Sun protection and summer skin care – tips and product recommendations

There is probably nothing better than relaxing on the beach under the warm sun in the summer. In the most beautiful time of the year, you spend much more time outdoors, showing more skin than during the cold winter months. Heat and strong sun rays make an extra dose of summer skin care a necessity. What you should pay special attention to, which sunscreen we recommend and the best sunscreen for children – we shall tell you all this and much more in this article!

Proper summer skin care

If you want to sit in the sun in the hot season, you should use protective cream. Sun protection is essential to prevent sunburns and to prevent premature aging of the skin. Of course, which sun protection factor you need depends on your skin type and the resulting skin protection time. Other important factors include the duration of your sunbath and the intensity of the sun. Always make sure that the sunscreen protects against UVB and UVA rays. UVA rays penetrate deeply into the skin cells and promote the formation of free radicals, which can trigger sun allergies. The UVB sunrays penetrate into the epidermis and are responsible for both a tanned complexion and possible sunburn. Since they directly damage the DNA, this can also lead to skin cancer.

Summer skin care for every skin type

There are 4 different skin types and the skin tone which is determined by the melanin content. The period of time of sunscreen protection work depends on the individual’s self-protection time of the skin and the sun protection factor of the sunscreen. Self-protection time is the time when the skin can be exposed to the sun unprotected – on average, that’s between 5 and 15 minutes. The recommendations for the optimal sun protection factor (SPF) depending on the skin type are very different. The sun protection factor indicates how long you can expose your skin with the applied sunscreen to the sun, without getting a sunburn.

• Type I is considered the most sensitive to light and has a very light skin and blue or green eyes. The so-called Celtic type burns very quickly and that is why should use sunscreen with an SPF of 50.
• Type II also has very light skin, blonde or light brown hair and blue, brown or gray eyes. This type of skin tans very slowly and is very prone to sunburn. Protection with a factor of 30 to 50 is recommended.
• Type III is characterized with light brown complexion and dark blond to brown hair. It is considered the central European standard and about 79% of the total population belongs to it. This skin type tans quite well, but also burns quite well. As a summer skin care products with a sun protection factor of 15 to 25 are suitable.
• Type IV is considered Mediterranean and has an olive complexion, dark hair and eyes. It turns brown very quickly and burns quite rarely. An SPF of 6 to 10 should be sufficient in this case.

To calculate how long the sun protection factor protects your skin from sunburn, you can use the following formula:

Self-protection time x SPF = maximum time in the sun

Make sure, however, that you do not ignore the UV index. If you check the weather app on your mobile phone in the morning, just scroll down – that’s where you’ll find the UV index. It indicates how high the solar radiation in the respective region is at the moment. As a rule of thumb, if the value is 3 or higher, you should definitely use a sunscreen. That could even be the case with clouds or a light rain.

Tips about summer skincare

If you like to spend your days on the beach or in the garden in the summer season, you should use a protective cream. A sunscreen works on two levels. All sunscreens have physical filters that stay on the skin. They provide the reflection of the sun’s rays and repel them. The second level includes the chemical filters that penetrate into the skin to form a protective film. The UV rays are then not reflected, but converted into harmless energy. The rule of thumb is that 3 tablespoons of sunscreen are enough for the whole body. You may expose yourself to the sun only when the protection is well absorbed. Do not forget about your forehead, nose, ears, neck, shoulders, back of the feet and the neck line. As these areas are most exposed to the sun, they always burn very quickly.

The most important thing about summer skin care is of course the sunscreen. A sunscreen provides adequate protection of your skin from solar radiation. A day cream with SPF is mainly intended only to maintain and, for example, to provide moisture. Although many beauty products already contain an SPF, it is an additional feature, but unfortunately not the main purpose of the product. This is the reason why we recommend that you use a waterproof sunscreen for the warm summer months. Another benefit of sunscreen products is that most are waterproof and can withstand heat and sweat. You can still apply make-up over the sunscreen, but you should wait until it is completely absorbed. Perfumes or other cosmetics can react with sunlight, causing unsightly skin spots. That’s why we recommend that you leave them at home.

Moisturizing summer skin care is of great importance

Just as in winter, your skin needs enough moisture in summer. The only difference is that the products for the hot season are much lighter than the rich winter creams. For example, skin care products with a water-gel structure and aloe vera are excellent. They provide enough moisture to your skin, have a very pleasant cooling effect and are absorbed very quickly. Another very good alternative are the products with hyaluronic acid, which stores the moisture in the skin.

