Top 7 Tips for Safe Skin This Summer
With the promise of happy sunny days ahead, our thoughts naturally turn to holidays and a much-coveted tan to boot, but if like many of us, the only shade you seem to be able to achieve is more tomato than tanned, then read on for our top tips on tanning safely to achieve a gorgeous glow that you’ll be flaunting all summer long.
1. Protect From Within
Did you know that certain foods can actually help protect your skin from sunburn? Eating foods that contain lycopene – the skin’s natural sun protection – can significantly help to jumpstart beauty from within by boosting collagen and improving the elasticity of the skin, as well as providing a naturally occurring SPF. Tomatoes are particularly naturally high in lycopene but to improve its absorption, combine with foods that are rich in betacarotene such as carrots and also vegetable fats such as olive oil and walnuts.
2. Prepare Your Skin
If you’re jetting off to sunnier climes, start preparing your skin at least two weeks before to ensure it’s in optimum tanning condition. Exfoliating daily with a gentle scrub will remove dead skin cells and leave you with smooth skin that will tan evenly.
Massaging body lotion all over your body immediately after your shower will help lock-in moisture, leaving you with beautifully radiant skin. Better still, get a healthy base tan by applying a light self-tanning lotion every other day to boost your confidence in time for the all-important bikini reveal.
3. Don’t Overdo It
Know your limits when it comes to tanning and seek shade during the day. Fair skin may only be able to stay in the sun for 1-2 hours before the body simply cannot make any more melanin (the tanning pigment) so go easy, reduce the damage to your skin and enjoy building up your tan slowly without the discomfort of burning. Take a cool shower after skin exposure to bring your body temperature down and close your pores, and don’t forget to smother yourself in aftersun in the evening to help maintain that tan and keep skin healthy.
4. Sunbeds Are A Big No No
It’s tempting to go for a quick blast on the sunbed to kick-start your tan but they’re incredibly damaging as they expose your skin to high levels of ageing UV rays. The symptoms of skin damage can take up to twenty years to appear and prolonged exposure to UV rays increases the risk of developing a malignant melanoma, so our advice would be to stay away.
5. Protect Your Skin with Adequate SPF
Don’t be tempted to skimp on the sun cream – ever. Apply it 15-minutes before heading to the beach, and at regular intervals, especially after swimming, and always use the best protection for your skin type using a wide spectrum UVA/UVB product with a minimum SPF of 15.
6. Don’t Fight with Nature
If your skin is extremely fair and doesn’t tan under any circumstances with the exception of an odd freckle, then go all out and glow with a fake tanning product that you can apply at home. We recommend Kissed by Mii tanning products for their luxurious feel and double whammy moisturising qualities. Discover the full range at the Devonshire Spa or book in for a professional application for optimum results.
7. Maximise your tan
To prepare your skin for the sun, the Devonshire Spa team recommend Comfort Zone’s Sun Soul Cream Gel Tan Maximiser. Used for at least five days prior to sun exposure, this non-greasy product encourages melanocytes – the cells that produce melanin – to come to the surface of the skin. This action intensifies and prolongs your tan and helps counteract skin ageing.