Your Skin: The Most Important 2 Square Meters Of Your Life

To ensure that you can enjoy the summertime carefree we compiled a few tips for you. Determine your skin type and get a few tips for proper behavior in the sunshine.

How This Works?

Grab something handy that you can keep score of your answers (pen and paper, or smartphone) at the end you’ll be totaling these up to calculate your skin type score.

What does your skin look like?
It is it very fair, almost transparent (1)
It is fair (2)
It is fair to slightly tan (3)
It is tan to olive (4)

Do you have freckles?
Yes, a lot (1)
Yes, a few (2)
Almost none (3)
None (4)

What hair color do you have?
Silver blonde to carroty (1)
Light blonde to brown (2)
Dark blonde to brown (3)
Dark brown to black (4)

What eye color do you have?
Light green or light blue (1)
Intensive green, blue, or grey (2)
Dark grey to grey brown (3)
Dark brown to black (4)

How does your skin react to sun?
I get sunburned very easily (1)
I get sunburned easily (2)
I very seldom get sunburned (3)
I do not get sunburned (4)

How tan do you get?
I do not really tan (1)
I tan easily, my skin is peeling easily (2)
I tan quickly (3)
I tan very quickly (4)

How To Calculate Your Skin Type Score

6-7 points = Skin type 1
8-10 points = You are between skin type 1 and 2, tending more to 1
11-13 points = Skin type 2
14-16 points = You are between skin type 2 and 3, tending more to 2
17-19 points = Skin type 3
20-22 points = You are between skin type 3 and 4, tending more to 3
23-24 points = Skin type 4

Skin Type 1: The Celtic Type

You have very fair, freckled skin, blue or green eyes and most often carroty hair.

Attention! You are extremely sensitive to sunlight. Optimal sun protection is very important. You do not tan.

The self-protection time (applies to the solar radiation at noon) of your skin is only five to ten minutes – depending on the intensity of the sun – after that you are in danger of painful sunburn. Premature aging of the skin threatens already after two to seven minutes.

TIP: Protect your “noble paleness” like the apple of your eye and do not expose yourself to the sun without protection. Always use sun screen with a very high SPF (SPF 20 or sun blocker).

• Sunbathing max. 1.5 hrs a day with sun screen (with very high SPF) possible
• Do not forget to put on sun screen when you sit in the shade or are in the water.
• Avoid direct sun during midday.
• Additionally protect yourself by wearing long sleeved T-shirt, long pants, and a hat with a wide rim.
• Let your skin get used to the sun slowly.
• Stay as much as possible in the shade.

Skin Type 2: The Fair-Skinned European

You usually have blonde hair and gray, blue or green eyes.

You are very sensitive to the sun, you skin can tolerate only a small amount of sun.

The self-protection time (applies to the solar radiation at noon) of your skin is ten to 20 minutes – depending on the intensity of the sun – after that the skin starts to turn red. Given time it turns moderately tan. Premature aging of the skin threatens already after seven to 14 minutes.

TIP: Never expose yourself to sunlight without protection. During the first few days of exposure to the sun you should use a sun screen with a high SPF, later on you can use a screen with a lesser SPF. (SPF 14, later SPF 9-14)

• Do not underestimate the radiant intensity of the sun in early May.
• Apply a good amount of sun screen on the ears, bridge of your nose, shoulders and bridge of your feet.

CAUTION when it is windy. Wind cools the skin thus one tends to underestimate the sun.

Skin Type 3: Dark-Skinned European

You usually have dark blonde hair and gray or brown eyes.

You tan relatively quickly, however, if you expose your skin to the sun too long, you get heavy sunburn.

Untanned you can stay in the sun 20 to 30 minutes before you get sunburned. Premature aging of the skin threatens already after 14 to 20 minutes.

TIP: Even if you are not so sensitive to the sun, you should never expose yourself to the sun without protection. During the first few days of exposure to the sun you should use a sun screen with a medium SPF. ( at least SPF 8, later SPF 5-8).

• Additionally protect your skin with clothing when you are on the water.
• The skin where your part your hair can also burn, therefore wear proper head protection.

If you are sunburned do not apply perfume to the skin, this can promote pigment spots.

Skin Type 4: The Mediterranean Type

You usually have dark hair and brown eyes.

Even if your skin is not used to the sun, your skin starts turning red at the earliest after 40 minutes – but if you use skin protection you can avoid sunburn as much as possible. Your skin tans quickly and intense. Premature aging of the skin threatens after about 30 minutes.

TIP: Even the darker skinned types should never expose themselves to the sun without protection. During the first few days of exposure to the sun you should use a sun screen with a low SPF. (at least SPF 4).

• If you have scars: there are no pigments in that skin therefore apply sun blocker there.
• The sun shines especially intense on dark hair, therefore wear proper head protection.

CAUTION! In particular bald spots on your head should be protected.

IMPORTANT: This skin typing does not apply to children

Children have a skin very sensitive to sun and are generally categorized as skin type 1 – 2. You should always use a very high skin protection factor (SPF) (starting at factor 25). In addition to that, children should wear protective clothing (hat, long sleeved T-shirt, special sun protection clothes). Especially during midday time 11 am and 3 pm strictly avoid sunshine.

What was your skin type?
Comment below and share this with a friend.