How to Replenish Your Skin After Sun Exposure
Sun exposure is the #1 environmental factor that affects skin health. When it comes to long-term effects, constant and prolonged sun exposure has caused many people to experience premature skin aging. In terms of short-term effects, it causes sunburns and severe skin dehydration.
Yet, we can’t hide forever from the sun and we need it in our daily lives. As an aspiring or current pro cheerleader, you may also be subjected to prolonged sun exposure whether you like it or not.
Activities like workouts, dance practices, public appearances, squad get-togethers, and live arena performances are often done under the sun. But this doesn’t mean that you will inevitably suffer skin conditions.
There are a lot of things you can do to prevent or minimize damage caused by sun exposure. One way is to rehydrate your skin after doing outdoor activities. Below are more tips to follow.
1. Take a hot then cold shower
Hot showers open your pores. During this time, it’s easy to remove dirt, makeup, and natural oils from your skin. However, you must make your hot shower short enough for washing up with soap. This will help you avoid stripping all your natural oils which causes severe skin dehydration while still being able to kill bacteria.
Then, follow your hot shower up with a cold one. Cold showers tighten your pores and prevent clogs from impurities. When you exit the shower and your skin has dried up, it will be easy for your skin to absorb moisturizing products through the epidermis.
2. Exfoliate
If you don’t want to take a shower or aren’t at home yet, you can remove your makeup, sebum, and other impurities through facial exfoliation. This will also allow your younger skin cells to absorb your moisturizers at a better rate while you’re out. Follow a gentle scrubbing motion and use a gentle formula on your face to avoid irritation.
3. Moisturize
Once you’re out of the shower or want to rehydrate your body’s skin during outdoor activities, apply a moisturizing lotion that matches your skin type. Oil-based moisturizers are best suited for dry skin. Water-based products are for oily skin. Gentle formulas are best for sensitive skin.
While this tip isn’t ideal for beauty experts because it can trap a lot of impurities beneath your skin, it’s still very useful in preventing heat strokes, exhaustion, and sunburns.
4. Eat foods with high water content
Blueberries aren’t just water-rich foods. They’re also high in antioxidants that fight free radical damage caused by prolonged exposure to the sun. The same goes for watermelons. This watery fruit is rich in lycopene - an antioxidant that absorbs both UVA and UVB radiation. Make sure you have foods like these in your bag as snacks.
5. Drink a lot of beverages with electrolytes
Electrolyte beverages like coconut water, Pedialyte, and sports drinks contain essential minerals that bind to your skin tissues. After an intense activity under the sun, drink them to help the cells beneath your skin retain more water from your bloodstream.
It’s also good to wear sunscreen and makeup with SPF to prevent or minimize skin dehydration and damage caused by exposure to UV rays. However, it’s better to also rehydrate your skin after being under the sun. That’s why you should carry moisturizers, water-rich foods, and electrolyte drinks wherever you go. And if you’re close to your home, you should shower and exfoliate after you’re done with your outdoor activities.
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