5 Tips for a Beautiful Tan This Summer

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The summer vacation is finally here! How to achieve a beautiful tan this summer and prolong it for as long as possible? Simply by following a few tips to take care of your skin. Preparing it, nourishing it, choosing the right sun protection, I’ll share everything you need to know so you can comfortably settle under your umbrella and flaunt the best tan come fall.

Preparing Your Skin for the Sun

The skin is the only external organ, and it is essential to protect your sun capital throughout your life. This is why, before laying your towel on the fine sand, you take care of your skin to expose it to the sun safely.

It all starts with a balanced diet, rich in vitamin C and beta-carotene found in oranges, carrots, spinach, and apricots.

Upon your doctor’s advice, you can also take dietary supplements according to your needs and lifestyle. Always follow your doctor’s recommendations. For instance, excess beta-carotene is not advisable if you are a smoker.

To take care of your skin from the outside, apply a skin tint activator for sensitive skin that will prepare your skin for the sun.

Cleansing Your Skin Before Exposure

Before your very first sunbath, get rid of dead skin cells and cleanse your skin gently and deeply with a gel cleanser made from natural ingredients. You can opt for a scrub, a mask, or a peel according to your desires. A clean and healthy skin reacts better to treatments, and your tan will be even and faster. Choose a natural or organic treatment that suits your skin type.

Choosing the Right Sunscreen

Having a beautiful tan is great, but the most important thing is obviously to tan safely. To do this, avoid sunbathing between noon and 4 PM when the UVA rays are the strongest (responsible for skin cancer).

On the beach, prefer a high SPF of 30 to 50.

Mature and sensitive skin will be better protected with SPF 50, while normal skin can very well manage with SPF 30, provided it is applied generously on the body and face and reapplied regularly.

As a reminder, SPF is a measure of the effectiveness of a sunscreen against UVA and UVB rays.

Remember to apply your sunscreen multiple times a day and every two hours if you are directly exposed.

If in doubt, don’t hesitate to ask at a pharmacy, nothing is more important than the health of your skin in summer.

Nourishing Your Skin After Sun Exposure for a Beautiful Tan

To perfect your tan and nourish your skin after a day of lounging on the beach, make it a habit to apply an after-sun lotion all over your body.

Skin that tans very well under the sun also needs to be well-hydrated, and the after-sun lotion will provide an essential refreshing effect to counterbalance the heat from UV rays. After-sun lotion is important to soothe the skin that has been heated by the rays. Remember to take a lukewarm shower when you return from your day at the beach and to nourish your skin with lotion afterward.

Prolonging Your Tan for as Long as Possible

Now that you are beautifully tanned, keep your lovely sun-kissed complexion for as long as possible by applying a tinted after-sun treatment that prolongs the tanning effect. The treatment comes as a non-greasy oil, easy to apply, which you can use after your shower. As with other treatments, it is always applied on clean skin.

By following these tips, you will not only protect your skin, enjoy sunny days, and maintain your gorgeous caramel complexion until fall!

©image credit: Angelo Pantazis / unsplash