In order to have a beautiful and radiant complexion even in the hot days, a thorough facial cleaning is indispensable as a summer skin and hair care procedures. Increased sweating, as well as salt water, chlorine and sand unfortunately lead directly to pores clogging. To prevent pimples and blackheads, it is very important that you clear your face of all the dirt after a long day in the sun. Use remedies such as eucalyptus or menthol extracts – these keep the pores clean and have a refreshing effect. Another good product is rose water. It is a natural product that moisturizes, calms irritated skin and fights small impurities. Since a face mask provides the natural pH balance, it should also be essential for your summer skin care.

Do not forget summer lip and hand care!

Thanks to various sun creams or foundations with an SPF your face is well protected from the sun’s rays. Unfortunately, a very sensitive part of the face is often forgotten – the lips. Unobtrusive lip balms are perfect for this and can be found in every drugstore or supermarket. So that your hands remain flawless for a long time, we recommend that you use special hand creams with UV factor, at least for the warm months.

Avoid sunburn in the summer

Lying on the beach all day and listening to the sound of the sea sounds awesome, right? But unfortunately, you can quickly get sunburnt, if the right summer skin care is missing. It is an acute inflammation of the skin that can lead to redness, swelling, itching and sometimes even blisters. The first symptoms only appear after 4 to 8 hours.

• The right clothes: Even though most people prefer to stay out in the summer, garments are the best protection against sun’s rays. hat, shirt, trousers and high SPF help so do not neglect them.
• Repeated creaming is also of great importance. Waterproof products are unfortunately not indefinitely waterproof. Some of them lose their effect pretty quickly.
• Avoid the strong sun: In the period between 11 and 16 o’clock the sun rays are strongest. That is why we recommend that you stay at home during this period and give your skin a little rest.

• Do not forget your hat and sunglasses: To avoid sunburn on the scalp or face, you should wear a sunhat or cap. The sunglasses should not be missing on hot summer days. They protect the eyes from the strong UV radiation and prevent retinal damage.
• Check your medications: Some antibiotics, painkillers or anti-inflammatory agents can also make your skin particularly sensitive to the sun. To avoid sunburn, be sure to read the leaflet or ask your doctor.

Relieve sunburn – summer skin care

Unfortunately, too much sun weakens the ability of the skin to regenerate and leads to the formation of small wrinkles. Since summer skin care after a long sunbathing is of great importance, we give you a few tips how you can relieve a sunburn.

• Drink a lot of water and tea: Since the skin has lost much moisture due to sunburn, it is very important to increase the hydration.
• Aloe vera regenerates and moisturizes the skin and helps wound healing. For an even more intense and better effect, store the gel in the refrigerator.
• Yoghurt and cottage cheese help especially well and quickly with a lighter sunburn. Simply apply one of the two on your skin, let it soak for 10 minutes and take a cold shower.
• Cucumber or onion slices can also soothe small burnt spots.

Summer skin care for children

A bad sunburn in childhood doubles the risk of malignant melanoma – the most dangerous type of skin cancer. Therefore, special attention is paid to summer skin care for children. Since the skin’s own protective mechanisms matures up to the age of twelve, the protective layer of the skin is much thinner for young children than for adults. That is why UV radiation can penetrate more easily into the deeper skin layers and this in turn leads to sunburn. Until the end of the first year of life, children must not be exposed to direct sunlight. Since the sunscreens strain their delicate skin enormously, it is recommended to use a sunscreen only at the end of the second year of life.

What should you pay particular attention to when it comes to sun protection for children?

Proper clothing is the best way to protect your child from sunburn. Airy and long-sleeved T-shirts and long pants are undoubtedly the best choice.

Since the head and especially the face and the ears are very sensitive, a hat is a must.

Repeated creaming is a must after each bath and during longer stays on the beach.

Always use sunscreen products that are suitable for children and that do not contain parabens, benzophenomes or ocinoxat.

Make sure to use a broad spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 that protects against UVB and UVA rays.

If you have a baby with sunburn, you must first cool the skin 3 to 5 times a day with a cold, damp washcloth until the redness disappears. Then soothe the areas with either a mild hypoallergenic moisturizer or aloe vera gel.

The 5 best sunscreens for the best summer skincare

With our product recommendations, we want to make your purchase decision a little easier and help you find the right sunscreen for you.

Daylong Kids Lotion with SPF 50+ provides extremely high protection for children over one year. It immediately penetrates into the skin and can be spread well. Valuable substances such as vitamin E and aloe vera provide a lot of care to the skin with.

Skin Hydration products with SPF 30 provide a very good protection for your face. Oil free lotions leave no greasy film and do not stick. Such lotions are relatively cheap and quite affordable.

Sun Milk with SPF 30 with herbal ingredients nourish and protect the skin.

Fragrance-neutral face care with SPF 30 is absorbed very quickly, does not feel greasy and provides a silky feeling on the face. Look for products with vitamins E and C.

Sun sprays are easy to use and the most popular summer skin care products. They are not absorbed immediately but leave a transparent, thin film that does not feel greasy or sticky.