With temperatures heating up, it can be tempting to spend all day outside in the hot weather. But before you do that, make sure that you’re protecting yourself from the sun’s harmful rays that can cause premature aging and even skin cancer. Just don’t go too crazy on that, or you’re gonna stay pasty weird-looking. Here’s how to protect yourself from UVA and UVB rays, but not so much that you don’t even get a tan.
Apply a sunscreen that’s SPF 30 or less.
Sure, you want to make sure you’re not raw-dogging the sun by going outside completely unprotected, but you still want to look sun-kissed, don’t you? That’s why the perfect medium is wearing enough sunscreen to protect you for just a few minutes, and that’s it. Also, don’t forget to not reapply. One layer is way more than enough for a whole day at the beach!
Wear a semi-sheer hat.
Incorporating sun protection into your wardrobe is a great way to ensure you’re not getting sunburned when you have fun outside, as long as you don’t overdo it. Try wearing a hat that sort of protects you but doesn’t really do much, like one that’s totally clear, one that’s been falling apart for years, or one you would normally only wear to church. After all, it’s better to be safe than sorry, but it’s better to be sorry than totally untanned!
Fluctuate between being in the shade and in the sun.
Staying in the shade is the ultimate tip for avoiding sun damage, but that’s so boring! To get the best of both worlds, try spending one hour in the shade, then one hour in the sun, and then repeating that for however long you’re outside. You can also stay a few extra hours in the sun if you really want to get the tan of your dreams, but to each their own!
Wear clothes that only cover your most sensitive areas.
Long sleeves and pants work extremely well to block out the sun and keep your skin protected, but you’ll probably get a weird hand and neck tan if you do that. A great alternative to this is wearing a string bikini at all times with no cover-up. This way, you can protect the most sensitive parts of your body, which are your nipples and genitalia. Also, don’t sweat the rest of your body because you’re still wearing SPF 20!
So, if you’re worried about getting caught in the sun without enough protection, don’t be! Sure, you might still get all the negative effects of sun damage, but at least you’ll have a sick tan that’ll last all of one month!
