7 sunscreen tips to prevent ageing and sunburn

Africa Melane speaks to resident fitness guru Liezel van der Westhuizen about prioritising your skin by applying sunscreen as you enjoy summer.

Whether you're out for a walk on the beach, enjoying life, training for an upcoming marathon or driving with one arm out - your skin is exposed to the sun - and sunscreen is often an afterthought, until you get sunburnt.

Prioritising skincare should be part of your fitness journey, suggests Van Der Westhuizen.

She asked Karen Bester (a skin expert at Lamelle Research Laboratories) for some tips.

Bester says sunscreen should be correctly applied daily or whenever you go outside.

"It's not just about sunscreen but it's also about how you apply your sunscreen and how regularly you do that."

- Karen Bester, Lamelle Research Laboratories

Bester also recommends to:

1) Apply sunscreen 10 to 15 minutes before going into the sun daily or whenever you're outdoors.

2) Reapply sunscreen every two to three hours because the ingredients in your sunscreen "get used up while protecting you from the sun."

3) Reapply sunscreen after you've had a swim or perspired a lot.

4) Use a minimum SPF50 or more for the longest protection.

5) Avoid the sun during the hottest times of the day.

6) Wear sun-protective clothing such as sunglasses or a hat. Bring an umbrella if you're planning to chill on the beach.

7) Remember aftercare: apply a product called after-sun to moisturise and load your skin with antioxidants. 

Remember to apply sunscreen to the "often forgotten but prone to sunburn" body parts such as the top of your feet, back of your hands, sculpt and the back of your neck.

Van der Westhuizen quoted research that recommends eating antioxidant-rich foods such as dark chocolate, green tea and berries after being in the sun to help replenish your skin from the inside out. 

Happy sunscreening!

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.