Healthy Tanned Skin
The upside of summer is sunning on the beach, a peach and honey tan, light weight clothes and sunshine everywhere. But we should but we should cautious not of the sunshine but if the UV light part of it. The first and foremost way to get the benefits of the sunlight is to make the Vitamin D – our body has a precursor of Vitamin D under the skin but the Vitamin is formed efficiently only when the skin is exposed to the sunlight, the best time is before 12 noon and after 4.00 when the sun is not at the zenith and strongest. We should avoid strong sunlight because, it burns the skin, causing the collagen protein fibers to break down causing early aging. But the immediate effect is that very uncomfortable, blemishing burn it leaves behind!
A few precautions to be taken are as follows -
a. Put on a sunscreen with maximum SPF factor, especially on those parts which will be exposed to sunlight.
b. We know the aim is to get the tan but please wear light white cottons and cover up most of your body to reflect the heat back and keep the cool.
c. Try to finish off all your outdoors before the sun reaches the zenith. Or keep it for after 3.00 pm.
d. As one sweats a lot in the heat, our body not only looses the water also the salt – to replace the same we should take water, juices, cool green tea, vegetables and fruits. Keeping the skin hydrated also prevents sunburns so when lying on the beach not only drink but also spray water onto the skin. The over all gift of this habit will be you will have a detoxified body and glowing skin no need for skin enhancements.
We continue
to help you achieve that great skin this summer -
a. Soap causes the skin to lose its essential moisture and oils, use natural organic products like soap nut washes or a non-soap foam cleansers, they will remove the dust, oil and germs from the skin. You could even try the gentle scrubs once a week or twice – if your skin is delicate and dry, scrub once a week, if oily, twice.
b. Wear natural fibers like hemp, cotton and even rayon will do – these are absorbent fibers, they breathe and help ventilation and are light. One of the studies say that polyesters tend to cause sunburns even after sunscreens are applied.
c. Do not leave home without cotton scarves, sunglasses, hats – mostly in the shades of white or do keep them light. Black absorbs 98% of heat and light, the dark colors do so to a varying degree – this absorbed heat is taken by your skin because it gets conducted into it – so avoid dark colors.
d. Exfoliate the skin before you apply the sunscreen – this ensures maximum benefit of the sunscreen you use. The exfoliants are oatmeal and curds, oatmeal and honey, chickpeas flour and curds; these exfoliate and nourish. The ultimate coolers are the cucumber, papaya and turmeric mask – apply it on the soles of the feet & face especially around the eyes and forehead – this is a acupressure spa technique to cool the head and feet – leading to that ultimate feeling of well being. Splash water on the hands, wrists, feet and face at regular intervals throughout the day.
e. Moisturize your body – drink water and fluids & also apply moisturizer with vitamin A, C and E in them.
f. Eat probiotics and dairy products especially milk as it is cooling, reduce alcohol as it is dehydrating.