After-Sun Care and Its Best Practices

woman smiling with shades and hat

Think about the last time you sunbathed. Did you put a concerted effort into taking care of your skin afterward?

It’s easy to forget, but after-sun care is just as important as lathering on the sunscreen before a day out. Protecting the skin is an around-the-clock job, especially after being outdoors for most of a sunny day.

In this article, you’ll discover all of the tips for after-sun care. Every woman can have healthy skin with a little effort.

Start out with learning about after-sun care’s basic definition. Women can be experts on the subject in no time at all.

What is After-Sun Care?

After-sun care is the practice of nourishing the skin with specific lotions immediately following a day out in the sun.

Society’s focus has always been on skin protection while you’re in the sun. Once you return to the great indoors, however, skincare isn’t a priority.

In fact, dermatologists believe that after-sun care is one of the most important components of a woman’s health. It’s rarely practiced, however.

After-sun care involves two mechanisms that are critically important, including:

  • Cooling the skin
  • Moisturizing the skin

If women tend to go out in the sun on a regular basis, the skin will show damage signs without an after-sun care regimen. Mature women, in particular, can see more pronounced effects than their younger counterparts.

The importance of after-sun care cannot be stressed enough. Take control of the skin’s health by learning more about this simple addition to a beauty regimen.

Importance of After-Sun Care

After-sun care is important because the skin is an organ that protects the rest of the body from harm. Neglecting the skin can allow germs to fester and infiltrate the internal tissues.

Protect the skin for its functional and aesthetic values. Consider these main benefits of after-sun care:

Relieving Pain

A mild heat rash can produce a fair amount of pain. After-sun care reduces your pain perception.

Warding off Physical Damage

After-sun care heals the skin with hydrating power. Physical damage, including wrinkles and fine lines, can be minimized.

Preserving the Tan

Although a tan is technically skin damage on a mild level, it can still be preserved with after-sun care. The skin holds onto the color as it nourishes the current tissue.

Regular forgetfulness when it comes to after-sun care can lead to skin problems. Educate yourself about common ailments that are associated with sun exposure right now.

Common Skin Problems Due to Sun Exposure

Mature women deal with more than just sunburned skin. There are plenty of other skin problems that are associated with sun exposure.

Get familiar with the most common problems that the skin faces. The skin is especially susceptible to damage during the summer.

Heat Rash

This ailment is often confused for a sunburn. It’s characterized by a red and bumpy appearance on the exposed skin.

The skin isn’t burnt, but it is irritated. Ideally, find shade and cool off to calm the skin’s inflammation response.

Melasma

Mature women are often familiar with dark patches that appear on the skin, such as along the arms or legs. Aging is the main reason for their appearance.

Blotchy patches on the face, however, are referred to as melasma. Avoid this sun-damage issue by wearing sunscreen, hats and seeking out shade.

Some women are more susceptible to melasma than others, so observing the skin’s reaction in the sunlight is the best way to gauge your risk.

Acne

Pimples, whiteheads and blackheads aren’t just the domain of teenagers. Mature women deal with breakouts too.

In fact, changing hormones around menopause and beyond can lead to more breakouts as women enjoy a day out in the sun.

Be aware of the cosmetics and lotions being applied to the skin. Look for products advertised as non-comedogenic.

These products will reduce the number of pores being clogged, which leads to further acne control.

The sun’s heat and ultraviolet radiation also plays a role with acne breakouts, so moderate the time out in the sun. A shady reprieve can improve the complexion.

Dry Skin

Mature women have less elasticity and natural oils permeating their skin when compared to their younger counterparts. Dry skin any day of the week is possible.

The skin faces another challenge in the sunlight, however. The sun dries out the skin along with women’s activities, such as taking a dip in the pool.

Swimming in the ocean or other body of water can also create dry skin. Nourishing the skin with lotion and staying out of the sun during the hottest part of the day can help the tissue thrive.

Did you know that there are lotions available that are geared toward after-sun care? Try these lotion options so that you can have supple and healthy skin.

Choosing the Best After-Sun Lotion

Sunscreen is a lotion that should be used on a daily basis. It protects your skin even when the sun isn’t out.

Cloudy days still have ultraviolet radiation that can damage the skin. Wearing lotion every day of the year can reduce sunlight damage and potential cancers.

Take a look at the best lotions in the marketplace today, such as:

Thinkbaby

This sunscreen is formulated for a baby’s skin, which means that it can also be used for mature women’s skin. Mineral ingredients give this lotion its safe boost in the sun.

Drunk Elephant

The zinc oxide within this lotion protects the skin while grape-leaf extract nourishes the tissue. Plant-based items are some of the best ingredients to nourish the skin.

Badger

A mineral sunscreen that doesn’t sting the eyes is a bonus for mature women who enjoy a good workout.

