What is the MOST important skin care secret you need to know for youthful skin? If you said “Protecting from the harmful rays of the sun!”, you get a gold star.

Sunlight is a major cause of skin aging, according to the National Institute of Health (NIH). We all know a sunburn is obvious skin damage. But, did you know that short, repeated exposure to the sun (also called chronic sun exposure) is a major cause of skin damage too.

With your beauty in mind here are some simple but effective suggestions:

Sun Precaution #1 – As a daily routine, apply sunscreen and wear a sun hat. On a big beach day or playing 3 hours of golf. I am sure you are slathered up with sunscreen and wearing your sun protective clothing. What we are talking about here is protecting against the chronic doses of sun you get from doing things like stopping to pick flowers, walking from your car to the office or driving. Remember sun damage accumulates over time and lessens the elasticity of your skin.

» Read more: Sun Protection Skincare – 10 Tips For Gorgeous Skin