7 of the Best Sun Protection Tips from the Queen of Pasty

7 Ways to Protect Your Skin From Sun Damage | www.lovemischka.com

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Did you worship the sun when you were younger? I did. Do you regret it? I definitely do. I try to prevent any more sun damage by following some easy sun protection tips.

Unfortunately, I learned most of them the hard way... by burning to a crisp. If I was compared to any living creature, it'd probably be a lobster... or maybe a crab... because I can definitely be a bit crabby. 😉

I have extremely fair, heavily freckled, easily burnt skin. I have had some EPIC sunburns. One time, I burnt my legs SO bad that I couldn’t walk. I had to put aloe on them just to take a step...

... That's not even the worst part though... When I tried to take an oatmeal bath, I couldn’t get out of the bathtub. I tried to flop out like a fish. I grabbed the towel holder… SNAP! It came crashing down. I had to YELL for my mother. My mother had to help lift me out of the bathtub, while wet and naked, at twenty-something years old. THAT'S how bad I burn.

Fortunately, I have learned some tricks to minimize the opportunity to burn and to protect myself from harmful rays.

7 of the BEST Sun Protection Tips from the Queen of Pasty (that's ME!)

When ultraviolet rays enter the skin, they damage skin cells. This leads to moles, freckles, premature aging (*gasp* wrinkles! Age spots!), and skin cancer. Skin cancer can occur at any age. PLEASE protect yourself, regardless of your tendency to burn.

Sun protection is important for EVERYONE.

Here are some easy sun protection tips:

1. Wear a broad spectrum sunscreen that has a SPF of 30 or higher.

Broad spectrum protects against both ultraviolet B (UVB) and ultraviolet A (UVA) rays. SPF 30 is supposed to block about 97% of rays. SPF 50 blocks 98%.

For everyday use, try a moisturizer with SPF. I swear by Murad (This one!) on my face and décolletage (when I remember to put it there. #goals). I use it whenever I leave the house. When I’m consistently using it, people frequently compliment how great my skin looks. Clear, glowing skin, AND sun protection. It’s a win-win.

2. REAPPLY Sunscreen often

This is an EXTREMELY important sun protection tip. Reapply sunscreen every two hours. If you’re swimming or sweating, please reapply often.

Frequent reapplication saved me from getting burned in Punta Cana while on a boat and swimming in the ocean all day… without any shade. It works!

3. Don’t wait until you’re outside

Sunscreen needs a good 20-30 minutes to soak into the skin and provide protection. If you wait until you’re outside, it’s like you’re wearing NO sunblock for the first half-hour. Yikes!

A fair skinned woman walks on a beach in Nicaragua with a hot pink microfiber tower on her head as sunprotection.

4. Cover your skin.

This is one of the easiest sun protection tips, at least for me. I've been building forts, creating capes, and suffering in layers for years.

My friends and family tease me for completely covering every inch of my body at the beach. To be fair, I can go a bit overboard with it.

Other times, I try to wear at least a t-shirt to cover my shoulders and back. If it’s not too hot, I’ll wear a long sleeve shirt with a high neck. I also make some pretty awesome capes. I can teach you how.

5. Stay out of direct sun.

This seems like common sense, but it can be the hardest of the sun protection tips. Sometimes, there is no shade!

Please make the effort to find it. Bring an umbrella! Cross the street! Stay alert for places to hide from the sun.

I recently bought a canopy for camping on the beach. It was essential for the whole family during our trip.

6. Don’t be fooled by clouds… or winter!

These sun protection tips are for the WHOLE year. Please wear sunscreen year round. The sun is always there.

I’ve gotten some nasty sunburns on cloudy days. It happens. Be prepared.

7. Be careful of reflective surfaces!

Oy vey. I learned this the hard way... more than once... I received this sunburn from walking along the Hudson River then the Brooklyn Bridge.

EEK! I put sunscreen on that morning. Not only did I not reapply (see number 2), I forgot that water reflects the sun right back at you. It's like a double dose (or, at least, that's my theory).

We each only have one body...