How to Prepare Your Skin for Sunny Weather

As the days get warmer and sunnier, it’s only natural you want to spend as much time as possible outside. In no time, it will already be summer – the time to spend all your days at the beach, local pool, or doing whatever other outdoor activity you enjoy. I got to visit Aruba to greet the sun earlier so preparing and protecting my skin for sunny weather was really important.  

With the long winters, your skin probably won’t be prepared for the summer sun after the long and harsh winter months. So, in this article, we’ll go over all you need to do to prepare your skin for sunny weather. Once you add these simple steps to your routine, try to maintain them all summer long so your skin will always be glowing!

Never Skip SPF

One of the first rules of skincare is: never skip SPF. Never. Not even on the days when it’s cloudy. Not even if you’re planning on sunbathing. If you’re planning on sunbathing, you must put some sunscreen on your whole body! It protects your skin from harmful ultraviolet radiation while also helping with other things like maintaining healthy collagen levels. Moreover, when putting some sunscreen on your face, it’s important to remember that SPF is an essential step in the skincare routine at any age. The sooner you start adding SPF to your daily skincare routine, the better!

Hydrate Your Skin

Everybody knows your skin gets dry in the winter. And now that it’s warmer, you’re probably ready to say goodbye to your dry skin. However, your skin can’t just magically get better. The more you expose your skin to the sun, the drier it will get. And there’s nothing that can help you as much as a good moisturizer. 

Although a moisturizing cream can’t protect your skin from the sun the way SPF does, it can still help lessen the effects of the sun. As your skin dries, it gets more sensitive to UV radiation. So, by hydrating your skin, you can help your skin rebuild its protective layers. I can attest to this. 

Finally, remember to avoid dense, rich creams and instead opt for a light moisturizer. Heavy moisturizers in the summer can smother your skin and cause even more problems.  Choose a light lotion or serum that won’t clog your skin and even add a little sun protection.

Drink Water

While it’s important to keep your skin hydrated from the outside, it’s just as important to keep it hydrated from the inside. So, make sure you drink a lot of water as you’re approaching warmer months. Water helps your skin’s general suppleness and provides it with a moisturized look. Drinking several glasses of water every day will make a significant difference in the overall condition of your skin. Make it a point to drink water every hour if feasible. 

Moreover, keep bottled water with you, especially if you’re planning on doing something that requires lots of physical activity. For example, if you’re hiking, walking, or even moving your belongings into a new home, make sure you always have a water bottle at hand. Usually, when people are doing an activity like that, they often forget to drink water and experience a heatstroke.  I did.  When I was Aruba, the last day it was very hot and windy, so I didn’t notice how dehydrated I was getting.   So, to survive a summer move, make it your priority to stay hydrated through this by constantly drinking water.

Use A Facial Toner 

Usually, people use toners to eliminate any excess oils and particles from their face after they’ve washed it. During the summer months, toners can be a game-changer for you. I know it seems like an extra step, but adding a toner to your skincare routine will help remove excess oils, grime and sweat. Ignoring this step might result in excess oil buildup on your skin, contributing to a breakout.

Exfoliate From Time To Time

To prepare your skin for your sunny weather, there’s almost nothing that beats exfoliating. It causes the skin to shed dead cells that have accumulated over time. So, if you want an even tan, consider exfoliating your face and your whole body! You can create a homemade body scrub from coconut oil and use it in your home. However, because exfoliating eliminates the thin, protective layer on the surface of your skin, making it more exposed to UV rays, you mustn’t do it too often. If possible, wait a few days between exfoliation and sun exposure. 

Enrichen Your Diet With Carotene To Prepare Your Skin For Sunny Weather

When it comes to getting ready for summer, many people don’t consider changing their diets. However, there are plenty of foods that can help protect your skin from sun damage. For example, foods high in beta-carotene and other carotenoids can boost your skin’s protection against UV radiation due to their antioxidant characteristics. So, add more carrots, spinach, mangos, apricots, peas, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and other sources of carotenoids to your diet. However, keep in mind that these foods can’t be used instead of sunscreen, only in addition to it.   But they go along way in keeping your skin from drying out.  I had a medical condition in which I had to radically change my diet by adding more veggies.  Not only did I feel better but my skin was much more hydrated.  I only had to use a little moisturizer to keep my skin moist.

Expose Your Skin Gradually

Multiple brief exposures are one of the finest strategies to prepare your skin for the sun. The first time you go out in the sun, it shouldn’t be for an extended period of time. If you stay in the sun for long, you’ll get a bad sunburn. Instead, take it step by step. Stay a few minutes longer every time you expose yourself to the sun. Also, remember that tanning is harmful to your skin. It’s a skin defense mechanism against excessive sun exposure, so don’t forget to use a high-level sunscreen when doing this.

Final Thoughts

If you want to prepare your skin for sunny weather, you only have to make a few simple adjustments to your skincare routine. However, something you should never do is try tanning beds or self-tanning as a way to prepare your skin. Contrary to common assumption, sunburns can’t be prevented by tanning bed sessions. Furthermore, using a tanning bed before the age of 30 significantly increases your chance of developing skin cancer. On the other hand, self-tanners will not protect against the harmful effects of the sun either. This is because they don’t induce the production of melanin. Instead, they just give your skin a glow that looks nice.