusk. Sure, I put on sunscreen when I was going to the pool or beach (mostly because my parents made me), but daily sun protection wasn’t something I was aware of (or honestly cared about).
As I've gotten older and started to see some fine lines and wrinkles pop up, I'm starting to be much more conscious of protecting my skin on a daily basis. We get so much exposure to the sun driving in our car, walking outside between buildings, even if it’s just a few minutes at a time – it adds up!
Most of us just think sunscreen, but there are actually a lot of other ways to naturally protect your skin from those harmful rays. So today we're dedicating an entire post to protecting your skin because it's one of the most important things we can do for our skin and to keep our skin looking youthful and cancer free!
1. Sunscreen
This is the most obvious but how many of you only put on sunscreen when you’re going to have dedicated time outside? That was me until this year… hate to admit it! I now use a daily facial serum that has SPF 30 on my face, and also like to give my arms and legs a quick spray of this Alba Botanica sunscreen.
I walk Trevi three times a day which adds up to a lot of sun exposure! One thing to keep in mind is that a lot of the major sunscreen brands (Banana Boat, Coppertone, etc.), are actually quite toxic. Not only just to our body, but also for the ocean. When you're shopping for sunscreens, make sure you're going for one that is as natural as possible. Sometimes they're a little hard to put on, but you're doing your body and the oceans a world of good.
Here are some of my favorite natural sunscreen brands:
- Alba Botanica
- Jason
- Kiss My Face
- Coola
- Australian Gold's new Botanicals Line
2. Clothing
Clothing obviously adds some sun protection – the more you cover, the more protected from the sun you are. I know this can be hard in the summer but it’s just something to keep in mind. Light, flowy long sleeve tops or longer skirts are awesome when you don’t want your skin exposed to the sun but don’t want to overheat!
When I have a beach, pool or park day planned, I always make sure to have something light and long-sleeved that I can throw on when I'm feeling like my skin might be getting a little burned.
Hats and sunglasses are also SUPER important when it comes to protecting your face and eyes. The skin on our face is more delicate than the skin on the rest of our bodies and is actually even more susceptible to burning. Always pack a hat when you've got an outside day planned – just a simple baseball cap will do a great job protecting your face.
3. Chapstick
I'm sure you experienced this before, but burned lips are literally the WORST!
Lips are often overlooked when it comes to sun protection but they are just as likely to be affected by the sun. Compared to your skin, your lips have a thinner protective layer of skin cells and actually burn really easily.
That's why I make sure to always wear a chapstick with SPF in it. I literally don't leave the house without smearing some on and always have some in my bag. It's one of those things that is so easy to miss or forget about, but also so easy to remedy.
4. Food
Did you know that food can help protect against the sun? There are certain vitamins and minerals that can reduce the potential for sunburn. Vitamin C, antioxidants, beta-carotene, and vitamin E all protect your cells and help your skin heal. Citrus fruit, carrots, almonds – there are so many whole food sources of these nutrients that can naturally protect the skin.
Now we're not saying that if you load up on these nutrients you don't need to also take these other protective measures because you do! It's more about filling your body up with these vitamins and minerals will only help your skin even more.
So especially in the summertime, think about loading up on things like grapefruit and lemon, eat carrot sticks with your hummus, use almonds in your trail mix. Adding these in will help your body do an even better job at naturally protecting your skin.
How do you Naturally Protect Your Skin?
We'd love to hear what you're doing on a daily basis to naturally protect your skin. What is one simple daily practice you can incorporate to protect your skin from daily sun exposure? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
