1. Exfoliate! Exfoliating will remove the dead cells on the surface of your skin which can cause the skin to look dull and can lead to contested pores. Exfoliate no more than once a week with a gentle exfoliant. Don't forget to follow up with a toner, moisturizer, and SPF!
2. Hydrate! Because you're going to be out in the sun quite a bit, it's important to seep your skin moisturized (who wants to see flakes?). Moisturize after cleansing an toning morning and night. For extra glowing skin, use a moisturizing or hydrating mask 2-3 times a week.
3. Water is your new BFF! Because you'll be spending so much time in the sun, you can very easily become dehydrated without proper amounts of water. If you take your weight and divide it in half, that gives you the number of ounces of water you need to drink per day. If you drink anything with caffeine, then you need to triple that amount of water.
4. When in doubt, apply SPF! It's not enough to just put on sunscreen, you need to reapply it to keep yourself (and your skin!) protected. You Gould use a teaspoon of sunscreen on your face and about a shot glass full of it for your body. A good rule of thumb is to reapply every two hours.
5. Soothe skin that gets too much sun. Whether you forgot to put on sunscreen or didn't apply enough, the damage has already been done. That doesn't mean that you have to suffer though! If your skin is looking pink, apply a cooling gel or lotion, but check to make sure it doesn't contain alcohol!
6. Treat and repair the damage. Sure a tan looks great, but it's actually a sign that you've already damaged your skin. The sun causes photoaging which can result in brown spots, coarse skin, and wrinkles even if you haven't burned. When sunlight comes into contact with your skin, it causes damage such as inflammation, produces oxygen molecules that affect healthy cells, and produces collagen destroying enzymes. Is the tan really worth it? Use products with age-fighting ingredients and antioxidants to help prevent further damage!