After Sun Care and Sun Exposure

Summer brings joy, travel, and lots of redness to your skin. Thus, we are not focusing on sunscreen or tanning, but what can we do holistically in terms of after-sun care in the Ayurveda way? Coming from India, I remember that in India, summer is the time when we decided to hunker down as temperatures are really harsh. That being said, we Indians found the perfect Ayurveda way to have after-sun care.

Here is the thing we will discuss in depth:

1. The Nature of the Summer
2. Sun Care Before Exposure
3. Sun Care During Exposure
4. After Sun Care
5. Offer - Free Sample Restore Balm

The Nature of the Summer

After coming to the United States, my definition of "summer "totally changed. For me, summer means a lot of sunshine, vacation, travel, and fun. Whether you are into hot summer days with lots of sun or not, this time of the year, our bodies are poisoned into interfacing with this natural cycle.

Frankly, it's hard to see what's best and what's not. On the one hand, the sun is known to provide us with Vitamin D, so exposure is needed, but other than the sun, it can lead you to sunburn, redness, pigmentations, and unwanted tanning (it may be skin cancer, too). Since we preach and teach holistic practices through Ayurveda here, I want to share my point of view: Summer is the Pitta season, which means fire energy. Our body produces lots of fiery energy; in Ayurveda, it's all about balancing that energy; that's why instead of getting into the debate about whether sun exposure is good, let's talk about how we can balance this act with Ayurvedic strategies. We will divide our blog post into three parts: 1) what can you do before sun exposure; 2) During sun exposure; 3) what is most important and often neglected After sun care

My goal is to enjoy Summer in the best possible way while retaining balance in mind, body, and spirit.

Sun Care Before Exposure

Preparing for sun exposure can be divided into two ways: 1) Externally (by applying sunscreen and wearing long layering clothes that are lightweight) and 2) Internally (by consuming proper types of food and exercise, which can help your mind and spirit).

As a skincare brand owner, I can't emphasize applying sunscreen before you head to the sun. Although the topic of sunscreen can take a big chunk of discussion, let me share a very high-level overview of types of sunscreen and then decide which sunscreen suits your lifestyle. In the current beauty market, two types of sunscreen are available: 1) Physical Sunscreen and 2) Chemical Sunscreen. Physical sunscreen physically protects you from UVA and UVB rays using zinc oxidized into formula. That's why physical sunscreen gives you white caste on screen. Chemical sunscreen contains ingredients that disperse UVA and UVB rays, and it doesn't give you a white cast. Either way, pick one sunscreen with very lightweight long sleep clothing before heading to the sun. Before going out, getting protection against UVA and UVB rays is vital as this kind of light is strongly related to different skin cancers.

Pitta Specifying Food Before Sun Exposure

In a holistic lifestyle, we consider internal Agni, aka heat. Ayurveda provides specific PittaPitta-specific food choices that will help stabilize imbalance.

The best way to

While it's critical to consider skin health, it's equally important to consider the effect of sun and heat exposure on our overall health and balance. Sun and heat can quickly throw your entire system (including your mental health) into imbalance, especially if you naturally have a lot of fiery energy.

The right way to balance yourself is through a vibrational and physical lifestyle, which we can provide through spring detox. We have a great 7-day Ayurvedic detox plan available to everyone who signs up for our newsletter.

During this detox period, eat cucumber, zucchini, squash, fennel, and khichdi. Avoid fried, spicy food, which will aggregate agni in your body.

Finally, it's important to hydrate the body. Water, coconut water, and limbu pani (aka lemonade) are great hydrating drinks to consume before heading out to the sun.

Here is the best food to consume throughout the day to make you feel more relaxed and balanced:

Breakfast:  A Big Bowl of seasonal fruit with coconut shredded or Rice Pudding

Lunch: Avocado Fried Rice Or Millet Spicy Pancake

Dinner: Khichdi or Cucumber Curry with Brown Rice

Sun Care During Exposure

First and foremost, sun exposure is beneficial if you timed it well. Nothing is good if you consume too much, whether water, food, or sun. Sun is an excellent source of Vitamin D. Thus, it's good to get exposure with all precautions, such as sunscreen and Pitta, specifying food options.

Ideally, do not sit in the sun for more than 20-30 minutes. Use the morning sun (if possible), as the morning sun is gentler. Avoid getting sun exposure from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. If you are enjoying beach days, hide under an umbrella so the sun won't come directly to you.

Self-awareness of body:

Sometimes too much fun and the sun give you tiredness to your body. Overheating can cause pitta imbalance, meaning feeling tired, exhausted, and at risk of sunstrokes. During that time, it is essential to cool and balance the body using hydrating elements.

Drink room temperature water, lemonade, coconut oil, or jaggery water.

After Sun Care

The best way to cool down after the sun is to use the cooling elements of nature to soothe your mind, body, and spirit. In this section, I am sharing some amazing tips that can be helpful, and of course, our skincare line will come to the rescue, too.

After a day in the sun, your skin needs soothing and nourishment to recover and stay healthy. Natural ingredients like coconut, almond, turmeric, and blue yarrow oil can provide immense benefits.

Coconut Oil: Known for its deep moisturizing properties, coconut oil helps to restore hydration and repair sun-damaged skin.

Almond Oil: Rich in vitamins E and A, almond oil promotes healing and rejuvenation, reducing redness and irritation caused by sun exposure.

Turmeric: This golden spice has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, ideal for calming and repairing sun-exposed skin.

Blue Yarrow Oil: Blue yarrow oil's powerful anti-inflammatory benefits soothe irritated skin and reduce swelling and redness.

Try Green-Beauty Co's Blue Yarrow Body Oil and Restore Balm for a perfect post-sun care routine. Blue Yarrow Body Oil combines its soothing properties with other nourishing oils to provide immediate relief and hydration. Follow it with Restore Balm, a rich blend that locks in moisture and accelerates skin repair. Together, they create a powerful duo that will leave your skin feeling calm, smooth, and rejuvenated after sun exposure.

The best way to combat after-sun exposure is to lather yourself with an occlusive layer of Restore Balm. Currently, we are offering a free sample (06/30/2024). Take advantage of this. Restore balm contains turmeric and orange essential oil, which contains anti-inflammatory properties. 

After Sun Care Balm

I can't wait to hear from you all. How are you going to conduct "after-sun care"?