Protecting Your Skin
No matter what time of year, but especially in the summer, the sun can cause damage. Skin damage is not something to take lightly, and it’s always important to protect your skin. Over time, the sun can affect your skin negatively if you don’t take care of your skin.
A Little Bit of Sun Exposure
While it is super important to avoid long periods of sun exposure, it’s also super important to get some sun exposure. All we need is a little bit, so be careful! Getting 15-20 minutes of sun exposure is a good amount. The sun gives us the Vitamin D that we need.
Planning and Preparing
If you know you’re going to be out in the sun for a period of time, it’s best to plan your skin for the sun exposure and to prepare your skin from avoiding getting too much sun exposure. Bring any items with you that can help protect your skin (sunscreen, sunglasses, cool clothing, hat, umbrella, etc.), hydrating foods (watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, cucumbers, pineapple, strawberries, celery, tomatoes, etc.), and plenty of water. If you’re out for a long period of time, look for shade to move to.
Tips to Protect Your Skin in the Sun
the Vegan Way
Tip #1) Wear a big hat that covers you well. There are hats large enough to cover your head, face, neck, and shoulders. Hats like these will shield and protect your face from skin damage.
Tip #2) Use an umbrella. Whether you stick a huge umbrella in the sand at the beach or lake or you hold a regular size umbrella over you at a game or outdoor event, an umbrella will cover you and protect you from too much sun exposure.
Tip #3) Wear cool clothing. There are clothes that keep you dry, but cool. They are thin layered, but can cover your skin without making you too hot. These aren’t jackets or sweaters I’m talking about. Certain clothes like cover-ups, wraps, and athletic wear are made to wear in hot weather designed to protect your skin from the sun.
Tip #4) Don’t forget your sunscreen, if you use it. There are many sunscreens that can actually cause more damage to our skin than help to protect it, but there are some great ones as well. Make sure to look for brands that are cruelty-free, and contain vegan and chemical-free ingredients. Check out Leaping Bunny to find out if it is cruelty-free (not tested on animals) and vegan (contains no animal ingredients). Go to EWG (Environmental Working Group) to find out if it is chemical-free. A great sunscreen brand is Suntegrity. All of them are chemical-free and cruelty-free (not tested on animals). Some of them may contain beeswax, so be sure to read the ingredients to avoid using beeswax. The majority of their sunscreens are vegan (containing no animal ingredients) though.
Tip #5) Sunglasses are a must. With endless options of sunglasses to choose from, some are better than others in protecting your eyes from the sun more. Also, go to any shaded areas near you to take a break from the sun and protect your skin further.
Bonus!
Staying hydrated and keeping your skin moisturized will help you protect your skin in the sun paired with the tips listed above. Make sure you have plenty of water with you to drink. Coconut water is also a great option as it has electrolytes and antioxidants. Harmless Harvest is the purest brand of coconut water available in stores. Having hydrating foods with you will help as well. The most hydrating foods are fruits, but there are hydrating vegetables, too. Citrus, melons, cucumbers, pineapple, strawberries, celery, tomatoes, and bell peppers are all hydrating foods.
Oils are great for keeping your skin moisturized. Coconut, sesame, jojoba, almond, pumpkin seed, etc. are some oils that keep skin moisturized well, and are vegan, cruelty-free, and chemical-free. Soapwalla has amazing skincare that contain pure ingredients, are vegan, cruelty-free, and chemical-free. Along with skincare, Soapwalla also has lip balms. Crazy Rumors is another great choice of lip balms.
Ending Thoughts
Protecting your skin from the sun is so important! When you do these simple vegan tips to take precaution and protect your skin from sun damage, you’ll be taking care of your skin wonderfully. Planning and preparing for any outings you go to outside in the sun, wearing cool clothing, sunglasses, a hat, sunscreen (if you use it), using an umbrella, moving to shaded areas, staying hydrated, and keeping your skin moisturized will all help you and your skin.
We only need a little bit of sun, so be careful not to get too much of it! Getting 15-20 minutes of direct sun exposure will provide you with the Vitamin D that you need. Obviously, summer is the hottest month, but the sun can still be out and hot during other times throughout the year. Protect your beautiful skin!