Your Summer Sun Safety Checklist

Long weekends in the sun have a way of undoing months of careful skin care. I’m not one for thinking sun exposure is categorically harmful (it isn't), but a few overlooked habits can turn a great weekend into a week of recovery (sunburn!) and a lifetime of damage.

Here's the checklist worth running through before, during, and after your fun in the sun.

Before the Sun

Don't schedule exfoliating treatments in the week before.

Chemical peels, laser treatments, microneedling, and even aggressive at-home exfoliation compromise the skin barrier and increase photosensitivity. Freshly exfoliated or treated skin burns more easily, is more prone to hyperpigmentation from UV exposure, and is more susceptible to damage from environmental stress.

If you've had a treatment recently, follow your provider's post-care instructions carefully and be more diligent than usual about sun protection.

Layer your antioxidant serum before SPF.

A stabilized vitamin C serum applied before SPF in the morning provides antioxidant protection that SPF alone doesn't offer. Sunscreen filters UV wavelengths but doesn't neutralize the reactive oxygen species generated by UV exposure that slip through. A properly formulated vitamin C serum scavenges those free radicals before they can damage collagen and DNA.

Together, SPF + vitamin C provide significantly more photoprotection than either alone.

Check your SPF expiration.

UV filters are active chemical or physical ingredients that degrade over time. Heat accelerates degradation. A bottle that's been sitting in a hot car through an Arizona spring is not performing the way the label says it is.

Check the expiration date. If it's expired, or if you're not sure how it was stored, replace it.

During the Sun

Reapply every 2 hours. This is not optional.

The SPF rating on a bottle describes the protection it provides when applied (properl) in a clinically tested quantity (approximately 2mg per square centimeter) at time zero. It says nothing about how long that protection lasts. UV filters break down with exposure to UV radiation, sweat, and water, typically within 2 hours of continuous sun exposure.

Most people apply sunscreen once in the morning and consider themselves protected for the day. They are not. For meaningful protection during prolonged outdoor activity, reapplication every 2 hours is the standard.

"Water resistant" means the formula maintains its SPF rating for 40–80 minutes of water exposure (labeling specifies which). It does not mean you skip reapplication after swimming.

Another common issue I see is not apply adequate amounts of sunscreen.  The face and neck need approximately ¼ teaspoon, while the body needs shot glass or two tablespoons. Obviously, the larger you are, the more sunscreen you will need for adequate protection.

Don't forget reflected UV.

Water, sand, and concrete all reflect UV radiation. If you're at a pool or lake, UV is reaching your skin from above and reflected upward from the water's surface. Your under-chin and under-arm areas are spots that rarely see direct sun and get significant indirect exposure in these situations.

Prioritize physical barriers in peak hours.

UV index peaks between 10 AM and 4 PM. A wide-brimmed hat, UPF-rated clothing, and shade structures reduce UV exposure far more effectively than SPF alone. Use them in combination.

Your lips need SPF too.

The lip is a transitional area, part skin, part mucosa, with relatively thin corneum and melanin density. Actinic cheilitis (UV-induced lip damage) and squamous cell carcinoma of the lip are both real and largely preventable. An SPF lip balm takes no time and eliminates the risk.

After the Sun

Soothe and repair, don't treat.

If you got more sun than intended, the priority is barrier repair and anti-inflammatory care, not active treatment. Aloe vera gel, ceramide-based moisturizers, and non-fragranced calm formulations support recovery. Avoid retinoids, acids, and actives for several days while the skin recovers.

Adding a strong retinoid or exfoliant to sun-stressed skin is a fast track to further inflammation.

Schedule a skin check.

Holiday weekends are good at surfacing skin observations that have been quietly accumulating. If you noticed a mole that looks different, a lesion that bled, or anything that caught your attention, book an appointment. Early detection of skin cancer, especially melanoma, dramatically changes outcomes.

This is especially relevant for men, who are less likely to perform regular self-examinations and more likely to present with advanced melanoma as a result.

Finally, don’t forget to book your post-sun care appointment at Bare!