Summer Skin

Everybody wants to have that beautiful summer glow, but nobody wants skin cancer.  Here is how to tan safely:




1. Use Sunscreen!

Sunblock will block UV rays that tan your skin, but sunscreen allows for some UV rays to get through so your skin will tan. The SPF (Sun Protection Factor) on the sunscreen bottle represents the amount of UV radiation that can get to your skin.  So if your bottle says "SPF 30," that means that 1/30th of the sun's UV rays will contact your skin.  For tanning, use a sunscreen with SPF of 15 or higher so that you will still tan without damaging your skin.

2. Know When to Tan

The UV radiation is at its highest between 10am and 4pm so don't tan for as long during those times.  Tan in increments so that you don't damage your skin.  One hour a day is a safe amount of time.

3. Use Tanning Oil

Tanning oil will help make the UV rays more intense which will help you tan darker. Use a tanning oil with SPF 15 or higher to be safe.

For more info and other alternatives for tanning click the link: http://www.wikihow.com/Tan-Safely

6 Ways to Be Smart About Sun Protection

1. ALWAYS BE PREPARED
A lot of the time people go to the beach and slather on their sunscreen and go about a day without reapplying.  Sunscreen loses its effectiveness with or without a dip in the ocean. A good thumb rule is to apply a nickel-size amount to your face and two tablespoons to your body.  Sunscreen should be reapplied at least every two hours.

2. TAKE YOUR VITAMINS
A sunburn is an inflammatory process, UV light inflames the skin and the overexposure leads to sun=aging, wrinkled, thinned blotchy skin.  Your vitamins will help lessen reddening and stop the inflaming.

3. BE READY RAIN OR SHINE
Wear your sunscreen on cloudy days.  The UV rays can push their way through clouds actually come out even stronger.  Even if you are sitting next to a window, the rays can keep com in gin and get your.

4. DRESS TO BURN LESS
Wear light colors.  Dark or bright colors attract and hold heat from the sun.  Thinner materials may feel great on hot days, but the bigger the weave on the fabric the better the sun rays can get through.  Wear hats, long sleeve lightweight shirts and loose-fitting pants.

5. MIND YOUR LIPS
Lips are really easy to burn, because they don't have melanin, which helps protect your skin from UV rays.  Ue a lip moisturizer with an SPF of 20 or higher.  This will give you summer soft lips.


6. SHADES THAT PROTECT
Stylish sunglasses my look good now, but they don't protect your eyes from the sun.  Not wearing proper sunglasses coverage can burn your eyeballs and cause wrinkles around your eyes and hurt your vision.

5 Ways you are making your skin look dull.

1. You are drinking the wrong liquids.
If you are dehydrated your skin will show it.  You should drink at least eight 8 oz. glasses of water a day (especially when living in a desert). Coffee and alcohol are particularly draining, but you shouldn't have a problem with that if you're at BYU.

2. You are spending too much time in the sun.
You should be wearing sunscreen.  Spending too much time in the sun means you can dry out your skin, leaving it dull and dead.

3. You are using makeup remover wipes and not washing your face.
Makeup removers remove makeup.  The alcohol in the wipes dries out your skin.  When you take your makeup off, it is important that you wash your face with a cleanser and then a moisturizer before you go to bed.

4. You are staying up late and waking up early.

We skip sleep because we don't think we really need it.  One late night and you will make it through day one, but when it comes to habit you have issues.  Your body needs time to rejuvenate and rebuild itself.  If you aren't sleeping, your body can't function because you are using its energy to simply stay awake.  Try to go to sleep at the same time each night and morning, so your body can rest, making your skin brighter!

5. Your diet is high in carbs and low in vegetables.
When you are super busy your diet can easily become your last priority.  We grab things like refined carbs, because they satisfy hunger and are easy to eat on the go, but when we do this instead of eating fruits and vegetables it takes a toll on our skin.  The sugars our body processes in carbs go directly to our skin, making the tone of our skin uneven and giving it a dull appearance.