The weather’s starting to heat up, but before you grab your bikini and your sunnies and head to the beach, are you perhaps forgetting something? Maybe SPF?

While we all love to soak in the sun’s feel-good rays, (okay fine, and you can’t beat a sexy bronzed glow either!) it’s important to take all the necessary precautions to protect your skin. Too much sun exposure won’t only accelerate aging, it can lead to other frustrating issues such as sunspots.

So before hitting the sand, keep on reading to find out our top natural ways to treat and prevent sunspots.

What are Sunspots?

Before we dive into this article, let’s first clear up what exactly sunspots are. Sunspots are a type of hyperpigmentation that may be up to two shades darker than your natural skin tone. These harmless spots may be flat or raised, and even have the appearance of a wart. They are also more likely to occur in areas that are most often exposed to the sun, such as the face, neck, ears, arms and back of the hands. 

They are a result of prolonged, unprotected sun exposure, when the body over-produces melanin.

5 Ways To Treat, Prevent And Visibly Remove Sunspots

1.  Avoid Prolonged Sun Exposure

Since sunspots are caused by too much time in the sun, the most logical first step in preventing them would be to limit your sun exposure. You may think that avoiding the beach or sunbathing sessions poolside will ensure that your skin stays free from sunspots, however just a few minutes of unprotected exposure everyday builds up over time and can cause these pesky spots. Limit sun exposure when possible and be sure sure to cover up with a hat or sunglasses when you are out in the sun.

2.  Always Wear Sunscreen

We cannot stress this enough! Don’t ever leave your house without it, even on cloudy days! Apply an SPF of at least 30 or higher to areas that will be exposed to the sun. Choose a titanium sunblock rather than a chemical sunscreen that contains harmful chemicals that could put your health at risk. 

3.  Rely on Natural Skin Brightening Ingredients

Natural ingredients such as Vitamin C and aloe are excellent for soothing, brightening and rejuvenating sun-damaged skin, as well as promoting the formation of collagen to help ensure your skin stays youthful and plump. Here, at Apple Rose, you’ll find these ingredients along with other powerful antioxidants and nutrients to feed your skin with love and nourishment in our acclaimed Bloom Beautifully Vitamin C Super Serum as well as our Nourish Naturally Moisturizing Treatment. 

4.  Avoid Tanning Beds Completely

There’s not much to say here, except stay away from tanning beds. They drastically increase your risk of cancer, and no tan is worth putting your health at risk!

5.  Try an At-Home DIY Recipe

Of course you can’t go wrong with a DIY recipe, made with all natural ingredients from your kitchen.

Apple Cider and Lemon DIY Toner to Lighten Sunspots

Lemon juice contains citric acid and Vitamin C and apple cider contains alpha hydroxy acids to naturally lighten hyperpigmentation.

Simply combine one tsp of lemon juice and one tsp of apple cider vinegar in a small bowl. Soak a cotton pad in the mixture and apply evenly all over your skin, or just on sunspots if your skin is sensitive. A tingling or burning sensation is normal, however you could add a little water to dilute the mixture if necessary. Use this mixture at night. You can leave it on the skin while you sleep.

We hope these steps help you to be more aware of your skin, and the damage the sun can cause. As long as you follow these tips, you can enjoy a sun-soaked summer all while ensuring your skin stays healthy.

It's that time of year again. Apple Rose Beauty has nothing to do with desserts, or anything edible for that matter - well other than the fact that our skin care formulations are made with natural and organic ingredients that may be food grade :). Around the holidays every year at least a couple friends send me recipes involving Apples and Roses because well, I'm the first person they think about when they see the 2 ingredients :)

As you know Apple and Rose were actually the names of two women caught in human trafficking that I met in Thailand ... but I digress. Here is a scrumptious looking Apple Rose Pie recipe! Try it for the holidays and let me know if it's a hit with your family and friends! 

With Halloween around the corner and party invites already out the door, it's time to start planning the menu. You've been doing so well all year with eating healthier and using safe, non-toxic Apple Rose Beauty skincare, now is not the time to fall off the hay ride. I ran across this wonderful blog by Militza at "Little Green Dot" and I thought I would share her wonderful healthy halloween recipes with you.

With menu items like Roast Pumpkin Hummus, White Pumpkin Pizza and Roast Pumpkin & Chicken Harvest Salad, can you really go wrong? Click the links below to check out the recipes and send us photos if you make any of them. Do you have any healthy halloween recipes you would like to share with us? Send them to us at support@applerosebeauty.com. And from the team at Apple Rose Beauty, have a happy Halloween!

• Roast Pumpkin Hummus
• White Pumpkin Pizza
• Roast Pumpkin & Chicken Harvest Salad

Let's face it, we are all busy. As women whether we work outside of the home, are stay at home moms, are going back to school or entrepreneurs, we can all use some down time. What better time to practice self-love and pamper ourselves than during this season of love? Here are 5 No-Cost ways to pamper yourself this Valentines: 

1.  Light a candle and soak in the tub. 

The scent of the candle and flicker of the flame will engage the senses for a relaxing time. No candles on hand? No worries. Boil slices of oranges and lemons to create a wonderful citrus scent.

2.  Give yourself an at-home facial.

You can make amazing skin care products with the stuff that's already in your pantry. Make a quick face scrub with coffee grounds and olive oil, or try this wonderful avocado mask recipe at the end of our Cayenne Pepper acne fighting blog. Add to the spa feel with some soothing music while you lay on the couch.

3.  Cozy up to your favorite movie with your beverage of choice.

Tea, coffee, wine? It doesn't matter. As long as you enjoy it and the movie makes you laugh, cry, dream or all of the above.

4.  Dance with fuzzy slippers like no-one's watching.

Remember those days when you were in to pop culture and knew the latest songs and dance moves? Even if it's been a while, your favorite oldies song is just a click away on YouTube. I dare you to leave work a half hour early put on your favorite fuzzy slippers, blast that music and shake those hips down memory lane.

5.  Dress up just because you can.

We all love those days when we can stay in pajamas all day. But doesn't it feel good to get really dressed up sometimes? Who cares if you have nowhere to go? Even if your husband and children are the only ones who see you, it will be worth it. Take selfies or better yet, get your family or girl-friends involved. Have them take pictures and turn it into a mini glamour shoot.

We hope you feel the love this Valentines. Enjoy the roses and chocolate but remember to take the time to love yourself.

Ok, so Apple Rose Beauty has nothing to do with desserts, or anything edible for that matter - well other than the fact that our skin care formulations are made with natural and organic ingredients that may be food grade :). Apple and Rose were actually the names of two women caught in human trafficking that I met in Thailand ... but I digress. When a friend of mine posted this Baked Apple Roses video to my Facebook timeline I couldn't help but share it on this site! Seriously it's so creative and looks so yummy.  Try it for the holidays and let me know if it's a hit with your family and friends!