With summer upon us, we are all very aware that UV rays are bad—bad for unprotected skin, bad for freshly colored hair, and even bad for your manicure. So how do we stop the constant worrying about sun exposure and bring back those carefree days of summer fun? Chill out with these simple tips.
SKIN
A healthy dose of sunshine helps your body create vitamin D, but too much of a good thing can damage the skin. Sunlight contains ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B rays or better known as UVA and UVB. UVB rays peak between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and are not as intense during the winter months. These rays are responsible for sunburns, and the effects can usually be felt within a few hours after exposure. UVA rays are constant year-round and during all times of the day. These are the rays used in tanning booths. Although UVA rays take longer to damage the skin, they penetrate deeper into the skin and accelerate the skin’s aging process.
Your body’s primary defense against ultraviolet rays is melanin, which colors the skin. The lighter your skin, the less melanin in your body and the more quickly your skin will burn. But no one is safe; all skin that is exposed to the sun becomes sun-damaged over time. The bottom line? Make sure to apply plenty of sunscreen when you head outside to play, using a daily sunscreen of at least SPF 15. And don’t forget your lips, because they are getting just as much exposure as the rest of your face. Try a lip balm with SPF ingredients.
Hair
Common sense tells us that hair doesn’t get “sunburned,” but we all know that sun exposure can definitely fade hair color, dry out your hair, and burn your scalp. The best way to protect hair is pretty simple—keep it well hydrated. Depending on your hair type and condition, you may need a daily leave-in conditioner, a weekly deep treatment, or both.
There are several types of leave-in conditioners. If your hair is fine, opt for a very light spray and apply it to damp or towel-dried hair. Something like Beyond the Zone Protein Cocktail is perfect. It uses pathenol provitamin B5 to strengthen the hair, but doesn’t weigh it down. If your hair is coarse or curly, a cream leave-in might suit you better. Look for something like Beyond the Zone Split End Mender.
A deep conditioner will soothe very damaged or dry hair, but it often contains heavier ingredients and should not be substituted for your daily conditioner. Using deep conditioner once a week should repair most damage and prevent more from occurring. Most deep conditioners are a blend of natural oil, silicone derivatives, and humectants for deep, intense moisturizing of very dry, chemically processed hair. All deep conditioners suggest roughly the same instructions: apply after shampooing and leave on for two to five minutes. Sorry, but leaving it on longer won’t multiply the benefits.
There are also a few products to stock, especially during summer months, to help your color last longer. Products such as Ion Color Defense are gentler on hair color and add an extra barrier around the hair shaft to keep the sun from fading your color, using vitamins A and E to protect the hair and grapefruit and sunflower extract to guard the color.
NAILS
Nails affected by sunlight, you say to yourself in disbelief? Absolutely! Just like hair color, nail color fades just as quickly in the sun, and between barbecues and trips to the beach, who has time to keep touching up a manicure? That is why it pays to make sure to use a base coat and a topcoat to keep your nails looking fresh. Look for a topcoat that protects against UV light, which will keep your color true to the hue that came out of the bottle.
Ernie McCraw is director of beauty education for Sally Beauty Company, the world’s largest distributor of professional beauty products. A licensed cosmetologist for more than 30 years, he is a frequent contributor to fashion and beauty publications nationwide.
Just as you wouldn’t expect to paint a masterpiece with a box of crayons, you can’t achieve cosmetics perfection without the proper tools. This guide can help you make all the right strokes.