Seek out broad-spectrum lotions that protect you from UVA and UVB rays. Consider a product that has a moisturizer built into the ingredients.

Women can protect and nourish the skin with these types of products.

The ingredients to look for in a lotion include:

  • Sulisobenzone
  • Cinnamates
  • Salicylates
  • Titanium dioxide
  • Zinc oxide
  • Ecamsule

All of these ingredients offer protection and healthy nutrients to the skin during and after sun exposure.

Be aware of the ingredients that shouldn’t be in your sunscreen. The top four substances include:

Oxybenzone

This ingredient reportedly disrupts human hormones. It’s also known to harm ocean reefs if it’s used at the beach.

Octinoxate

Negative impacts to the reproductive system, thyroid and allergy sensitivities makes this lotion ingredient a substance to avoid. It also harms the coral reefs.

Avobenzone

This ingredient causes skin irritation and isn’t reliable as a sun-blocking substance. Sunburns are possible with this ingredient in place.

Retinyl Palmitate

Combine this ingredient with the skin and sunlight, and you have a recipe for free radicals. These molecules actually damage the body’s tissues.

There are some amazing remedies for sun-damaged skin too. Familiarize yourself with some of the natural choices today.

Amazing Remedies for Sun-Damaged Skin

Modern women want natural solutions for their after-sun care. Try these reliable options if a sunburn arises on the skin:

Aloe

The go-to product for sunburns continues to be aloe-vera gel. This product comes from succulents of the same name.

Apply the gel to the skin to feel cooler and to encourage healing. The inflamed skin should calm down with subsequent applications.

Milk

Many women know that a spicy meal is quickly calmed with a glass of milk instead of water. This same scenario works for sunburns.

Pour some milk onto a towel. Apply the towel to the affected skin.

Cooling relief is the result of the milk’s active ingredients with the tissue.

Greek Yogurt

The probiotics found in Greek yogurt provides anti-inflammatory relief. Dab the yogurt onto the burnt area, and allow it to absorb into the skin.

Oatmeal

Sprinkle finely ground oatmeal into your bathwater for natural relief. The oats calm the burnt skin while the cool water suspends them in action.

Argan Oil

Argan oil is a product that offers multiple levels of relief. It’s an anti-inflammatory substance with a cooling element of vitamin E.

This Moroccan oil also absorbs deeply into the skin layers where it can heal the tissue. Use it as a dedicated topical or mixed with your favorite lotion.

Hopefully, taking care of a sunburn is an irregular task. Would you like to know the best tips for after-sun skincare otherwise?

Take care of your skin with this advice, and women can have glowing skin throughout their mature years.

Essential After-Sun Skincare Tips

Whether a woman has a sunburn or healthy skin after a day in the sun, taking care of the body’s largest organ should still be a priority. Try these practical tips for after-sun care:

Drink Water

One of the best ways to take care of the skin is by hydrating it from the inside out. The human body is mostly made out of water, but it’s lost to evaporation on a sunny day.

Drink plenty of water after a day out. Sip on it over a few hours so that the liquid has a chance to move into the digestive system and out to the skin.

Take a Cool Shower

Find relief from a sunburn or heat rash by taking a cool shower. The sensation calms the skin’s inflammation.

Moisturize the Skin and Lips

Continue to use a cooling lotion on the skin and apply balm onto the lips. Hydrating from the outside is just as important as drinking water.

Don’t Exfoliate

The skin is already irritated from the sun exposure, so don’t exfoliate it. Allow the skin to heal on its own without any picking at the tissue.

Try Cool Compresses

Wrap ice or a cooling pack in a towel. Apply the compress to the skin where it’s most irritated.

This after-sun care tip works well for mild to moderate sunburns.

Cover Up

women may be on vacation, which means that they’ll be out in the sun across multiple days. Consider a day out with a lightweight, cover-up outfit on the body.

These clothing pieces are usually designed with SPF built into the fabric. They’re a smart addition to a vacation where sun exposure can be overwhelming.

Treating your skin like a top priority is the best way to protect it from damage and permanent problems, including cancer. Women now have the knowledge to care for the skin after any outdoor adventure.

Take a look at today’s best tips to create an after-sun care regimen of your own. Simple changes to women’s habits can make a difference in the skin’s health over time.

Recap

Women should prioritize after-sun care, especially as they enjoy those golden years. In this article, women gained a better insight into skincare after enjoying a day out.

Some of the top subjects included are in this infographic.

aftersun care infographic

With knowledge as a tool, women can maintain healthy skin while heading into the great outdoors. After-sun care is the key to youthful-looking skin.

Did you create your own after-sun care regimen? Does it include argan oil?

Share your personal tips with the readers in the comment section below. Helping out other women with skincare options is a positive way to influence the world.