We are all so joyful when the sun is out and that means a big welcome back to more vitamin D and don’t we love seeing and feeling the sunlight on our skin, oh yes, but that shouldn’t mean parched and sun damaged skin even in the peri/menopause. There are a few simple steps you can take to make sure your skin is well set up for your summer holidays.

We all know that too much sun exposure can be significantly harmful to our skin and wider health. As well as causing sunburn, the ultraviolet electromagnetic radiation found in sunlight damages cells to cause skin problems for example age spots, wrinkles, thread veins, pigmentation, and actinic keratoses which are all worsened by overexposure to the sun. And with the vast majority of skin damage hard to reverse, preparing for the sun is the key to healthy and beautiful-looking skin not just for the summer seasons – but all year round.

Start with exfoliation

Exfoliation also reduces blemishes, unclogs pores, can help to prevent breakouts, and keeps dry skin at bay to ensure a more even skin tone. But beware of over-exfoliating as this may damage the skin’s barrier function and cause dehydration that may utimately make hormonal acne worse, skin can appear as red undertones, peeling and noticeable dryness.

So exfoliating needs to vary from skin type to skin type and depending on how your hormones are affecting your skin sensitivity too. Exfoliating no more than two to three times a week is recommended and remember that physically abrasive exfoliators as well as acid peels are both doing the same job.

Take care with retinoids

Retinoids contain retinol, other names include vitamin A1, retinaldehyde, retinyl palmitate, retinyl acetate, retinyl linoleate and retinoid acid which are well known for their ability to treat skin issues but you may be less aware that they increases the skin’s sensitivity to sunlight as well as causing itchy skin, burning and peeling. Retinoid treatments and other photosensitive products should be used with more care in the spring and summer months. Apply your retinoid products in the evenings making sure that you apply a high SPF face cream each morning and through the day when your sun exposure times are high.

Don’t forget to moisturise

SPF is golden

SPF or sunscreen shouldn’t be reserved just for holiday time. It should be part of your regular skincare routine and worn daily, even in the UK!

On overcast days, your skin still needs to be protected from the sun. By using a high SPF daily e.g. SPF50+, you can shield your skin from damaging, year-round UVA rays and the UVB levels that grow more intense during summer. And don’t worry, these higher SPF rated creams have become a lot more sophisticated and don’t leave thick white marks anymore and are easy to apply.

Remember, consistency is key when applying your daily SPF. Don’t be tempted to burn on day one of your holidays then start your daily SPF routine from day two onwards. By arming your skin with a good quality daily +50 SPF from the off, you won’t be caught out by the higher UV levels.

So your routine could look like this:- Morning – Cleanse : Serum/Oil treatment : Moisturise : SPF. And in the Evening Cleanse: Exfoliate and/or Retinol: Serum/Oil: Moisturise.

Here are some of my favourites:- Heliocare, Ultra sun 50+, Cereve Am 50+.

To learn more about our all natural Goodness By Sophie skincare products head here