Summer skincare

Your skin needs plenty of TLC in the sun, make sure you’re looking after yours with our guide to summer skincare.

Sun safety
Charlotte Vohtz, founder of Green People gives us her tops tips for keeping skin in good health in the sunshine

• The most important step you can take to protect your skin from the sun is to use a sun lotion with the correct sun protection factor (SPF) for your skin type.
• Make sure to apply sun lotion liberally and re-apply frequently – especially after swimming or excessive sweating.
• Avoid the sun when it is at its strongest (between 11am – 3pm).  Just 10 minutes’ unprotected exposure at this time can damage fair skin.
• If you are fair skinned, protect your skin even when in the shade as 40% of UV radiation can still reach you.
• Always keep babies out of direct sunlight on sunny days.
• Protect fair skinned children with wide brimmed hats and close weave T-shirts and don’t let children play in the water too long without protection.
• Replace sun lotion annually – non-mineral UV filters lose their efficacy over time, especially once the product has been opened.
• Protect your eyes from UV radiation too.

Eat up for glowing skin

Filling your plate with the right foods can help to keep skin healthy this summer. Charlotte gives us her tips for beating sun damage and boosting your glow.

• The most damaging effect of UV rays is to cause the production of free radicals in the skin cells.  Antioxidants, found in a wide variety of foods, can help protect the skin against free radicals.
• The best known antioxidant is beta carotene, found in leafy dark green vegetables and carrots.  Lutein and Zeaxanthin are found in dark green vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, green beans, green peas and kale.

• Green Tea contains polyphenol called catechin, which has powerful protective properties.  Drinking four cups of green tea a day will supply adequate protection against free radicals.

• Other protective antioxidants are found in brightly coloured fruits and vegetables such as red, green and yellow peppers and dark berries such as bilberries, cherries and blackcurrants.

• To preserve antioxidants in vegetables, eat them raw or steam them. If you boil vegetables, don’t discard the cooking water but leave it to cool and enjoy a refreshing drink, or use it as the basis for soups and stocks.

Tips taken from Charlotte’s book Naturally Gorgeous