Protect and tan your skin properly to look radiant
We all love to show a beautiful tan during the summer and avoid sunburns and damages in our skin whenever we go to sunbathe, but, do we know how to do it properly? Knowing the sun care products and their usefulness is an equally important aspect as caring for our bodies or following a healthy diet. And is that the experts have concluded that direct exposure to the sun without any protection along our lives, greatly increases the risk of developing skin cancer.
Although it can cause problems, a balanced tan is one of the best options to protect your skin because a moderate UVB radiation produces vitamin D, and is very beneficial to prevent possible skin diseases. Therefore, in Perfume's Club we want to help you know what kind of protectors for body and face, or which sun preparing products are the ones that better suit your skin.
Which are the skin types and which one is mine?
The first thing to consider when looking for our appropriate protector or sun tanner is to know our skin type. There are different types of skin and we can differentiate them by the different colors that exist, because they are determined by the pigments that compose our skin, acquired according to our genetic and racial heritage. The simplest aspects that we observe to identify our skin type are: appearance of freckles in summer; our skin color during winter (milky-white, matte or semi-matte); the color acquired by tanning; the appearance of hives, duration and level of redness after sun exposure. With this in mind we can identify 6 different skin types, and what sun protection factor (SPF) you can apply:
- Celtic skin type: it is recognized for having a fair or very fair skin, light eyes and many freckles. It is a type of very sensitive skin: are always burned by the sun and don't tan; the skin turns red in just about 12 minutes of sun exposure: the person presents signs of premature aging, etc. We recommend using the maximum protection factor (SPF) between 80 and 100.
- Germanic skin type: corresponds to light skin, and has light or brown eyes. It is a less sensitive skin and is characterized by: difficulty for tanning and sunburns; the skin turns red after fifteen minutes of sun exposure; presents signs of premature skin aging. For this type of skin we will apply sun protection SPF between 50 to 80.
- Caucasian skin type: corresponds to people with tendency to oily and clear skin, with brown or gray eyes and with auburn or blonde hair. Sometimes it burns, but usually it is easy to tan, and has better tolerance to ultraviolet rays. The SPF of this type of skin will go from 30 to 50.
- Mediterranean skin type: This type of skin is usually dark or matte, besides also having the hair and eyes dark. Rarely burns and tans easily. With this type of skin we will need an SPF of 20 to 30.
- Amerindian or mixed-race skin type: they present dark and matte skin, dark eyes and very dark or black hair. It hardly burns and tans very easily. Stains may appear with easiness on it and its photo aging is late and mild. It will be enough with a SPF between 15 and 20.
- Black skin type: people with black skin never burn and always tan evenly; the skin may be exposed to the sun without turning red up to 60 minutes and it hardly appear stains. In this case it will be sufficient to use a SPF of 15.
With this you have the basic information to protect your skin during the summer or in any situation where you will be exposed to the sun. It's good that you also take notice that the cream has filters to protect your skin from the UVA and UVB rays.
Types of sun care products
Now that you have an idea of what it is your skin type, we can pass to know the types of sun care products you can apply and their functions. There are several types clearly differentiated:
- Self-Tanner: are products that accelerate the skin pigmentation or the tanning. There are two types: the one applied for sunbathing or the one applied without the need of sunbathing (fake tan makeup). Depending on your type of skin you can apply several versions:
- For dry skin: the best self-tanners are the ones in cream or mousse. They blend very well and provide good moisture to the skin.
- For oily skin: are versions in powder or compact. They last longer and absorb the sebum.
- For sensitive skin: hypoallergenic, organic or mineral self-tanners.
- For mixed skin: the ones that better suit you are the oily or liquid versions, depending on what we will need.
- Sun protector: also known as "sunscreens". They absorb radiation, while leaving the way for the tanning action.
- Products for application after sun exposure or "after sun”: it serves to cool and soothe the skin after a prolonged exposure to the sun. Retrieves the pH balance of the skin, it nourishes and repairs. You can use them in cream, gel, fluid, spray or mask. You should consider which one to choose depending on your skin type.
By knowing the types of products and your skin type you already have a clear idea of which solar products may interest you for every situation. Please, consult your dermatologist about your skin type because it is very important to know this, in order to have a detailed follow-up of your care.
How to use my sun care products
Depending on how you use the sunscreen or self-tanner, it will determine its real purpose, so it is very important that you know the basic procedure guidelines that these products have to ensure its maximum protection. So, we will give you some tips about its application:
- First of all, wear sunscreens or self-tanners that suit your particular type of skin and that contain UVA and UVB protection against sun rays.
- You must use the sufficient amount and cover the entire body surface. Not forgetting areas such as ears or scalp in the case of babies or having baldness.
- It is important to always apply the product to fully dry skin. If we do it when is still wet, the drops will act as a magnifying glass with the sun and increases the risk of sunburns.
- Apply the product at least 30 minutes before sun exposure, so that the skin can absorb it correctly and create the epidermal barrier that will protect you.
- If you are at the beach or the pool, you must apply the sunscreen after each bath that lasts more than 20 minutes, if not every two hours. It will be beneficial to use waterproof sunscreens to avoid being aware of this.
- Last but not least, the after sun must be always present among our sun care products. We do not usually give it the importance it deserves, and the truth is that whenever we expose to the sun for some time, our skin suffers, loses elasticity and presents signs of aging. Therefore, using a good facial or body after sun, will help us recover these features and will keep our skin nourished. Its main benefits are: refresh and decongest the skin; nourish, moisturize and restore our natural collagen; help the tan to settle and be more durable and bright; preserve the youth of our skin. For all these reasons, the after sun will always be your greatest ally.
By following these simple tips, you'll be able to make good use of your tanning or protect properly your skin against prolonged exposure to the sun, as it is a dangerous issue and must always be handled delicately, especially if you want to show a perfect skin tone and not suffering any risk of damaging it.
