The summer holidays are nearly upon us and we fill our minds with thoughts of long sandy beaches and glistening pools. This will be a time when we can take advantage of the time that we have off, to spend outdoors. Brimming with images of the outdoors, we are aware that there is an increasing concern about the damaging effects caused by the sun. People, however, still persist on going out on the hottest, sunniest days to “catch a tan” as well as increase their chances of getting skin cancer! It is all very good and well to look gold and glorious but considering the long term effects of the sun we decided to outline a couple of points to keep your “glow” healthy.

Pre-holiday Routine:
First of all start with a pre-holiday routine by taking tan-optimizing tablets. These tablets increase the melanin production of the body and should not replace your sun screen. It only enhances the skins ability to tan and speeds up the process of getting that summer look you want.

Exfoliate:
Get rid of the old winter layer of dry, dead skin. This will ensure you that when you go out into the sun your tan will last a little longer and it will also give your skin a glorious radiant glow. When exfoliating, remember that body exfoliations are far coarser than that of the face exfoliations and body exfoliations may be too harsh for the softer skin on your face.

SPF:
Make sure that when picking a face cream you choose one that has an SPF of 15 or higher. It should also protect your face from UVA and UVB rays as well as skin ageing free-radicals like pollution. Your night cream should also contain a good moisturizer to rehydrate your dry skin during the night.

Body Lotion:
Look for an anti-aging body lotion that will keep your body hydrated and looking younger. In the case of having a few lumps and bumps in areas that you would far rather hide, try a few toning exercises a month before your holiday, you will be sure to see the results by the time your holiday arrives.

Some Suggestions for Sun Safety:
Stay out of the sun between 11am – 3pm. Choose an SPF 15 and nothing less. SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. SPF is a guide to UVB protection only and UVA (which causes long term damage) needs to be checked on the labels. Broad spectrum sunscreens contain Zinc Oxide, Titanium Dioxide or Avobenzone. Apply before you go into the sun and while you are in the sun for maximum protection.

Many sunscreen ranges offer star systems for UVA protection. Don’t pick anything less than 3 stars. There can be up to 5 stars which offer superior UVA protection.

Stay well protected in the sun as it will prevent sunburn and sun damage. Remember to protect you exposed areas like your ears, lips and eyes. These are areas that are easily forgotten but most vulnerable to sun damage.

Keeping your Healthy Complexion:
After you have over exposed your skin to the sun it is helpful to apply a generous amount of lotion (preferably containing Aloe Vera) as this helps to heal sun burnt skin. Top up your tan with an application of self tan to enhance a fading complexion.

And if you have a bit more color, use a shimmering After Sun cream to get your body gleaming. Do not put this over an already burnt skin as you may enhance your lobster red look.

There is nothing worse than getting burnt on the first day of your holiday as this will probably mean that you will be shade bound for the rest of your vacation. Prepare yourself and take the steps you need in order to get the look you want.

It’s always great to boast about the exotic holiday you went on, even if you just lazed by the pool side at home, nothing describes your holiday better than a perfect tan!