‘Tis The Season For Sun Damage: 6 Steps To Prep Your Skin For Sun

Let’s get real: It’s never too late for the sun to come out *ahem, hello end of July*. Nor is it too late to start prepping your skin for sun. We do recommend you don’t wait until getting scorched to care for your precious skin. 

The reality of our world is that the ozone layer is thinning. And so is our patience for bad skin (Instagram filters can only do so much, amirite?!). Between nights that last later than usual, indulging in patio drinks more often than not, and spending sometimes a little too much time under the sun, summer can seriously take a toll on your skin. Here are our hot tips for keeping your skin cool…beneath the heat of that summer sun.

Put your best skin forward. 

The first step is getting your glow on? Scrubbing away the dullness. Between sweat and SPF buildup, it’s important to exfoliate with care once a week to unblock those pores. The goal is to gently lift off the outer layer of skin cells, without stripping the skin. We recommend choosing a scrub with coarse particles that dissolve–making it best for you, and the environment. 

Wash it off.

You want to create a clean slate for the next steps of your skin routine. So suds it up with your favourite cleanser for body–and of course, your face. 

Moisturize. Day and night.

In the summer months it’s important to use a moisturizer that will seriously care for your skin, proactively, and retroactively. The optimal hydration for distressed skin can be found in a moisturizer that combines CBD therapy with other good stuff, like Coconut water, Jojoba Oil, and Vitamin E. 

Calyx CBD Smooth+ Lotion

https://www.birchandfog.com/shop/calyx-smooth-cream-2/

For your face, we recommend an oil serum that will seriously reduce inflammation and redness after a day in the sun, while being lightweight enough to layer under sunscreen. 

Nectar CBD Infused Facial Serum

https://www.birchandfog.com/shop/nectar-infused-facial-serum/

photo_credit: @jehdventures

Don’t forget your lips! A good chapstick will be your lil’ saviour for those times you find your lips chapping or cracking. Also a must before applying any tint. 

Lip tip: Vitamin packed avocado oil boosts elasticity and hydration, and CBD reduces inflammation.

Nectar Botanicals Peppermint Lip Rescue

https://www.birchandfog.com/shop/nectar-botanicals-peppermint-lip-rescue/ 

Use. Sunscreen. Every day.  

Our number one hot tip of the day. Like our Mothers have always reminded us: use sunscreen. Daily. Don’t forget the cloudy days! We prefer to use a dry finish sunscreen to avoid that slick oily film that we all used to sport on our foreheads back in the day, thanks to good ol’ coconut scented sprays.

One of the most popular options on the market right now is Supergoop Sunscreen (https://supergoop.com). It’s lightweight, scentless, and works on all skin types. It’s also clinically proven to offer both UVA and UVB protection. 

Relax and unwind, out of the sun.

Self care starts from the inside out, so don’t forget to relax and unwind. Take a night or two per week to yourself to indulge in a healing bath. Our fave? A salt base that starts with magnesium rich Epsom salts, pure Himalayan pink salt, and salt from the Dead Sea meant to draw out toxins and calm the body. https://www.birchandfog.com/shop/me-first-cbd-bath-soak/

Get a good night’s rest.

CBD just might be your secret weapon when you’re trying to do it all, amidst being a social summer butterfly. But don’t forget: your skin needs time to heal! And that healing time is best spent sleeping. Avoid screen time an hour before bed, indulge in a silk pillowcase, and get an uninterrupted night’s sleep with a little help from CBD Sleep Capsules. 

https://www.birchandfog.com/shop/birch-fog-cbd-sleep-capsules/

There’s a general theme in all of this. Hydrate when out in the sun. Hydrate before, and after the sun. This means drink water, and go easy on the alcohol, okay babes? Mix a little soda water into that white wine to transform it into a spritz, halving your alcohol intake on a night out in a pinch. 

So head out to the beach with rockin’ confidence. You’re beautiful. And now you’re glowy, too. (Without the damage from the sun).