Skin Care

After an intense day at the beach, your skin needs different care than usual to relieve redness and prevent it from drying out or flaking.

Do you notice tight, dry and slightly reddened skin when you return from the beach? Perhaps you did not use the ideal protection factor or you did not apply it frequently enough. According to a survey by the Council of Pharmacists, most of us do not know the protection that suits us and 82% of us have ever burned ourselves.

Whatever the reason, there are things you should do to “recover” the skin.

Simple things that help repair the skin

After a day outdoors, take care of your skin as it deserves:

Short shower with fresh water. Use a sulfate-free cleansing gel or oil. Spread it with your hand (the rubbing of the sponge can irritate more) and rinse with cool water.

After the beach … aftersun or hydrating?

Substitute your body milk for aftersun. It is ideal for dry skin heated by the sun. It deeply hydrates and provides immediate relief that lasts for hours. But it is also that the aftersun includes a higher proportion of free and soothing anti-radical active ingredients than the body milk that you use the rest of the year. Therefore, even if your skin is not reddened by the sun, always use it after you shower.

TIP: Leave the aftersun spray in the fridge. Take a shower and apply it. You will see its refreshing action.

When exposure to the sun has been very long, hydrating, calming and regenerating become the objective to avoid problems.

  • Oatmeal bath. The first thing your skin asks of you is to free it from sea salt or chlorine from the pool. To do this, soak in a warm bath with oatmeal (boil 3 tablespoons of flakes in 1 litre of water and add it to the bathtub). Do it for 15 to 20 minutes. You can do it 1 time a week. Oatmeal is the most effective natural cleanser because it respects the water and fat layer of the epidermis.
  • Bath with algae. Instead of oats, you can prepare the bath with 30 or 50 g of dried brown seaweed: nori, kombu, wakame, hiziki, arame … they are rich in amino acids, iodine, calcium, phosphorus, complex omega 3, which have properties for softening and nourishing the skin.
  • Hydration with urea. Dryness and flaking are an immediate consequence of excess sun. So if you don’t want to peel, apply a urea-based cream after bathing. This substance provides you with a triple benefit: it nourishes, regenerates and soothes sensitive skin.
  • Effective massage. Whether you apply a product with urea or if you choose a regenerating oil such as sea buckthorn, you should apply the product by gently massaging it into slightly damp skin so that it penetrates well.
  • Soothe and refresh. If the dermis is reddened, apply an aftersun with aloe vera (anti-inflammatory and refreshing), Gotu kola (healing) or witch hazel (soothing).
  • Antioxidant serum. Apply it every morning, before your day cream and sunscreen. Helps neutralize free radicals.
  • Avoid exfoliating. It does not suit you after sunbathing because it could irritate your skin even more.
  • Gamma-linolenic Acid (GLA): This essential fatty acid that is abundant in the oils of evening primrose, borage or black currant nourishes the dermis and reduces inflammation and itching. You can apply it directly to the skin in the form of an oil or included as an ingredient in creams.
  • Calendula: its flowers have calming virtues. It is applied externally in the form of creams or bath gels.

After tanning, prepare a smoothie rich in carotenes and antioxidants by mixing these fruits and vegetables.

  • Apricot and carrot. They carry carotene, which enhances the tan and protects you from the sun.
  • Melon. Its high water content beautifies and hydrates the epidermis.
  • Mango. Being rich in antioxidants, it helps prevent ageing caused by the sun.
  • Papaya. Its flavonoids keep the skin young.

Final thoughts

If you have overdone your sunbathing, or have recently had anti wrinkle injections or similar treatments, avoid the sun until the skin has recovered. To prevent it, wear high protection.

If it is cloudy, sunscreen is still necessary. Clouds only stop infrared rays that give a sensation of heat, but they let through 80% of UV. Therefore, the danger of sunburn is greater, since the heat warning is not perceived.

Makeup with SPF 15 or 30 can not replace sunscreen. It is insufficient since it is not applied in certain areas (eyelids, ears, etc.) and the amount used is not enough to protect you well.