Everybody has been cooped up all winter, especially with the pandemic. It's time to become a sun bum and enjoy these summer months! While soaking up UVA and UVB rays is essential for vitamin D production, there's always that risk of having too much of a good thing.
Excessive exposure to UV radiation can destroy healthy skin cells that accelerate the signs of aging, and can cause cancer. Here are some summer skincare tips that offer sun protection, nourish your skin, and prevent premature aging.
Use the Right SPF
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), approximately 30% of women and 15% of men apply an adequate amount of sunscreen. Long-term exposure to UVA and UVB rays can result in sunburn, wrinkles, or develop into melanoma.
Cancer.org suggests that you apply sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30. As SPFs increase, so do their skin protection capabilities.
Common SPF suntan lotion protection rates are:
- SPF 15 Filters Out About 93% of UVB Rays
- SPF 30 Filters Out About 97% UVB Rays
- SPF 50 Filters Out About 98% UVB Rays
- SPF 100 Filters Out About 99% UVB Rays
- Ultraviolet Protective Factor (UPF 50) Filters About 98% UVA and UVB Rays
As you notice, the difference in skin protection narrows as you increase the percentage. Don't run out and stock up on SPF 100 just yet!
Determine the best SPF with Wolfram Sun Exposure Reference App. This app suggests sunscreen strength based on your skin type and current location.
Apply Mineral Sunscreen
Always choose mineral sunscreens over chemical sunscreens. While chemical sunscreens can be manufactured with organic compounds, many studies are showing that these common ingredients can disrupt the human body.
Potentially harmful ingredients commonly found in commercial sunscreen include:
- Oxybenzone - Causes Skin Allergies & Endocrine Disruptor
- Octinoxate (Octyl methoxycinnamate) - In Animals, Impacts Thyroid Hormones
- Homosalate - Disrupts Hormones & Causes Toxic Metabolites
- Octisalate - May Cause Allergic Contact Dermatitis
- Octocrylene - Promotes Photoallergens
Not to mention, many of these ingredients are disrupting marine life and destroying coral. They aren't sustainable choices to be a sun bum AND a beach bum.
Mineral sunscreen is an excellent natural suntan lotion. Brands like Oncoderm BodyRx® Mineral Lotion Sunscreen is an SPF 30 sunscreen that provides UVA and UVB protection.
This all-natural sunscreen contains skin-hydrating and rejuvenating ingredients that protect the skin, promote healing, and soothe dry skin. Aloe vera leaf juice, green tea extract, and cocoa butter are just some of the botanicals in this all-natural product.
It is fragrance-free and contains no filler, parabens, phthalates, or other potential hormone disruptors. With natural ingredients and its proprietary formula, this is the best sunscreen for the face...and the whole body!
Find Shade with a Tree or Umbrella
You can still benefit from being outdoors without being overly exposed to the sun. Plan your days out by seeking out the shade.
Plan a day trip to a park, go for a hike in the woods, or bring an umbrella to the beach. UV Blocker has an extensive line of sun-shading umbrellas.
They have umbrellas designed for single-use or multiple people, as well as for walking and beach lounging. Plus, all their products are made with 100% recycled plastic!
Take Turmeric Curcumin
Want one of the most unconventional yet extremely useful skincare tips? What you put in your body is just as important as what you put on it.
UV rays are a catalyst for change. They cause a disruption of the skin barrier that promotes essential vitamin D production. This helpful act also shows how disruptive sun rays can be.
Sun rays have the power to alter how the body operates. So, when UVA and UVB rays destroy skin cells under the surface, the body needs support inside, too.
Turmeric curcumin is a great way to support your skin cells. Curcumin exhibits potent anti-inflammatory benefits. It can help prevent free radicals from spurring out when the skin is overexposed to the sun.
This potent Ayurvedic compound also promotes healing. Studies show curcumin encourages blood circulation. Fresh blood can help healing from sun blisters and reduce the appearance of flaky and dry skin when the sunburn heals.
Tranquility Labs' Turmeric Curcumin 1000 provides a potent dose of curcumin. This all-natural formula is enhanced with Bioperine black pepper extract. Research shows that black pepper can improve the absorption of curcumin by up to 2,000%!
