Winter is here and with that comes tropical holiday getaways for those heat seeking travellers. Heading somewhere tropical for the holidays is great – just remember to enjoy the sun safely this season! For advice on how to make the most of  your tropical getaway we asked Trish Friesen, Editor-In-Chief of TripStyler.com, a daily travel lifestyle website dishing daily trip style tips to aspiring jetsetters. Trish eats, sleeps and breathes travel, packing her bag every two weeks for a wild adventure or sun-drenched hotspot. As a former tanner turned sun safe guru, Trish provides insight on how she regularly plays in the sun while still being safe about her skin.

Trish on a recent trip to Aruba

For those travellers heading to a tropical location and planning to lounge on the beach for a week or two, do you have any tips so that they can enjoy the sun safely?

Yes! Ease into the sun like it’s an old friend. You can’t expect to be BFFs right away, especially when you haven’t seen each other in awhile. In both cases, you could get burned!

1) Apply sunscreen before you leave your hotel room and don’t forget your ears, the tops of your feet or the skin around your armpit!

2) Always bring a beach or pool bag with you to lounge in the sun with a face and body screen for re-application, lip balm with spf, Evian mist to cool you down, sunglasses, a hat, and since we’re on the subject, your iPod and some reading material!

3) Sit under the shade of swaying palm or beach umbrella when the sun is most intense between 11am – 4pm. The late afternoon is my favourite part of the day to sit in the sun. There’s something so relaxing about lazily lounging into the evening watching the sunset.

Have you ever had a bad experience when travelling, where you wished you had planned ahead? A bad skin peeling sunburn or unsightly tan lines?

Yes, a few years ago I got badly burned on the first day of my trip to Maui. I applied a lot of sunscreen, but apparently not enough! For the next five days I had to wear my rash guard with UV protection and lie in the shade to let the burn heal properly. Needless to say, I had a brief error in judgement at the outset that impacted the rest of my tropical vacation. Fail. I’ve learned my lesson. If I’m in the sun on the first day of my tropical vacay, I reapply suncreen every hour.

Having what people call a ‘base tan’ doesn’t offer protection against skin damage or skin cancer. A base tan provides at most, SPF protection of about 2-4, yet many travelers think they need to hit the tanning beds before heading out for their tropical vacation. Do you have any suggestions for travelers wanting an alternative to a tan?

I made the tanning bed mistake in university. I guess I was still longing after the Baywatch, 90210 or OC glow! Since then, I have learned to embrace:

Self-tanner
If you put it on right before your trip, it will give you that sun-kissed glow you are looking for.

Bronzer
Power bronzer for face is a tried-and-true tanning cheat.

Body Shimmer
There is also something beautiful about ‘winter’ skin {ie – skin that hasn’t seen the sun in months} enhanced by a lotion with a touch of sheen, or a silky glimmering body balm.

From Curacao to Bonaire

Stepping off the plane in Bonaire

For more tips from Trish, read our interview with her or visit TripStyler.com