Best 3 Alternatives To Sunscreen for Protecting Your Skin This Summer

Summer beach trips are synonymous with a cool breeze, mud-caked flip-flops, refreshing drinks, and sugary saltwater taffies. There is a flip side to these blissful excursions as well, however. And that is in the form of overexposure to UV rays. This can cause sunburns and, in worse cases, skin cancer.

To get ahead of this problem, experts recommend slopping on some handy sunscreen. These creams aren’t the only way to protect your skin, however, and are often quite inconvenient and ineffective as well. Today, we’ll be taking you through three additional things you can do to ensure your skin remains free of blisters and sunburns in the summer. So, without further ado, let’s dive right in!

Protective Apparel

By covering yourself properly, you can effectively limit the amount of skin exposed to the light. The exact type of apparel you’ll need will obviously depend on the occasion and location. You can’t really wear a beach cover-up to a lunch date, now, can you? The general tip here is to go for options that are super breathable and provide ample coverage to save your skin from harmful sun rays.

Consider lightweight long-sleeve tees for a casual day in the city. As far as bottoms go, we understand how attractive a pair of shorts looks in the blistering heat. Unless you want tan lines on your thighs, however, consider opting for full-length linen pants or cotton chinos.

For a day at the beach, we recommend opting for a beach cover-up like this one. From ankle-length caftans to long skirt-like sarongs, beach cover-ups come in a variety of designs, colours, and patterns. Just make sure the cover-up provides ample sun protection.

Protective Accessories

As far as accessories go, we recommend opting for a hat and a pair of sunglasses. The former will protect your head from UV rays and provide shade for your face, while the latter will protect your eyes from direct exposure. You can also add an umbrella into the mix for especially sunny days. Let’s also not forget how cool these accessories will make you look. Protection from UV rays and always looking Instagram-worthy? Sign us up!

Avoidance

Do you know that more than half of the daily radiation from the sun is received by Earth between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.? So, it comes as no surprise this part of the day is also the hottest. Anyway, regardless of how sunny or cloudy it is during this time, it’s wise to stay indoors. If you do have to make store runs or pick your kids up from school, consider covering yourself (and them!) up properly.

Straightening Out the Facts

There are a lot of myths surrounding sunscreen. Trust us, they’re just that — myths. There is no conclusive evidence that it interferes with your hormones, causes skin cancer, or poisons you.

In fact, there is pretty strong research backing the benefits of sunscreen and how it can protect you from sunburns, counter the ageing effects of UV rays, and ward off the chances of developing skin cancer.

Just make sure you go for something that’s suitable for your skin type, doesn’t contain any allergens, and is easy to carry and use. You can supplement its protection by covering up your exposed skin with clothes and limiting exposure to harmful UV rays. You can also limit your outdoor movements from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to further reduce exposure. Also, don’t forget to hydrate!