PLAN YOUR TAN

Coming into summer... we must not only plan our summer outfits and enjoy the experience of shopping for new swimwear styles... we must also begin to plan our tans, and the safest way to achieve our bronzed vision we have dreamt about all winter. In Australia we have been raised to know the do's and dont's to avoid the burn, and yes we have all learnt the hard way when it comes to the sun... such a powerful beacon. Culturaly we love that bronzed feel and look, but minimizing the damage in creating our summer glow is always a topic that we must address. 

SPF SMART:

Pre-planning is key to ensuring that skin is healthy, primed and protected before flaunting the flesh. A good start is by exfoliating once a week, this will remove the dead surface cells and promote the healthy ones underneath to flourish. The time then comes to apply the SPF... with so many options and brands and types15+, 30+, 50+... we must judge individually what is best for our skin type, the intensity of the sunlight and the duration or exposure to determine the best option. With some chemicals in sunscreen just as harmful as the sun its self... reading ingredients and instructions on the labels and understanding exactly what we are about to put on the largest organ of our body "the skin" is just as crucial to our health. We love Hamtpon Sun Mineral 45. With a great sunscreen at hand, its up to us to use it wisely. So you’re protected the instant you walk out the door... its a good idea to liberally apply your cream of choice, top to toe before we even leave the house... yes we literally mean get totally naked to ensure no spots are missed, especially around the seams of your swimwear that are so often missed. Ask someone close to 'do your back', then carefully place your swimwear over the top. Once in the direct light, the protection must continue... reapply, reapply, reapply.... Heat also causes skin damage so keep as cool as possible by sitting in the shade or taking regular dips in the water to regulate your body temprature. The fabrics we use here at Seamone for our swimwear, helps protect your skin from damaging harmful UV rays by being SPF50+ protective. Another benefit is its superior resistance results against damaging effects from exposures such as chlorine and sun lotions, if we remember to handwash our suits in clean water after every wear. Read more about protecting your swimwear HERE.

Adding antioxidants

Did you know that sunscreens do not entirely block UV rays... maybe thats why there is no SPF that offers 100% protection out there? We are not all scientists... but its safe to assume that there will always be some harmful rays that get through, no matter how villagent we slip slop & slap. But not all hope is lost... we can always feel safer by adding an extra dimension of protection. By applying an antioxidant serum or antioxidant-rich sunscreen to your skin and allowing it to dry for a few minutes before applying our over all sun protection. We have discovered in our research, this is a smart way to reduce some of the damage caused by the UV rays, because of the plant power found in antioxidants that fight free radical damage. We Honesty love AESOP Parsley Seed Anti-Oxidant Serum.

Not only we must consider what we put on our skin, but also the fabrics we wear in the sun. Our new 'Sea Black' fabric microencapsulates skin-nourishing antioxidants including Vitamin E and Aloe vera.... to beautify and soften the skin when it is most needed. The sun can strip skin of moisture and expose us to harmful free radicals. This incredible new technology fights the suns effects through deep hydration via antioxidant infusion. The body activates the material, allowing the skin to be hydrated, soft and luminous. Aloe Vera has been used for centuries in ancient medicine, for its healing and rejuvenating properties. As a natural source of polyphenols, which hydrate, nourish and accelerate skin renewal. The miracle plant can soothe sunburns, moisturise the skin and reduce infection. The infusion of powerful beauty antioxidant vitamin E in our fabric helps to protect your skin against environmental pollution and UV radiation. Vitamin E is also known for boosting the production of collagen and repairing damaged skin. The vitamin also contains powerful anti-inflammatory action, preventing the signs of premature ageing. Shop our antioxidant collection HERE. 

 

After the sun has set:

It might sound a bit silly to protect your skin after the sun has set for the day, but that’s exactly what the experts advise us to do. A recent study by Yale School of Medicine shows that sun damage (the kind that can lead to melanoma) continues for up to three hours after being in the sun. We all see those green aloe vera bottles of cooling sprays sitting next to the sunscreens... and we are all guilty of walking past them thinking... "I'm not going to let myself get burnt, aftersun is only for people who accidentally get lobster red".... Well its now time to bin that notion because... aftersun is actually designed for EVERYONE after the sun. Its about cooling and hydrating and soothing. Aftersun lotion or spray is the hero we often forget to use, but it’s a vital step that helps reduce skin’s healing time. From now on, consider it essential – even once you’re home. We like to keep our sprays in the fridge, its glorious and almost feels like a treat. We love Soleil Toujours Organic Aloe Antioxidant Calming Mist. Enriched with organic Aloe that acts as an anti-inflammatory, this moisturizing spray is formulated with free radical-fighting Green Tea Leaf extract and antioxidant-rich Grape Seed oil.

Fake it till you make it:

PERFECT YOUR SELF-TAN TECHNIQUE, THE TANNING RITUAL THAT WORKS FOR US... Move aside streaky, orange tans of the past, use our self tanning ritual for that golden honey glow. The first step to perfecting your self tanning technique is to prep your skin with a quality scrub. We like to make our own, with left over coffee grounds and coconut oil, to make our skin baby soft. Make sure to use a body wash after this, as the oil residue may ruin your tan. Before applying our tan, we take a small amount of body lotion and massage it over our elbows, knees and ankles, or any other dry spots. This will stop the tan from sticking and going extra dark in these areas. Mousse is absolutely our favourite form of tan, it's super easy to apply and you can buff it in with a big mitt for a streak free finish. We love using Tan-Luxe Tanning Drops, mixed into a light face or body moisturiser to maintain our tan, and keep it smooth throughout the week.  For those special days where you need an extra glow, we use a shimmer liquid highlighter across the shoulders, collar bones and legs. Our go to this summer is Boracay Shimmering Bronze Oil. This amazing shimmering body oil will amp up your glam this summer season. With the hydrating properties of coconut sun tan oil, it will give your skin a subtle shimmer. Because of its composition, this is one of the best body shimmer lotions for giving your skin a sun-kissed look. A scent reminiscent of the tropics, this is among the finest shimmery body oils that’ll become an essential to your beauty routine. Use this oil before a day in the sun to enhance your skin’s glow, or use it at night to get that shimmery highlight in the right places.