How to Protect Your Skin This Summer

One of my awesome sponsors, Bonnie of Rodan + Fields is here today talking about summer skin care. I desperately needed these reminders a few weeks ago as I got a miserable sunburn at Jazz Fest. I was so mad at myself for forgetting sunscreen!

“Bonnie, you are 23, you are way too young to have skin cancer. This concerns me.” As if those words were not scary enough to hear, at least five additional times I heard the doctor say “He’s way too young for this…” sounding incredibly concerned each time he muttered it.

That was 22 years ago. Aloha. My name is Bonnie Cribbs, and I blog over at Beach Money CEO, tweet at @boatingBonnieC and I am addicted to the sun. OK, so “addicted” may be a very strong word, but I sure do love all things summer & sunny. I spend much of my summer at the lake having fun on my boat and I absolutely love the ocean and sitting by the pool….and I drive a convertible. I’m overweight and balding, so having a good tan has been rather important to me – at least I can have a good tan going for me, right? And for a living, I sell skin care products. It almost sounds like a conflict of interest, doesn’t it?

As summer is approaching, I want to talk about taking care of our skin this summer. It will be a Hodge-podge of how-to-protect-your-skin tips. Katie Rodan, one of the infamous doctors who created Proactive Solutions and most recently founded Rodan + Fields Dermatologist said “Genetics are only responsible for 20 percent of how your skin will age. 80 percent is in your control and that’s great news. It is never too late to change your skin’s destiny.” The sun is the culprit for most of that 80%. So that’s great, we know what to protect ourselves from. Now we just have to know how….and actually do it.

10 Minute Rule

In the time it takes you to have your morning cup of coffee, or wait in line at the Starbucks Drive Thru, the sun is working it’s magic on your skin. Before leaving the house, always use sunscreen. Sunscreen is not just for a day at the pool or for a few hours at the park. If you are going to be out in the sun any at all, wear sunscreen. In my car I keep a bottle of sunscreen and a hat. I love having the top down, but I always want to protect myself from the harmful and dangerous rays.

Reapply Every Two Hours

“I’m not burnt, I don’t need more sunscreen.” That is really bad logic. There is a deeper purpose than simply preventing being burnt, your skin needs to stay protected from the sun. In addition to applying sunscreen before leaving the house in the morning, reapply every two hours…and yes, especially when you’ll be out in the sun. But don’t be fooled, UVA damage can also occur in the house.

A little Dab A Do Ya

That’s such a misconception. When applying sunscreen, most people do not apply enough, so make sure you follow the bottles direction and apply liberally.

How Old??

That’s not just the question people will be asking you when you tell them you are only 30 when your skin looks 40 (or visa-versa if sunscreen is used), but it’s also the question you need to ask about the bottle of sunscreen you are applying. Sunscreen loses its effectiveness over time, so always be sure to you check the expire date before you buy or before you apply.

It’s So Cloudy Today!

As I mentioned earlier, I have a boat and spend much of the summer out on the lake. Those cloudy days when the suns rays are not directly beaming down on us are always the days people get sunburned the most. And then they wonder why. Don’t be fooled by the cloudy day, the sun is still getting to you. If you see light outside, the sun can do damage to your skin.

Avoid Tanning Beds

I was in college in the late 80’s. This was before the time that everyone knew that tanning beds were bad for you time limits were on the beds. In the Spring I went to the tanning bed a few times a week and stayed in for 45 minutes each. Yes, I had an incredible tan and remember well that my time in the tanning bed was definitely some of the best naps I had in college (while listening to the cassette tape of Dirty Dancing), but, well, did I mention skin cancer at age 23? Avoid tanning beds. They’re not worth it.

Is There A Pill For that?

I have two points to make here. Yes, there is a pill to take to get your Vitamin D. So don’t use “I need my Vitamin D” as an excuse. The other point is this: If you are on medication, be sure to know how it affects your skin’s sensitivity to the sun. There are a lot of medications out there which increases your skin’s sensitivity toward the sun so don’t be caught by surprise and burn at even a faster rate.

I See Spots

If you have new bumps, hard spots, new growths or changes to existing moles, freckles, birthmarks…be sure to ask your doctor about them. It’s always best to catch it early. Catching them early is a very good thing – it allows you to have the spots removed before they spread. Again, check with your doctor.

The Speedo Rule

If you are a guy and have a desire to wear a speedo, resist that urge. Just don’t do it. OK, so this has nothing to do with sun protection and should just be considered a public service announcement.

At Rodan + Fields, all of our skin care regimens have sun protection at their core, including sunscreen in our cremes. We also have sunscreen, lip shield, etc. We have you covered from head to toe. You can visit my shop to find out which products are right for you.

As I mentioned earlier, I blog at Beach Money CEO. Most of my post are related to helping your business succeed, business tips, motivational pieces, some skin care tips and the occasional post about something personal. Please feel free to stop by and visit me there!

GIVEAWAY TIME! CLOSED

As if these awesome skin care tips were not enough, Bonnie is also offering one lucky Ciera Design reader a $50 American Express gift card! You can use this to purchase all of your summer skin care necessities! Or whatever else you may need for the summer! Giveaway open to US shipping addresses only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Photo from Anthropologie, design by me.