You’re headed to the beach and want to get that coveted sun-kissed glow. But, HOLD UP, babe! Before you roast yourself in the sun for a week, consider the ravaging effects those harsh rays have on your skin. Unprotected sun exposure prematurely ages your skin and causes freckling, spotting, and long-term damage. Here are three great tips to help you safely tan for vacation while protecting your skin from damage. Get the beach-babe look without roasting your skin!
The Harmful Effects of the Sun’s Rays to Your Skin
The sun is a serious business, especially if you’re planning on being outdoors for more than 30 minutes. Not only can you get burned, (I’m talking boiled-lobster burned), you can also dramatically age your skin. Those sun rays dry out your skin
The sun’s ultraviolet rays penetrate your skin’s natural barriers, breaking down its elasticity. Without strong, elastic fibers, you lose your skin’s firmness, etching deep wrinkles that are a beast to smooth out. Think pug dog minus the cuteness.
Similarly, the sun causes uneven pigmentation and spotting. These liver/age spots (or “lentigines” for you science nerds) show up on every part of your exposed skin from your face to your feet.
How to Safely Tan for Vacation
1: Use a Sunless Natural Self Tanner
Just because you can’t layout in the sun doesn’t mean you can’t get a gorgeous, dark tan! Grab a great natural self tanner that helps you achieve that same beach-babe look without the harmful side effects. We’re incredibly smitten by our natural self tanner because it doesn’t streak or blotch and it never stains clothes, pillowcases, or sheets.
Best of all, this natural tanner actually works! It goes on white (no dyes!) and leaves you with a beachy, dark glow within a few short hours. To get best results with your self tanner, check out this how-to video.
2: Put on Plenty of Reef-Safe, Mineral Sunscreen
When you do hit those waves, make sure you’ve put on plenty of mineral-based (hear “reef safe”) sunscreen. Mineral-based sunscreen doesn’t harm the ocean’s ecosystem as its chemical-based counterparts do, and they’re just as effective at keeping your skin protected.
(Side note, not only are chemical-based sunscreens bad for our oceans, but they’re also pretty terrible for your body. While they do protect you from harmful sun damage, they paradoxically expose you to a host of toxic junk ingredients.) Make sure you cover every inch of exposed skin before going beach-side.
For skin prone to breakouts, try a natural facial sunscreen. Or better still, get a tinted facial sunscreen (in Beige, Toffee, or Cocoa) to get both coverage and protection.
3: Reapply Sunscreen Every 80 Minutes
This step is just as important as the first two but is often overlooked. It’s so easy to get carried away when you’re having a blast, but don’t forget to reapply your sunscreen! Circle back every 80 minutes and carefully reapply your sunscreen to keep that beautiful skin protected all day long.
We hope this has inspired you to safely tan that beautiful skin!
Sand, Sunbeams, and SPF,
Jenny
These are great tips I wish I would have followed as a teen. Now I have allllll the freckles because I loved to tan in the sun with the sun-in and lemon in my hair. Pfffttt.
The struggle is real! I totally did that too. . . Oh, and spray tans. I did that once but NEVER again!
Oh man… I LOVED sun in! Summers were spent at the pool for sure and I went through the whole burning process just for that day or two of a tan until it wore off… To be a reckless teen again!
I’m obsessed with BBE Self tanner!
Great post! 100% agree on getting the bronzed look from y’alls self tanner – its easier, safer and less painful lol. Also I think reapplication is the key for sunscreen, definitely where I could improve.
Truth!! I am in love with these tanners & sunscreens! Clean, natural & the absolute best!
Great article! This Self Tanner is pretty awesome, too – it’s the ONLY one I’ve ever tried that didn’t turn me four different shades of orange.
Oh, that’s so good to hear! We’re kind of partial to our lovely Self Tanner around here ?