Here Comes The Sun and Not With Good News
Cindy Weathers - Smith
Pampering Black Moms in the workforce when motherhood (re)starts at 35+ | Self Care Visionaire for Working Moms | Disrupting the Beauty Industry for Black Women | Best Selling Author | Public Speaker
It's another day, and another loving reminder, to choose kindness where your skin is concerned.
I'm sure you can already tell where I'm headed from the title, but before beating the?sun protection gospel?over your head?with a baton, let's just take a minute to talk about why sun protection is so important.
One of the ways the sun sends out energy to the earth is via ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The earth, and everything on it including us humans, can get exposed to this radiation. Too much exposure to the UV radiation can damage the DNA of your skin cells, and that's where things begin to get really nasty. Without?DNA functioning correctly, your skin cells can start growing out of control, and the result is cancer. And it's not even the only thing. UV radiation can also cause premature aging of the skin and even eye problems.
The problem is, UV radiation can't be seen or felt, so it doesn't really have much to do with heat or whether you can feel the sun burning your skin or not lol. It just exists in the atmosphere at the times when the sun's rays are the strongest, usually from 10 am to 4pm.
So in light of this info, here are some tips you might want to keep in mind to aid your sun protection decision making:
Use Sunscreen Right（⊙ｏ⊙）
?Use sunscreen. It's probably the most obvious, but use it right. It should be the last thing you apply from your skin care routine, after toner, moisturizer and serum, so it sits on the surface of your skin and doesn’t get absorbed by these products.
It's also wise to let your sunscreen sit for a few minutes before applying makeup, so you don't just wipe it all off as soon as you've rubbed it in.
Also, it's very important to remember that most chemical exfoliants like salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide make your skin extra sensitive to sun rays. So of all days to forget or pass up on sunscreen (you shouldn't even be doing that lol), not on the days when you exfoliate or use a product containing these ingredients.
Watch What You Wear╰（‵□′）╯
领英推荐
Since sunscreen wears off after some time, this is one of those times where more IS more.
Try to cover as much skin as possible when heading outside, and maybe opt for loose fitting clothing when the weather's a little hot.
Also, pick your fabrics wisely. It turns out, certain fabrics can actually help absorb UV rays, like unbleached cotton, shiny polyesters and even lightweight satiny silks.
Apparently, some clothing makers even indicate the UPF level of their fabrics, simply meaning they tell you how much of the sun's rays your clothes can protect you from.?
Don't Forget Your Eyes ＞﹏＜
Sun glasses can be more than just a cool way to upgrade your fire looks. It's actually wise to have one handy to throw on when you're outside, because your eyes are also quite susceptible to damage from UV radiation.?
I know we often see sun protection as a cosmetic/beauty industry luxury, but this is a gentle reminder that caring for your skin many times goes beyond just aesthetics. It's equally as important for your overall health.
Was this helpful? Like, comment or share if you enjoyed reading this gentle reminder.
Until next time,
Koko's Louve