There’s reports of an Indian summer looming in the UK, and this is also the time of the year during which many Brits head overseas for some last minute sun (before the winter sets in!).

This means sun protection should still be high on your agenda, whether you’re hoping to enjoy the prevailing warmth in your back garden or somewhere further afield.

Protecting yourself from the sun come the autumn and winter might not be high on your agenda, but it’s still possible to do yourself serious damage if you don’t.

With that in mind, here’s some of our favourite tips for protecting your skin when Mother Nature decides to put on her best smile.

Put sun cream on - even when cloudy

You can still be hit by harmful rays when its cloudy, therefore if you’re out and about when the weather warms up and there’s clouds covering the blue sky, make sure you still put that suncream on!

This is particularly the case for the little ones, but you all need to have it on! Make sure you re-apply every hour.

Invest in some decent sunglasses

They might not be cheap, but a good pair of sunglasses will not only make you look cool (come on, let’s face it - they just do) - they’ll protect you from harmful UV rays, too.

Look for sunglasses with lenses that offer a minimum of 99% UV protection, and you can rest safe in the knowledge that you’re protecting your eyes and their surrounding skin.

If it’s too hot, stay in the shade

We all have our limits with the heat, and if you’ve travelled to a foreign climate where it’s simply too hot to spend long periods of time in direct sunlight, stick to the shade.

Sure, you want that winter tan, but it simply isn’t worth getting if you end up damaging your skin and potentially putting yourself in danger of something much more serious.

Trust your instincts and listen to your body; if it feels too hot out there, it probably is.

Wear dark clothing

How many times have you been told by people not to wear dark clothing when it’s hot?

They have a point, because dark clothing does appear to make you feel hotter, but that’s because it does a very good job at blocking the sun. Loosely-woven fabrics and those that are white aren’t quite as good at doing so, therefore while they might feel cooler, they’ll actually be doing less to protect your skin from the harmful rays of the sun.

Be extra cautious if you’re on medication

Certain medication can make your skin more sensitive to the sun, therefore if you’re on any form of medication, it pays to be safe and extra cautious when you’re enjoying the hot weather.

It’s best to speak to your GP for the full low-down, but some anti-inflammatories, antibiotics and blood pressure medications are particularly troublesome when it comes to increasing your skin’s sensitivity to the sun.

Enjoy your winter sun! There’s no need to be wary to the point of never venturing out, but if you follow our tips above, you’ll be doing all you can to keep yourself sun-safe!