Beyond Sunscreen: 4 Other Ways To Protect Your Skin
You've heard the same advice again and again: wear your sunscreen! Although sunscreen is helpful for protecting your skin from the sun, you can miss spots when applying it, and it does not last forever. Thus, if you are going to be spending a lot of time outside, you should aim to protect yourself with your clothing and accessories too. Here are four essentials you should have in your closet for sun protection.
An Umbrella
People think of umbrellas as being for rainstorms, but they work really well on sunny days too! You can walk with a sun umbrella between yourself and a partner, and both of you can enjoy shelter from the sun. Make sure you buy a wide umbrella made with UV-proof material. A light color is better than a dark one, since dark colors tend to absorb heat and can make you extra toasty on an already sunny day.
A Wide-Brimmed Hat
Baseball caps might shield your eyes and your forehead, but they don't do a good job of shielding the rest of your face. For that, you need a wide-brimmed hat. You may think of these as overly old-fashioned and something your grandmother might wear, but there are more styles available than you can imagine. You can find wide-brimmed hats with unique patterns and even screen-printed phrases. Again, look for one in a light color as it will do a better job of keeping you cool.
UV-Proof Long-Sleeved Shirt
Whenever you are doing something like raking leaves or gardening, your arms are out in front of you and exposed to a ton of sunshine. Thus, you need a long-sleeved shirt made from UV-blocking material to protect your skin. These are made from thinner material than you would imagine, so they won't make you warm. Many have a silky texture and feel nice in the heat.
Good Sunglasses
Last, but certainly not least, are good sunglasses. Most people have sunglasses that don't really protect against UV rays, although they might look nice. What you need is a pair that is labeled to block 100% of UV rays. You can buy polarized lenses if you wish. This is less important since the polarization just blocks glare — it does not actually block the UV rays. Make sure the ones you buy have broad lenses so they block UV rays from the sides too. Wrap-around sunglasses are a nice style to consider.
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