Angelica Kajiwara

Getting outdoors has many benefits. Whether you are gardening, farming, taking a hike, or you work in an industry that requires you to be outside most of the day, you are most likely familiar with what you need to use to keep yourself safe outdoors. You might have ear muffs to protect you from the sound or cold. You might have heavy-duty gloves to protect your hands. But did you stop to think about what you can do regularly to protect and heal your skin from all that sun exposure? There are plenty of things you can do, here are the best ones.

Reapply Sunscreen with SPF 15 or More

One of the problems with working outdoors or being outside for long hours is that it can be easy to forget to reapply sunscreen throughout the day. One of the best things you can do when you are outside is to reapply sunscreen frequently. As far as frequency is concerned, you should add new sunscreen once every couple of hours. You’ll want to apply more often if you are sweating profusely or have fair skin. You need an SPF of 15 or more to get the best protection against harmful UVA and UVB rays.

Use a Quality Moisturizer or Night Serum

After you’ve been in the sun all day, you need something to help your skin recover at night. Try a stem cell serum or other night cream or moisturizer. The stem cells used in making the serum could be just what you need to keep your youthful glow even though you spend a lot of time working outside. High-quality products have ingredients that nourish, heal, and repair damaged cells and leave your skin feeling its best.

Wear a Wide-Brimmed Hat

It’s normal for people in other countries to wear wide-brimmed hats when they work outdoors. In America, it’s like a fashion faux pas, however. Shun fashion trends for this one and do what you need to do to protect your face, neck, and ears from getting too much sun. Putting on a baseball cap still exposes your face, ears, and neck to more sun than you need. By wearing a wider hat, you cover up more of these areas and can use sunscreen as secondary protection instead of it being the only option.

Wear Loose Fitting Long Sleeves

Being outdoors in the hot sun can lead to sun exhaustion. You could be tempted to wear tank tops because of this. If you’re trying to reduce your sun exposure and minimize damage, you’ll want to wear breathable fabrics that are as loose-fitting as possible. This can help keep larger areas of your body covered and protect you from sun damage when you work outside.

Add Aloe Vera to Your Routine

Aloe Vera plants have hard, pokey leaves that contain powerful antioxidants and other skin healing compounds. Snip a leaf off your plant, cut it open, and scrape the natural gel that is inside. You can rub this on burns, redness, scrapes, and even your wrinkles to help promote skin healing. Aloe has a soothing and cooling effect that makes your skin feel great.

Eat Healthy Foods

Eating foods rich in antioxidants can help your skin heal quickly. By consuming foods like oranges, strawberries, and even dark leafy greens, you give your body what it needs to overcome sunburns, sun exposure, and sun damage. Lean protein and collagen protein can also help your skin recover. When you’re spending time outdoors regularly, you are more likely to experience deep wrinkles and other signs of aging. Proteins help to repair this damage keeping you from looking older than you are.

Hydrate Yourself

Good hydration is great for your skin. While it won’t prevent sunburn, it can keep you from getting sick from dehydration, reduce the risk of heat stroke or heat exhaustion, and can help you recover from sunburns more quickly. When you go hiking or you work outside, especially on hot days, you’ll need more than just water. You’ll also want to replenish your electrolytes. Find drinks that don’t have too much sugar or additives. You can even make your own rehydration drink for cheap at home.