Sunny Day Essentials for Sun Awareness Week || Life Lately

After April’s yo-yoing weather, May has been a breath of fresh air and it finally feels like summer is on the way. While my first reaction was to spend as much time as possible out in the garden in search of a healthy glow, being pale means I have to be extremely careful in the sun. I have to admit though, much like 80% of people surveyed by the British Association of Dermatologists for Sun Awareness Week, I often forget to apply sunscreen before going out in the sun and it’s certainly rare that I remember to reapply every two hours after. However, last autumn I suffered a bad case of heat stroke which knocked me out of routine for a good few days and I felt so awful that I made the promise to myself that I never let this happen again and to be a lot more careful in the sun. So when I saw the weather forecast for the weekend my first thought was, aside from stocking up the fridge and freezer with cold beverages and snacks, make sure I didn’t end up burnt.

First things first, I always make sure that I’ve got a bottle of water with me when I’m out and about normally and I make an extra effort to stay hydrated when the sun comes out. Not just because it’s so important to drink enough water, but because when the sun comes out I’m more than likely to end up in a beer garden at some point which doesn’t really help. When I’m enjoying the sun at home I have a few ice and lemon waters in the garden and if I’m having a drink, I make sure I have water after each. I find that having a cute glass and straw, like this mason jar, to drink out of makes it feel less of a chore too – this one is from eBay and was only £1.40 plus postage if you’re wondering! Aside from always having water to hand, I make sure as soon as the weather looks like it’s brightening up I pop my sunglasses in my handbag just in case.

Another major part of ensuring I enjoy the sun safely is properly applying sunscreen. I wear SPF 25 on most days stepping it up to 30 or 50 if it’s really hot out (or I’m lucky enough to be jetting off on holiday!).  Luckily, Holland & Barrett had me covered. I pop a thicker cream on, like this one by Aloe Pura, while I’m getting ready then keep a small bottle in my handbag to re-apply on the go. Because of the Aloe Pura containing as the name suggests organic Aloe Vera combined with its heavy texture it leaves my skin feeling really moisturized too which is always a bonus. Although, no matter how much I try I always catch a little too much sun so as soon as spring comes around I keep a large bottle of aftersun in the bathroom. Lavera does a fantastic one containing Shea Butter and I find it to cool my skin down a treat.

Last, but not least, as the weather gets better my makeup routine changes. I tend to swap darker colours for more pastels, heavier scents for lighter more floral ones and my normal full coverage foundation for a BB cream. I recently picked up this Smashbox Try It Kit in Boots containing their Photo Finish Primer (which I love), BB Cream and Halo powder with a mini buki brush. I think I’ll be repurchasing the BB Cream, but the powder was sadly a little dark for me but who knows if this will still be the case at the end of summer…
Even when I’m not wearing makeup, I make sure I still refresh my skin with my trusty MAC Prep + Prime Fix + and protect my lips with SPF lipbalm or if I fancy a flush of colour using Dr PawPaw‘s balm in peachy pink.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed having a nosey at my sunny day routine and that this month is the start of a nice long summer!

What are your summer essentials?

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