The bringer of love, light and gloriously warm days – the sun is certainly a symbol of joy and celebration. There’s something purely energizing about the kiss of bright rays on our skin and there’s no denying that frequent doses of vitamin D work wonders for the mind and the soul.

But as with everything in life; moderation is key when it comes to keeping in beautiful balance and dealing with your skin and the sun. Too much sunlight on the skin without adequate protection can lead to long-lasting damage. It's said that up to 80 percent of the signs of aging can be linked back to UV exposure. Dark spots, wrinkles, moles – you can trace them like reading a map – all those dreamy bright days beside the pool, barefoot walks on the beach or letting summer shine down as you drive out of town.

These sun aging marks are often a sign of your carefree younger days when sunscreen was discarded in favor of feeling like there were equal measures zero time and all the time in the world. But time turns around, and now you may be wondering how to heal sun-damaged skin.

Sunscreen Up

If you want to truly help your skin on its journey to healing you need to start by making a commitment to apply sunscreen every day. Proper and regular use of sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher will help to stop any further damage in its tracks. Without making the promise to keep your skin protected on this most base level, you will be fighting a losing battle. Choose a moisturizer that has SPF 15 worked into it. Using this every day will help to reduce the skins need to continually fight against exposure, giving the body time to heal.

Go for Vitamin C

If you have dark spots from too much sunlight then opt for upping your intake of Vitamin C. A natural brightening agent for the skin, vitamin C as an active ingredient in serums can help to lighten those spots in a natural way without the need to turn to the likes of intense light pulsing treatments. Vitamin C is a natural antioxidant meaning that along with lightening the skin, it can also ward off free radical production that comes from UV exposure.

Exfoliate and Feed

Tanned skin may look sun-kissed and glowing but it is actually the sign of damaged skin. If you have a tan or sunburn then you should aim to take a break from the sun as you will causing further damage on top of damage. Exposure to the sun can lead to dryness and loss of moisture so be sure to keep your skin exfoliated to slough away a build-up of dead cells. Feed sunburnt skin with aloe vera and topical antioxidants that contain Vitamin E to keep skin on the road to recovery.

Hydrate With Health

Come summer or winter, you can be sure that one of the things your skin cries out for is more moisture. From the harsh rays of the sun to saltwater, chlorine, and cold weather – all this and more can strip the skin of its much-needed moisture. Hydration (inside and out) can help to plump up the skin around your eyes, stimulate higher levels of collagen production and reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. Use moisturizers that are kind to the skin and be sure that you are drinking enough every day.

All the Antioxidants

While your skin will adore the soothing healing nature of topical antioxidant products, you can up the ante by ensuring that your diet is brimming with antioxidant-rich foods too. Foods that are tip to toe in antioxidants include; berries, kale, artichokes, pecans, dark chocolate, spinach and so much more. An antioxidant fresh diet will ensure that your skin stays firm, is encouraged to improve its collagen production, and that inflammation is kept low.

What tips do you have for the natural healing of sun-damaged skin? We’d love to hear your rich shares.