Preparing your skin for the sun

Why preparing your skin for the sun is important.

Preparing your skin for the sun before prolonged exposure is an important step for the skin that we too often forget. It is particularly useful for people with fair skin, sun allergies or intolerances, or simply if you want to avoid getting sunburnt from the first time you step outside. Skin that hasn’t been exposed to the sun for a long time is even more vulnerable to the first UV rays it is exposed to.

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Step 1: Exfoliate

Exfoliating a few days before sun exposure is the best way to get a good tan: it gets rid of dead cells, and the epidermis has all the room it needs to produce plenty of melanin and make your tan last longer. Another advantage is that exfoliation frees up clogged pores and smoothes the skin texture, giving it a radiant glow.

Step 2: Protect

Once you've exfoliated your skin and are ready for the beach, don't forget the most crucial step: protecting yourself from the sun's rays when you're outside. We can't say it often enough: exposure to the sun is never risk-free, which is why it is essential to protect your skin by wearing clothes, using a sun cream with a high SPF and strictly following the rules of sun exposure we now have at our fingertips (no sun between 11am and 4pm). This is the only way to limit the risks of sun damage and skin ageing: sunburn, sunspots and even skin cancer. Protecting your skin is the best way to achieve a natural, gradual and long-lasting tan.

Step 3: Hydrate

To soothe your skin after sun exposure and prolong your tan, remember to moisturise your skin with an after-sun treatment. The sun dries out the skin and makes it thicker. This means that sun-exposed skin is thirsty skin. It needs to be hydrated and deeply nourished. A cream will provide nutrients to rebuild the skin barrier and soothe any overheating that can occur after sun exposure.

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Sunbeds: watch out for the dangers

If you're thinking of taking a trip to sunbeds to get your skin ready for summer, remember that the artificial UV rays won't get you ready for the sun at all. All they’ll do is use up your skin’s ability to protect itself from sun damage, without arming you against the harmful effects of the sun such as sunburn. All you'll get is a further risk of skin cancer and accelerated skin ageing due to the use of harmful UVA. If you want to be tanned before your time out in the sun and don't want to show off your white skin for your first few days at the beach, opt for self-tanner instead.