Are you using appropriate after sun care?
After using SPF sun protection during the day to protect your skin, it’s easy to forget the all-important aftercare needed to further protect your skin from sun damage. We’re all aware that spending too much time in the sun can lead to sunburn, which can be extremely uncomfortable.
We’re here to help you find the most effective after sun care to look after your skin following a day spent soaking up rays and combatting mild sunburn. Here are the most effective ways to look after yourself and your skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays, long after you’ve stepped back into the shade.
In this article, you’ll find out:
- Why the skin gets sunburnt
- What after sun does
- The dangers of the sun
- The benefits of aloe vera
Why does the skin get sunburnt?
When UV light comes into contact with your skin, it produces melanin faster, producing the suntan most of us strive for after even the briefest of summers. This is your body’s attempt at blocking UV rays from your skin, using a suntan as a barrier to prevent sunburn. However, having UV rays on your skin in excess, can quickly result in sunburn.
It sounds obvious but trying to avoid sunburn in the first place is the most effective way to keep you - and your skin – safe. Sometimes it’s easiest to employ the most logical tactics to do this; such as, avoiding the sun when it’s at its hottest (which is usually 11am-3pm), ensuring you reapply high factor sunscreen frequently and making sure you cover yourself head with a hat to protect your scalp.
What does after sun do?
After sun creams don't just provide relief to sunburn, but can effectively help to moisturise and soothe your skin after being exposed to the sun all day. And, as an added bonus, some after sun care products can even help prolong your tan, leaving you suitably sun-kissed for longer. After sun cream re-introduces the moisture that has been lost from your skin after being exposed to the sun and therefore helps aid against skin peeling.
To help avoid the negative effects caused by radiation from the sun, you should still proactively protect yourself with the correct SPF and be sure to always re-apply throughout the day. After sun should be applied every day after sun exposure, usually after a shower, to allow time for the after sun to be absorbed efficiently, sinking into and soothing the skin.
Dangers of the sun
If you spend too long in the sun, without the right protection you could experience these side effects:
- Sun rash. Also known as heat rash, this is where your skin can become red and itchy and can cause mild discomfort.
- Sunburn. This is a common side effect of sunbathing that has caught a lot of us out.
- Heat exhaustion. While spending all day relaxing in the sun may be tempting, spending prolonged periods of time in sunlight may lead to heat exhaustion. This is where your body is working hard to regulate your temperature and keep it at a consistent level – leading to feelings of dizziness and nausea.4
Overheating your body can cause serious damage to your body so avoid it by keeping yourself in the shade, cool and hydrated. If you experience any of these symptoms during intense heat then rest for a few hours, keep cool and drink plenty of water.
Using aloe vera as after sun
Nature's answer to after sun care, aloe vera is an extremely beneficial and effective way of treating sunburnt skin. Aloe vera comes from an aloe vera plant, which is a fleshy succulent filled with cooling gel. This can be applied directly to that area needing treatment, or be mixed with lotions and gels, making it a more natural way to treat your skin. Aloe vera is known for its soothing and calming properties on the skin.
Stock up on after sun
So, whilst you’re remembering to apply SPF efficiently all summer long to keep sunburn at bay, protect yourself long and short term with the all-important after sun care steps. Explore our range of after sun, we stock a range of creams, gels and sprays to help ease your sunburn and keep your tan tip-top for longer.