Revive and restore your skin after time in the sun

Did you know that exposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun causes up to 80% of visible ageing in our skin?

How often do you apply sunscreen?

If the answer isn’t every day, then we suggest you change up your skincare routine ASAP.

We like to write it off as one glass too many, another restless night, or too many assignments stressing us out at work, but the real culprit is sun damage causing us age spots and fine lines galore.

Read on to discover our tips on best skincare to reverse sun damage.

What exactly is sun damage

We all know the risks to getting that “healthy glow”, but playing a key role in the development of skin cancer isn’t the only thing you risk when you skip your sunscreen.

The ultraviolet rays for the sun come in two categories, working together to damage your skin, UVA slowly penetrates deep into your skin while UVB is very visibly burning your skin.

That’s not all though, sun damage also causes many very visible signs of ageing skin such as:

• wrinkles
• loss of skin elasticity
• broken capillaries
• dry, leathery skin
• age spots

Niacinamide

Basically, niacinamide is the opposite of the sun’s UV rays. It acts as an antioxidant, decreases skin yellowing, redness, and skin hyperpigmentation. It also reduces fine lines and wrinkles and improves epidermal barrier functions, to name a few of its incredible benefits.

The best part is how easy it is to incorporate this product into your daily skincare routine, with so many products readily available with this active ingredient.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a powerhouse ingredient for battling sun damage and should be an essential part of your skincare routine.

Not only does it have serious anti-ageing benefits but can prevent damage from occurring in the first place through neutralizing free radicals. You can use it at night as part of your routine or applied before your sunscreen in the mornings.We recommend adding Poko Correcting Eye Cream to your arsenal of skin protection. Teaming Vitamin C with botanicals to reduce any morning puffiness and Aloe Vera to soothe the skin and keep it nourished, its' lightweight formula will mix perfectly with your sunscreen of choice.

Topical retinols

“Retinol products have been used for decades, working to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles,” Dr. Sheel Solomon, a dermatologist in North Carolina, had said to Huffpost.com previously in regards to reversing sun damage.

Retinols are ‘Gold Standard’ when caring for your skin, working to fade hyperpigmentation by increasing cell turnover. However Retinols can make your skin extra sensitive, so they are not recommended during summer months.

When should I be extra careful

Dermatologists recommend using at least factor 30 SPF, most lean closer to 50, with the recommended amount to use on your face alone being 1/4 tsp. If you’re not sure if you're applying the right amount measure it out and see how far off you are.

 

Skincare and skin treatment is complex, and it’s important to note that while you are combatting other skincare problems such as dark spots, and acne scarring you could be making your skin more sensitive to sun damage, especially if you’re using prescription or over-the-counter medications and topical treatments. You need to be extra vigilant in this case, applying your SPF throughout the day.

Conclusion

Now that we’ve armed you with our best skincare to reverse sun damage, and made sure you understand not only how to prevent it but also why it happens we hope you take extra care to apply your SPF daily and often.

Regardless of when you go out to enjoy the warmth radiating from the sun, you should always protect your skin.