by Amanda Beisel 

Let me be clear: I love sunshine. In Vancouver, where I live, it’s a rare commodity; whenever it peeks its beautiful rays from behind the clouds I’m running straight for it! Of course I don't over do it—I’m all about moderation—but I’m not one to fly across the world to a tropical destination to hide out under an umbrella—I’m playing in waves and soaking up Mother Nature’s high vibes.  

Having said that, with a decade as a product formulator and the owner of a holistic skin clinic, I have seen all too well the damage the sun can cause the skin. What most people don’t know is that there are daily steps you can take to strengthen and support your skin so that, over time, it becomes super duper healthy and more resistant to the damaging rays. This kind of program, along with a comprehensive protection plan when you are directly exposed to the sun, such as walking to work in the summer or beach chilling on vacation, can make all the difference in the health and beauty of your skin over time.

METHOD ONE:  Strengthen Your Skin Daily

What you do for your skin each day is super important. This daily program works to develop healthy skin that is much more resistant to the elements. Your skin can, and should, be even more beautiful at the end of the summer or ski season as when it began. I educate all my clients on the importance of feeding all layers of the skin—not just the uppermost layer that the vast majority of skin products treat.

In the morning begin with a hyaluronic acid and antioxidant rich water-based serum. A water-based serum can dive deep into your skin’s dermal layer—where your collagen lives and replenishes—drenching it in restorative nutrients, keeping it top notch healthy and supporting it in maintaining and replenishing your collagen stores. Real talk: If you are not using a water-based serum you are neglecting your skin’s health. I formulated my Awakened Hydrating Serum to perform this crucial function better than any other product I could find and it’s become the product my clients can’t live without and come back for again and again. Add a pinch of vitamin-C powder to your water-based serum. This is a vital step because it adds extra protection from UV rays, helping to prevent hyperpigmentation and damage from environmental pollutants, while giving the skin an attractive, brightened quality. Add a moisturizer to preserve the moisture in the outermost layers of the skin.

Pssst… Our best-selling water-based serum and vitamin-C powder comes as a duo here.

In the evening, skip the vitamin-C powder and follow your water-based serum with a collagen-regenerating vitamin A. Vitamin A is the most effective topical way to regenerate collagen. It’s been proven in well-documented studies again and again. The latest and best form of retinol (topical vitamin-A treatment) is encapsulated retinaldehyde (ER) because it allows your skin to benefit from vitamin A without harsh side effects—that whole it-gets-worse-before-it-gets-better thing that can be so hard to commit to. You’ll find ER in Empowered Collagen Revival Serum along with a host of protective and regenerating antioxidants and peptides. Follow your ER serum with a quality moisturizer. Add a well-formulated oil before your moisturizer if you have particularly dry skin, say when you’ve been out in the cold or have been on a long flight. And then, head off to dreamland and look forward to waking up to more beautiful, more resilient skin.

Using these products daily leads to healthy skin that will look good for your whole life; it is the equivalent of following a super healthy, nutrient and antioxidant-rich, clean diet. While we’re on the topic, eating lots of superfoods will also support healthy skin and your ability to protect, heal and repair from any exposure to the elements. 

METHOD 2: Protect Your Skin While Soaking up Those Glorious Rays

Lucky you—you’re about to have a day of fun in the sun. But what should you be applying?  First, never skip your water-based serum with a pinch of vitamin-C powder.  This duo will help protect, and repair the skin.  Then apply a moisturizer followed by a physical-based SPF. As an obsessive skin-product tester, I have tried close to every sunblock on the market and Elta MD Physical 41 Sunblock hands down scores the best in both effectiveness and how pleasant it is to wear. It provides serious protection and the look and feel is similar to a light primer. This gem is oil free and never feels greasy. It is beloved by our clients of all skin types—including sensitive, rosacea- or-acne prone. Happily, it’s also paraben, chemical and fragrence free and water-resistant for 40 minutes. As with any sunblock, though for it to be effective, you need to apply it every two hours. Whether you’re on the beach, the chairlift, or just ducking out for a mid-morning coffee: regular re-application is key.

Now get out there in that magical sun. Remember that moderation is key, to drink lots of water and eat loads of healthy fresh fruit and veggies too. And of course, enjoy!