There’s often nothing better than relaxing with a book on the beach all day, sipping a mojito and listening to the waves crash against the shore. What a wonderful picture of serenity. This relaxation is absolutely necessary for mind, body, and spirit, but when the sun is involved, we need to be careful.
Of course, we all need a healthy dose of vitamin D; that becomes apparent during the winter months when many people begin to suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder. When living in a place with distinct summer and winter months, we are usually ready and eager to get some sunshine once the temperature reaches 20°C. What we often forget about, in our sheer joy and excitement, is to apply sunscreen.
Sun Damage: An Inconvenient Truth
There are almost no limits to the damage that the sun can cause the skin; sun spots, wrinkles, burns, and in the most severe cases, melanoma. Needless to say, it is important to protect your skin from an earl age, but the importance of this during midlife increases. As we age, our skin becomes more fragile. We loose elasticity, pigment and gain wrinkles, and so it is imperative that we give our biggest organ, our skin, the best chance at preservation as possible.
Skin damage does happen over time (which is why it’s important to start young) but it is never too early to start applying sunscreen every day (yes, every day!), even if you aren’t planning on heading to the beach for that mojito. During the summer months, especially, the sun’s UV rays are strong, and so even a stroll in the park can cause some damage.
Sunscreen: The Skin’s Mighty Protector
So, how can you avoid all the complications that come along with too much sun? As stated, applying sunscreen every day should become an important part of your makeup routine. I’m not necessary talking about applying an oil SPF 50 to your face every morning, but applying in subtler ways, such as:
- Using a day cream with a built-in SPF
Many day creams these days that are marketed to women in midlife have an SPF component built in already – look for those! - Use a foundation with a built-in SPF
Many “foundations” such as most BB creams have an SPF component
The sun should not be underestimated: powerful in it’s ability to make us smile, feel warm, and feed us, and equally powerful in it’s ability to, over time, cause damage to our biggest organ. If you love a tanned look, try to opt for less damaging methods, such as self-tanner (not the tanning bed!). As I mentioned, it is never too late to start protecting your skin from the sun!
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