It’s that time of year again! Time to break out the beach balls, bikinis, and for heaven’s sake, the sunblock.

Whether you’re 15 or 55, there is no excuse to abuse your precious skin with prolonged, unprotected sun exposure. Did you know that the sun is the number one culprit in the onset of and severity of wrinkles? Sure, we all want “sun-kissed” skin, especially in the summertime, but too much of anything is a bad thing. In the case of ultra-violet sun rays, it’s a very bad thing.

Now don’t worry, we’re not trying to spoil all of your summer fun. Of course you can have beach/lake days, or sunbathe in your own backyard. The important thing is that you use an appropriate sunblock. An SPF 4 isn’t going to do much more than make you look greasy, so try to at least go for the 15 to get some decent protection. Reapplication every hour or so you spend in the sun is also strongly recommended. A good rule of thumb is, the better the sunblock smells, the weaker it probably is! Of course this isn’t true across the board, but it often is, and we think it’s funny!

For you youngins, please don’t make the mistake of neglecting your skin at an early age, or you will be kicking yourself furiously when you get older. Sun spots are never going to be in style, and neither are deep wrinkles.

Keep in mind that parts of your body that are exposed when you’re wearing a swimsuit are probably extra sensitive to the sun because they are usually covered up the rest of the year. Those areas should get extra sunblock attention.

Stay Away from Tanning Salons
We know it can be tempting to hit the tanning salon a few times before your first official summertime activity, but we beg you to think better of it. There is nothing natural about those tanning beds, and anyone who thinks they are safer than actual sunlight is only kidding themselves. Not to mention you risk emerging from the tanning bed looking like a carrot. It’s only the beginning of summer, you’re not supposed to have a tan yet, anyway!

Don’t Forget Your Poor Eyes
You know your eyes need to be protected, and you know you want to show off your new sunglasses. Win-win, right? Well, some of you might be afraid of risking the dreaded sunglasses tan. Just make sure you use a decent amount of sunblock on that pretty face of yours, and it shouldn’t be a big deal. Besides, a slight sunglasses tan looks cool. That is, as long as you don’t go too far and get the Kardashian variety:

But seriously, protecting your eyes is important. It also helps big time in preventing the onset or enhancing of crow’s feet.

Have fun out there!