After Sun Care - Just As Important as Sunscreen

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It is always good to get a little sun each day because it provides your body with much needed Vitamin D - "the Sunshine Vitamin." The trick is to make sure not to overexpose your skin and end up with a sunburn. I live in Oregon where it rains ALOT! That is good for keeping Oregon green -- not so much for my Vitamin D levels. When the sun finally arrives to this part of the country, I tend to go all out to get as much of my skin as possible exposed to the sun. Did I mention that I am Vitamin D deficient? Luckily, I don't usually burn but I do find that after repeated days outside in the sun my skin tends to become dry and irritated.

First, I am continually drinking water while outside, and when I get inside, I start with another tall glass of cold water with a touch of lime. You can never have too much water during the summer months. Hydration is key to help your skin retain its moisture.

After spending a long day in the sun, I come in and start with cleansing off my Beautycounter SPF 30 mineral sunscreen, the chlorine from the pool, and pollutants. Here are some great clean personal care products I have started using as part of my after-sun care ritual:

Once I step into the cool shower, I start with a great moisturizing body wash:

Beautycounter's Body Wash in Citrus Mimosa - "Bubbly with benefits." A great citrus scent, this body wash is very gentle, with a creamy, smooth texture and contains marula and mongongo oils - ingredients that help soften and protect your skin.

I am offering a free sample of Beautycounter's Body Wash in Citrus Mimosa while supplies last. With over 700 5-star reviews, I am sure you will love this once you try it. To get your free sample, go here.

After I step out of the shower and towel dry, I make sure to completely moisturize my body from head to toe. One of my favorites after sun skin treatment is:

Beauty by Earth Aloe Vera Gel - Even though I rarely burn my skin, I use this all over my skin for added hydration. I also use it on my nasty bug bites. It is quite soothing and cooling. This also works great as a conditioner on your lips.

Do not forget to care for your hair after a day in the sun. Your hair will take a beating in the summer sun, especially if you are not wearing a hat. I have very curly, thick hair and it doesn't take much for my hair to look out-of-control. I usually like to pre-treat my hair before I go out into the sun and also when I come in from the sun after a shower. I love to use:

Beauty by Earth Agan Oil - it only contains one ingredient - "pure extra virgin argania spinosa L, affectionally known as organic argan oil." Argan oil is also great for your face and it helps improve your skin's defense against sun and other elements. Be sure to use it with a great clean sunscreen. If you are unsure what sunscreen to buy, check out my post on Wednesday.

Don't forget to treat your lips!

Your lips probably took a beating in the sun! Don't forget to treat them. I love Beautycounter's lip conditioner. It comes in two different scents:

Beautycounter Lip Conditioner in Peppermint - "A perky lip pick-me-up."

Nourish and protect lips with this ultra-moisturizing lip balm, formulated with soothing and softening avocado oil, shea butter, meadowfoam seed oil, and jojoba oil. It's also infused with peppermint and rosemary oils, which give the formula a refreshing scent.

Beautycounter Lip Conditioner in Calendula - "A sweet treat(ment) for lips."

Nourish and protect lips with this ultra-moisturizing lip balm, formulated with soothing and softening avocado oil, shea butter, meadowfoam seed oil, and jojoba oil. It's also infused with peppermint and rosemary oils, which give the formula its refreshing scent. This one is my personal favorite. A little goes a long way and usually lasts me a couple of months.

With Memorial Weekend is coming soon, not to mention Father's Day. Next week I will be featuring a lot of great ideas for swapping out cleaner, greener products that you can use at your outdoor parties at the beach, at the park or in your own backyard. These are all great products that are eco-friendly, especially our sea friends. It is time to stop using single-use plastic products. Please join me in making the switch to more environmentally friendly reusable options.