Skincare Tips for Surfers: Shielding from the Elements

The only downside to surfing might be the toll it can take on the delicate skin on your face. Most surfers, myself included, would much rather surf even if it means leathery skin, but the two don't have to go hand-in-hand. With proper care, you can have glowy hydrated skin and a lot of time in the surf. Here are inside-out scientifically backed skincare tips for surfers. 

Pre-surf: Lock in moisture and shield with antioxidants

Because we often find ourselves in harsher conditions, surfers need to take extra care of their skin to offset the elements. Sun, salt, zinc and sunscreen make your skin more prone to feeling dry and dehydrated. 

  • Moisturise with antioxidant-rich oils: In the morning before your surf, rinse your face with water only, then moisturise as you normally would with an antioxidant-rich oil.
  • Lather SPF or zinc: liberally apply a mineral-based SPF 30 or 50 sunscreen or surf zinc. For SPF, use one-quarter of a teaspoon is the recommended amount to cover your face. 

During surf 

If you’re out for a couple of hours and you know your sunscreen or zinc has washed off, it will be well worth it in the long run if you go in to drink some water and reapply before going back out. It’s never worth the red cheeks and the long-term sun damage. 

Post-surf: Soothe and Repair

    • Rinse immediately: Don’t skip rinsing under the shower. Removing the layer of salt will prevent it from drying out your skin further. 
    • Remove SPF: When you get home, immediately double-cleanse with an oil-based cleanser to cut through the zinc, followed by a surfactant-based cleanser. 
    • Hydrate your skin: Apply a marine hyaluronic (holds 1000 times its weight in water) to damp skin to lock moisture in, followed by an oil or moisturiser. This will keep your skin hydrated throughout the rest of the day.
    • After-sun treatments: If you’ve accidentally gotten too much sun, Universal Oil doubles as an amazing after-sun product with ingredients like cucumber, red raspberry seed, sea buckthorn, Kakadu plum and green tea. Its soothing ingredients help to calm and heal sunburned skin, reducing inflammation and promoting faster recovery. 

Inner hydration 

  • Hydrate with food and drink: Make up for the lost fluids with lots of hydration. 20% of your hydration is meant to come from water-rich fruits and veg. For example, cucumbers, lettuce, zucchini and oranges are over 90% water. This reduces your remaining water intake to 2.2 litres for women or 3 litres for men per-day. It helps to always have a litre water bottle with you to sip throughout the day to keep track of your water intake—but more importantly, because chugging water negatively impacts the body and reduces absorption. Adding electrolytes to your water also makes sure it’s being properly absorbed, natural electrolytes include adding magnesium powder and lemon to your water.