12 DIY Ways to Improve Sun-Damaged Skin

Once upon a time getting some vacation sun or plopping onto a tanning bed was a spring ritual. We looked forward to balmy days and “lying out.” Now we moan, “If only I hadn’t sunbathed!” as wrinkles, brown sunspots, saggy skin, spider veins and skin cancer creep up our faces and bodies and scare the daylights out of us. I asked dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, an associate professor and director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai hospital in New York City, for pro tips to supplement my beauty editor two cents. Here are a dozen ways to brighten your skin and looks by June.

(Left to right) Honest Beauty Vitamin C Radiance Serum; Artnaturals Vitamin C Serum; Josie Maran Get Even Sun Milk SPF 33

Target (2); Sephora

1. Team up vitamin C and sunscreen

This powerhouse duo is the macaroni and cheese of sun damage repair and protection. Each is fine solo, but together they are amazing. While a high-SPF broad-spectrum sunscreen is crucial to preventing more sun damage, vitamin C boosts your SPF’s efficacy and takes things up a big notch. Layer a serum like Honest Beauty Vitamin C Radiance Serum ($34, target.com) or Artnaturals Vitamin C Serum ($13, target.com) under your daily moisturizer and a hydrating sunscreen like Josie Maran Get Even Sun Milk SPF 33 ($46, sephora.com) each morning. “A vitamin C serum is the best topical antioxidant available to treat sun-damaged skin and combat ultraviolet light,” says Zeichner. “It neutralizes free-radical damage and production of abnormal skin pigment and helps produce new healthy collagen. Double down on your daily benefits by using both C and sunscreen!” Just a reminder, those “free radicals” are unstable molecules that latch on to healthy skin cells and lead to sagging, wrinkles, fine lines and pigmentation.

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(Clockwise from left) Coolibar Women’s Marietas Sun Wrap UPF 50 in Grey & White Stripe; L.L. Bean Women’s Sunday Afternoons Havana Hat in Tan; Privé Revaux The Commando 2.0 Polarized in Caviar Black

Coolibar; L.L. Bean; Privé Revaux

2. Make sunscreen accessories part of your plan

We were slow adopters when it came to sunscreen. By the time broad-spectrum UVA (aging) and UVB (burning) protection was available in the late 1990s/early 2000s, plenty of damage had already been done. Preventing more damage is crucial — and possible. “It’s never too late to start,” Zeichner says. “If you’re a glass of water that’s 80 percent full, you can still prevent the glass from overflowing by not adding any more water to it.” Upgrade your strategy this spring to include a broad-brimmed hat to protect your scalp, ears and the back of your neck like the L.L. Bean Women’s Sunday Afternoons Havana Hat in Tan ($34, llbean.com). And be sure to wear sunglasses with 100 percent UV like the Privé Revaux The Commando 2.0 Polarized in Caviar Black ($40, priverevaux.com) and a long-sleeve everyday top or cardigan with a UPF sun protection rating like the Coolibar Women’s Marietas Sun Wrap UPF 50 in Grey & White Stripe or Warm Angelica (bright pink; $79, coolibar.com) even before beach season begins. A wrap is handy for outdoor weddings and barbecues, too.

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(Left to right) Mario Badescu Foaming Glycolic Cleanser; Kopari Beauty California Glow Enzyme Face Scrub; Cetaphil Extra Gentle Facial Scrub

Ulta Beauty (2); CVS

3. Exfoliate once or twice a week

It is crucial to get those dead cells moving. “One of the things that makes uneven skin texture and brown spots look even worse is the backup of dead cells on the surface that interfere with light reflection,” says Zeichner. Not only does this contribute to dull, lackluster skin, but it prevents serums and creams from penetrating and doing their best work. Mature skin is thin and often sensitive, so buff gently — just enough to expose the fresher skin beneath. (Think: dusting a table rather than scrubbing a floor.) Zeichner suggests “a chemical exfoliator cleanser with glycolic acid to dissolve the glue-like connections between surface cells so they can be shed more easily.” Try a product like Mario Badescu Foaming Glycolic Cleanser ($16, ulta.com). If you’re sensitive to AHAs like glycolic acid, opt for a cleanser with mild microfine particles like Cetaphil Extra Gentle Facial Scrub ($12, cvs.com) or one that contains fruit enzymes like Kopari Beauty California Glow Enzyme Face Scrub ($28, ulta.com) to do the job.

(Left to right) Boots Ingredients Hyaluronic Sleep Mask; Truly Goodnight Moon Chest/Neck Sleep Mask; E.l.f. Holy Hydration! Sleeping Mask

Target; Ulta Beauty; Target

4. Treat your neck and chest as part of your face

One spring day you wake up, pull on your favorite V- or scoop-neck tee and gasp, “What happened to my chest?” That once-smooth and show-off-worthy décolletage is peppered with spots and wrinkles. Uh-oh. Even those of us who have been diligent about facial sunscreen often skip these hot spots. There’s double trouble for those who sleep on their side or stomach, since this causes an already sun-damaged neck and chest area to appear more creased and crepey. The solution? What’s good for your face is also great for your neck and chest. Start extending face products like serums, hydrating masks, moisturizers and SPF sunscreen right down to your bra line instead of including this area as part of body care. Try smoothing on a hyaluronic-acid-packed mask like Boots Ingredients Hyaluronic Sleep Mask ($6, target.com), E.l.f. Holy Hydration! Sleeping Mask ($10, target.com) or Truly Goodnight Moon Chest/Neck Sleep Mask ($25, ulta.com) for an overnight hydration boost that plumps up lines and creases.