4 tips to prepare your skin for the sun

That's it, it's summer, the sun is setting in little by little and the desire to tan grows every day. But how do you optimally prepare your skin for sun exposure?

1. Opt for dietary supplements

Food supplements are not just for a nice tan! In reality, these small capsules provide your body with what it needs to fight more effectively against the aggressions of the sun. They help to reduce sunburn. However, this does not mean that you can expose yourself without protection. According to our dermatologist, "to limit immediate and long-term damage, I recommend taking appropriate dietary supplements, especially for fair skin, three to four times a week before the start of exposure. It is not a total shield, but it is useful. You can follow a cure from May/June until September if you know that you will be outdoors often."

2. Bet on a colorful diet

"Nature constantly provides us with protective nutrients. From May, focus on very colorful fruits and vegetables rich in beta-carotene to saturate your epidermis". In summary, the more your (seasonal) fruits and vegetables are colorful, the more they are rich in antioxidants and form a small protective barrier on your epidermis. Thus, you not only protect your skin from oxidative stress caused by pollution or UV rays, but also your whole body.

3. Moisturize your skin well

The combination of a body scrub and moisturizer is not a trick to waste your time, but to give you beautiful skin and prepare it for the sun. “The drier the epidermis, the more porous it becomes,” explains Nina Roos. It is therefore imperative to moisturize your skin well, otherwise it will be more sensitive and therefore more prone to damage caused by the sun.

4. Use the right cosmetics

There is no secret. No matter the previous steps, they will never be enough to completely protect your skin from the sun. It is absolutely essential to protect your skin by using sun creams with a protection factor of at least 30 to 50, and this, not only when you go to the beach. "Today, thanks to all the prevention campaigns, we are more likely to apply cream when we are at the beach or on vacation. But we still too often forget that this is necessary for all exposures, even when we have lunch on the terrace at noon! I advise my patients to have a tube of sunscreen in their bag. There are very practical, thin and flat tubes that do not take up space, so no excuse. There are also tinted sunscreens for those who hesitate makeup." In addition to sunscreens, there are antioxidant-rich cosmetics that form a protective barrier against the previously mentioned oxidative stress, such as anti-pollution mists and highly effective natural vegetable oils. "I often recommend organic carrot or pomegranate oil to apply in the evening. They hydrate and stimulate the epidermis, and as a bonus, carrot oil gradually gives a light color to the skin."

STOP UV SESSIONS TO PREPARE THE SKIN

"We really have to abandon this outdated idea that indoor tanning sessions prepare the skin for the sun", protests our dermatologist. It has no beneficial effect on the epidermis. On the contrary, it oxidizes the melanin more and depletes your solar capital more quickly! On good terms...