An Esthetician's Guide to Sunbathing
While us estheticians would rather fake our tans than run the risk of getting the skin damage that comes with laying out in the sun, we also know that avoiding sun exposure in the summer is virtually impossible. Plus, there are many benefits to soaking up some sun here and there—sunlight boosts our levels of serotonin, and it’s a major source of vitamin D which is good for bones, skin, teeth, hair and nails. So! We created an Esthetician’s guide to sunbathing safely—or as safe as it can be anyways!
What to do
Physical SPF 30+ First things first, always always always wear sunscreen. We know that this is an obvious one, but it often times gets skipped or not used correctly. We recommend using a broad spectrum physical sunscreen, rather than a chemical one, and go with one that's SPF 30 or higher. Physical sunscreens provide a skin barrier that reflects the sun's rays and prevents UV penetration. Physical sunscreens will have zinc or titanium dioxide as their key ingredients. Reapply every 2 hours, after swimming, and after excessive sweating—and don’t forget those commonly overlooked areas like the ears, behind the knees, lips (get a specific balm for that).
Antioxidants Antioxidants, both the kind you put on your skin and in your belly, have many sun-protecting benefits. They are an “SPF-enhancing sidekick,” boosting your SPF’s effectiveness by adding an extra defense layer. The residual UV exposure from the rays that get through your SPF can cause free-radical damage that accelerate skin aging in the form of wrinkles, dark spots, loss of firmness, etc. Antioxidants serums (like niacinamide and Vitamins C + E) and antioxidant-rich foods (like grapefruit, papaya, and oranges) help neutralize UV free-radical damage, have skin-calming properties, and increase your body’s natural SPF factor.
*Put on your antioxidant serums before your SPF.
Wear a Hat The scalp is a commonly overlooked for sun protection, however is arguably the most sun-sensitive area of the body. So unless you plan on putting sunscreen on your hair's part, we strongly suggest covering up your scalp with a hat.
what not to do
Retinols / Retinoids These are very powerful and potent ingredients that should only be used at night, as they are extremely drying and likely to irritate. This rule usually applies to any chemical exfoliant as well. Wearing a retinol/retinoid right before sun exposure will intensify UV exposure leaving your skin defenseless to UV damage, so avoid applying it in the morning.
Exfoliating Acids While chemical exfoliators are excellent for brightening, hydrating, acne, and anti-aging, be sure to only use them at night—like you would for retinols/retinoids. The main reason being that they eat away at your skin’s outer surface, leaving the new, sensitive skin that’s underneath exposed and highly susceptible to UV damage. These include acids like mandellic, salicylic, lactic, glycolic, and PCA.
Citrus Oils Citrus oils (a type of essential oil) contain compounds that, when applied to skin and exposed to sunlight, can elicit a photo-toxic reaction that can cause redness, pigmentation, and burns.
Tan All Day Don’t over-do it. Everyone’s skin has a tanning cut-off point where you stop producing melanin (the tanning pigment), so the notion of, “The longer I sunbathe, the tanner I will get,” is a total myth. The cut-off is usually 2-3 hours for darker skin tones and about 30min - 1hour for pale skin. So, be sure to take many breaks in the shade.