The Sun and Your Skin

If you’re anything like Jane and I you would have been straight outside to enjoy that warm weather at the weekend hoping to catch some early colour, because as much as I love slathering myself in L’Oreal Sublime Bronze, there aint nothing like a real golden tan. We’re both quite fair skinned, and I for one definitely have to be careful I don’t burn (plus heat rashes/random red bits/blotchiness don’t need much encouragement), and of course there is the nasty affects of sun damage that you won’t see until years later when your neck disappears under folds of leathery sag. Nice.

It’s easy to ignore the boring warnings, especially when your peers are running about looking bronzed to high heaven in itsy-bitsy bikinis - where’s the fun in being the drip that hides under the umbrella? Jane and I have already succumbed to the fact that this will never be us. We love tanning, we love the feeling of the sun on our skin topping up those vitamin D levels, and we love pulling together a good sunbathing outfit – from the oversized “she’s definitely a someone” sunglasses, to the anklet charms and toe rings.

Jane has always been a sun worshipper, and she has passed on to me some of her must-follow rules for maximum skin-saving sunbathing. I’d just like to point out however, that little or no sun is of course best to avoid sun damage. We’re just saying that ladies, let’s be careful. Unlike this poor woman…

1. Always, always wear plenty of sun cream. It’s an obvious rule, but strangely one of the most misunderstood. We’d recommend at least factor 30+ for shielding against burning and damage to skin’s elasticity, which causes wrinkles. Apply 20-30 minutes before sunbathing, and re-apply at regular intervals. Jane and I love Hawaiian Tropic - full of protection and they smell delicious.

2.Cover the face. Use a hat or t-shirt to cover the face when enjoying pre-longed amounts of exposure in the sun. The skin on your face is fragile compared to the rest of your body, and by covering it up you will reduce the risk of age spots, wrinkles, orange peel pores and chapped lips. Try a panama hat à la Kate Moss.


3.Cover up the chest. Have you ever seen those old ladies with saggy, crepe-y cleavages? That’s usually down to sun damage. Jane and I try and remember to always apply factor 60+, or cover up our chests completely.

4. Drink plenty of water. Hydration means no sun stroke and keeps skin clear and replenished.

5. Give yourself a refreshing spritz with Evian’s Facial Spray when you’re getting too hot – keeps skin moisturised and it feels reaaaaally damn good.

6. Avoid the hottest part of the day. Between 11am-3pm is when the sun is at its highest point in the sky, and therefore at its most damaging. Use this time to throw on a cover up and grab some lunch. Surprisingly I find around 4pm is one of my favourite times to lay out – it’s cooler but you can still catch some colour.

7. Slap on the after sun and hydrating moisture cream once you’ve come back inside. Try keeping a pot of Dermalogica’s Super Rich Repair in your fridge for a cooling boost post-sunbed.

8. Don’t choose a fussy bikini. This isn’t really very important, but still worth a mention. As lovely as spaghetti straps/cut-out one-pieces/fringing/mesh/chain embellishments are, please let’s think about the tan lines?

Here's to hoping we even get a summer this year...if the last few years are anything to go by, we may as well spend our flip-flop money on a new raincoat. But just in case...

Sun bathing musts! by feliciapearce featuring Tapeet shoes