IF JUST TRYING to avoid getting burnt or developing a farmer’s tan is your usual summer modus operandi, you wouldn’t be alone.
As our summers usually only bring small bursts of sunshine, you’d be forgiven to think that sun cream in Ireland is only required for a few days of the year.
But for Ann Drake, Skincare Specialist at LloydsPharmacy, it can be a dangerous mistake to make – during the recent heatwave, Ann saw customers come in looking for care for their sunburn ‘about every second day’.
So, how can we give our skin a little TLC during the hotter, drier months, before the autumn sets in? Here are just a few of Ann’s best insider tips for summer skincare.
“A good hydrating cream with an SPF is essential, I’d definitely recommend SPF 50 in the summer and at least 25 in the winter and 30 on your body in the summer”, says Ann. This is because you’ll need protection against UVA (which ages you) and UVB (which burns you), no matter how cloudy or sunny it is, so “get one with both in it.”
This would echo what the American Academy of Dermatology advise which to use sun cream every day with UVA and UVB protection that has SPF 30 or higher and is water resistant. This will help protect your skin from sunburn, early skin aging and skin cancer.
So, what should we ideally be doing differently for our skin during the summer? A great way to keep your skin smooth is a good exfoliator: “Definitely exfoliate your skin twice a week,” shares Ann. As dermatologist Avnee Shah tells Women’s Health, exfoliation can brighten your complexion and let your products penetrate deeper into your skin.
For anyone looking for another route to smoother skin, Ann suggests trying a facemask: “Another thing to use in summer that’s great is a mask that covers all skin types. You can leave one overnight for dry skin, or if you have oily skin, try a clay mask for 20 minutes.”
“Men aren’t great for putting on SPF, especially if it’s a heavy one”, admits Ann. She frequently has male customers who are exposed to the sun all day but don’t want the sticky hands associated with applying sun cream. If you’re the same, she suggests keeping something like this mist from La Roche Posay close to hand.
“Hydration for your skin is always important, but especially in summer,” urges Ann. If you find yourself in a rush after a shower, she suggests a moisturiser spray that dries instantly in order to find a skincare regime that is likely to actually fit in with your schedule.
A common mistake people make with their skin in the summer? Not reapplying during prolonged exposure to the sun, says Ann, who says that kids and adults alike should be applying about four times a day if they’re in the sun and swimming. The American Academy of Dermatology suggest to reapply every two hours, and to use around a shot glass worth of cream to adequately cover your body.
“If you go out in a really hot period of the day like midday and you put sun cream on at 10am, you need to reapply.” If you’re not great about topping up, Ann recommends an Irish company called Parasol which if used correctly (left to dry in for half an hour before you go outside), can last the day without having to reapply.
Although having to fit all of your usual products into a seemingly tiny ziplock may seem like an unachievable feat, it’s not if you have the right travel-friendly containers on your side, as Ann explains:
“You can still bring your favourite skincare on holidays if you get a few travel-sized bottles in the pharmacy and decant your creams, cleansers and moisturisers. You can also always ask for samples at the counter, we do it all the time for people going on holidays.”
Always break out during a holiday? Your sun cream routine could be to blame, says Ann: “I’d always recommend using a face-specific sun cream as a sun cream for your body can clog your pores.” According to Reader’s Digest, the common ingredient oxybenzone can cause skin reactions, so you’re better off opting for zinc or titanium oxide.
It’s also worth noting that foundation with an SPF usually won’t cut it as sun protection: “There’s not enough SPF in a foundation – you can usually only get them with SPF 15 or 20 which just isn’t enough.” This would reflect what dermatologist Leslie Baumann tells WebMD – that “you need seven times the normal amount of foundation [...] to get the sun protection factor on the label”.
If somehow you’ve ended up lobster-like after a day at the beach, after-sun isn’t going to cut it unfortunately – it is only really for when you’re not burnt “Although the damage is already done if you do get burnt but get your hands on some aloe vera gel, says Ann:
“You want to be using pure aloe vera gel – it will instantly cool you down, especially if you put it in the fridge.” As the US National Library of Medicine confirms, “aloe vera gel is effective for burn treatment if it is well preserved”. It works by “preventing further skin damage”, “delaying progressive damage” and “accelerating the healing rate”, even in first-degree burns.
No matter which products you’re applying to your skin, you also have to be looking after it from the inside, says Ann, who recommends drinking at least two litres of water a day in summer, along with fresh fruit. “Kiwis and grapes are great for extra hydration”.
According to Medical News Today, this works as kiwi is rich in vitamin C, which helps collagen, smoothing wrinkles and improving overall skin texture. Grapes on the other hand, contain resveratrol, which can help treat acne.
Could your summer skincare routine do with a little love? LloydsPharmacy is a one-stop shop for all of your summer needs – whether for products or advice. They also offer a free, personalised skin analysis in five of their stores, along with a host of other free services. Find your nearest LloydsPharmacy here.
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