When Bridgitte Bardot (below) was photographed at the Cannes Film Festival with her gorgeous tan and blonde hair, women everywhere wanted to imitate her look.

With that one public appearance, Bardot launched the tanning trend. Before that, pale was beautiful, and women would carry umbrellas and wear hats in an effort to stay as fair as possible.

Skin trends change as often as fashion trends, so instead of focusing on what’s in right now, focus on skin health. The truth is that whether you are milky white, mysteriously dusky or gloriously dark, sooner or later those harmful UV rays are going to take their toll.

There are two kinds of UV rays that can damage your skin. UVA is deep penetrating, causes long-term damage to the skin and skin cancers, and makes up about 95% of the UV radiation that we are exposed to.

UVB is a shorter wave light which causes sunburn as well as skin cancers.

Here are some quick tips for staying safe in the sun:

• Avoid direct sun exposure between 10AM – 5PM when the sun is at its hottest.
• Always wear protective sun gear (glasses, hats, UV protected clothing etc).
• Stay in the shade when and where you can.
• AVOID tanning devices like tan-can – it can cause accelerated skin ageing and can even cause skin cancer.
• If you are active and struggle to keep up with sunscreen applications you can support your body with internal supplements, like Heliocare capsules. Heliocare is a safe and effective way to get sun protection from the inside out.
• You should apply sunscreen every day, and use a day cream with UVA and UVB protection.

While we’re talking about your daily beauty routine, here are some ingredients to look out for when buying beauty products that can limit or undo the effects of sun damage.

Vitamin A

When it comes to anti-ageing ingredients that give you the most bang for your buck, retinol (vitamin A in its most potent form) is king. Aside from stimulating your skin to create more collagen (the substance that keeps your skin ‘plump’, firm and wrinkle-free), it’s also a great antioxidant and can even minimise pigmentation.

SkinCeuticals Retinol 1.0 contains 1% pure retinol that’s safely packaged in an opaque, airtight container. This is important because retinol won’t remain stable if exposed to light or air which is why jar packaging is a no-no.

Anti-oxidants 

Every day your skin is exposed to environmental aggressors like unprotected sun exposure and pollution that oxidise your skin, damaging it over time. Antioxidants, however, are natural and synthetic ingredients that have the ability to negate this.

There is a multitude of antioxidants for you to pick from that include the vitamins A, C and E. Then there are those that are plant-derived, like green tea and resveratrol found in red and purple berries and grapes. The thing about antioxidants, however, is that they all work differently so you need a variety of them, not just one, for maximum benefit.

Lamelle Correctives Recharge CE Complex serum delivers a potent form of vitamin C (ascorbic acid used at 20%, a very high though stable concentration), along with vitamin E. This boosts its efficacy in both an immediate and slow release delivery system to minimise the chance of irritation. Aside from being a great antioxidant, vitamin C also boosts collagen production while discouraging pigmentation.

Alpha hydroxy acids

Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) have the ability to dissolve the bonds between dry, dead skin cells and slough them off to reveal a brighter, fresher-looking complexion, while diminishing the look of pigmentation. Ultimately, it’s a great chemical exfoliant and can be used in high concentrations by anyone who doesn’t have sensitive skin.

There are several forms of AHA and these include glycolic acid (derived from sugar cane) and the slightly less potent but more hydrating lactic acid (derived from milk). Glycolic acid, being more potent, is best suited to those with sun damage, and has the added advantage of encouraging collagen production.

NeoStrata Ultra Smoothing lotion 10 AHA contains 10% glycolic acid to peel and reveal a smoother, more evenly-toned complexion, as well as citric acid that acts as an antioxidant.

Peptides

While collagen is essentially a protein, your skin is made up of other proteins that help support it. This is where peptides come in. When they form in a certain way, they can create the protein that’s essential to your skin’s firmness.

There are several types of peptides, and those that are most researched are the ‘signal peptides’. These tell your skin to perform a particular task, like stimulate collagen or inhibit things that trigger pigmentation, and include copper peptides, Matrixyl 3000 and Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4.

Lumixyl Topical Brightening Crème contains Decapeptide-12, the only peptide that’s been proven to inhibit the production of tyrosinase, an enzyme that helps your skin to produce melanin. This makes it a fantastic choice for anyone wanting to minimise the appearance of pigmentation from the bottom up.

Growth-factors

Found naturally in your body, growth factors are large proteins that communicate instructions to other cells, signalling them to do things like heal or produce more collagen. As we age, our skin starts producing fewer growth factors, which is why certain processes start to slow down. Including growth factors in your skincare routine, however, can help mitigate the loss and stimulate your skin to behave as though it were younger.

Lamelle Correctives Intensive GF serum contains a growth factor called thioredoxin, inflammation-reducing cytokines and a copper peptide blend. Together, they stimulate collagen production while serving up excellent antioxidant protection.

Stem Cells

One of the most remarkable types of cells that can be found in your body, stem cells have the ability to develop into any type of tissue, be it skin, muscle or bone. At present, the cosmetic industry can’t use human skin cells in products, but they can include plant stem cells, usually from fruits like apples, grapes and melons.

Because they’re of a different genus, they can’t tell your skin to produce more of anything, but they can act as powerful antioxidants by helping your skin to protect itself from environmental aggressors.

NeoStrata Skin Active Cellular Restoration Cream contains apple stem cells, as well as collagen-encouraging peptides and glycolic acid, an AHA to help smooth your skin’s texture while diminishing pigmentation.

You can find all of the products listed above and more from Skin Renewal by visiting their Skin Store.

For more advanced skin concerns, visit the Skin Renewal website to book a consultation.

Enjoy the sun, but enjoy it responsibly.