Wear a Sun Protection Hat
A wide brim hat can provide a little shade while you're on the go. Lanzom has an impressive collection of wide brim hats with UPF 50 protection.
These sun hats range from floppy to fedora to Panama. You can easily find something affordable to match your tastes and protect your skin.
REI also has a good collection of sun hats for men. They have everything from a cape cap to a lifeguard hat to a sombrero!
Don't make the hat do all the work. People with sensitive skin should wear long sleeves, especially during peak sun hours.
Choose the Right Time
If possible, try to avoid being in direct sun exposure during the hours where its rays are the strongest. Those with sensitive skin might want to stay indoors or under a covered outdoor area during the hours of 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
Those with less sensitive skin types might still experience severe burns between 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM. These guidelines also differ, depending on your location. Be sure to check with local parks and recreation suggestions about the best hours to be outdoors.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a handy app called EPA's SunWise UV Index 4. This highly interactive map gives you a color map to distinguish local UV rays to better help plan day trips.
Take More D & B-Vitamins
B-Vitamins are unsung heroes in skin care tips. They are catalysts for many skin-repairing functions.
Benefits of b-vitamins for skin care include:
- Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) - Eases Red, Irritated, Dry Skin
- Vitamin B3 (Nicotinic Acid or Niacinamide) - Repairs DNA that Can Become Sun Damaged
- Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) - Hydrates Skin, Improves Elasticity
- Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) - Helps with Hormonal Imbalances Caused by Chemical Sunscreens
- Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin) - An Essential Vitamin That Gets Destroyed By UV Rays
Tranquility Labs' Tranquilene Total Calm is an all-natural supplement that reduces mental stress. However, it also contains a spectrum of b-vitamins that improve skin health.
Additionally, Tranquilene Total Calm contains vitamin D3; the essential vitamin humans expose their skins to the sun in hopes of producing. One meta-analysis on vitamin D and sunburn stated, "High doses of vitamin D taken one hour after sunburn significantly reduce skin redness, swelling, and inflammation."
Start Summer Skin Care Off Right
This summer is the summer to make up for last. While the threat of COVID-19 is less prevalent, the dangers of too much sun is always there.
Make sure you apply sunscreen with an SPF 30. Those with sensitive skin types should opt for UPF50.
Dress appropriately in sun hats and long sleeves while monitoring local UVA and UVB ray exposures with sun apps.
Lastly, take care of the inside with any damage the sun caused outside. Help repair skin cells and hydrate your skin with Tranquility Labs' Total Calm while preventing long-term damage with Tranquility Labs' Turmeric Curcumin 1000.
It's summertime, and the living is about to get easy. Enjoy yourself, and be sure to tag @TranqulityLabs in pics with your summer starter kit essentials!
Essential Takeaways:
- Mineral sunscreens > chemical sunscreens
- Turmeric curcumin, B-vitamins, and vitamin D can help with skin repair
- Wide brim sun hats and long sleeves can block UVA and UVB rays
BONUS RECIPE: Golden Tonic
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups filtered water
- 2 bags green tea
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme, lightly bruised with the side of a knife
- 1 (2 inch) piece peeled ginger, finely grated
- 1 (2 inch) piece peeled turmeric, finely grated
- 1 tablespoon honey, preferably manuka
- 1 tablespoon raw unfiltered cider vinegar
- Ice cubes
- 2 cups chilled sparkling water
- 4 wedges lime for garnish
-Fill 4 glasses half full of ice. Divide the tonic mixture evenly among the glasses (about 1/2 cup tonic per glass). Top each with 1/2 cup sparkling water. Serve with a lime wedge, if desired.
NUTRITIONServing Size: 1 Cup Per Serving: 18 calories; protein 0.1g; carbohydrates 4.6g; dietary fiber 0.1g; sugars 4.3g; vitamin a iu 19IU; folate 0.4mcg; calcium 5.9mg; iron 0.1mg; magnesium 2.5mg; potassium 23.2mg; sodium 4.1mg; added sugar 4g. Exchanges: 1/2 Other Carbohydrate
