Summer Sun Dulling Your Skin?
Here’s our top three tips to follow year-round for beautiful, radiant and healthy skin
The sun. It is the heart of our solar system, provides life on Earth, and has serious effects on the skin. Along with sunburns, the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays can cause cancer and is responsible for more than 90% of the visible signs of aging, such as sun spots and wrinkles. Not only do you need to up your SPF game, but Vitamin C and daily face washing can help undo and protect your skin from the sun’s harmful rays.
Use Sunscreen!
• Lowers chance of developing skin cancer by 50%.
• Reduces signs of skin aging by 24% by protecting your skin from the harmful free radicals produced by UV rays.
• Sandra Garcia from Central Valley Dermatology stresses the importance of using a sunscreen that says “broad-spectrum” with SPF of 30 or greater and at least 7% zinc oxide.
• Apply 20 minutes before sun exposure and reapplied every 2 hours or more if you’re sweating or near water, snow or sand.
Vitamin C: The super power for healthy skin
• Provides sunburn relief.
• Promotes collagen production in the skin. Collagen is a strong protein that forms about 75% of the skin. It’s essential for firm, youthful looking skin.
• Corrects and protects the skin from wrinkles by speeding up the repair process of collagen damage from UV rays.
• Smooths and hydrates the skin.
• Topical application: Vitamin C as ascorbic acid.
• Oral forms of Vitamin C: Fruits and vegetables.
• Aim for 9 servings a day or up to 2,000mg. For example, 1 cup of yellow bell peppers = 341mg and 1 medium orange = 70 mg.
Wash your Face Morning AND Night:
• Cleanse yourself of sebum, a waxy/oily substance that helps protect the skin from the harsh elements of the outside world like UV rays, pollution, bacteria, dirt and dead skin cells. If it’s not washed off properly, it will cause acne, skin discoloration, winkles and dull-looking skin.
• Morning is just as important because the skin repairs itself over night, leaving pore clogging dead skin cells that need to be removed.
Here‘s How:
• Wash with fingertips or a clean washcloth and lukewarm water while using a gentle cleanser (read the bottles instructions carefully).
• Washing with water alone will remove only about 65% of the impurities on the skin.
• Finish with a rinse of cool water to close the pores.
• Follow a daily routine of washing with a gentle cleanser, exfoliate 1-2x per week, toner, Vitamin C serum and sunscreen.