More sunshine means feeling the breeze through your clothes, the aroma of the grill and the sound of the waves at the beach. You’ll be seeing more exposed skin during this sensual season, so taking care of your dermis should be high on your priority list. Here are some tricks for keep your skin in tip-top shape as summer gets into gear.
1. Cleanse
Work out and work up a sweat to clean out your pores and then wash it all off using a good body wash that isn’t too harsh on your skin. Wash your face twice a day, morning and evening, then head right into the next steps.
2. Keep your skin moisturized
Once clean, dry off but don’t dry out. Your skin needs its natural oils. Use a non-comedogenic moisturizing product on your face, meaning one that won’t clog your pores and cause breakouts. Moisturize all over and don’t forget the lip balm.
3. Scrub-a-dub
Once every few weeks, exfoliate to slough off the dead skin cells that are covering up the beautiful new you your body keeps creating. Make sure to look for face masks and exfoliation products made with natural ingredients like walnut instead of microplastics. While your face should be treated gently, places like elbows and feet can take some stronger products.
4. Drink a lot of water
The best way to keep a body in good health is from the inside out, literally. Drinking water regulates your body temperature, keeps your organs in optimal working shape–including your skin–and helps you stay mentally alert.
5. Protect yourself from the sun
This is a biggie. The summer sun is hot, but heat isn’t the only thing to watch out for. Make sure you’re using a product with sufficient SPF and remember to reapply every few hours.
Using broad-spectrum skin protection daily and staying out of the sun’s glare at peak hours will help minimize sun spots and wrinkles, not to mention reducing the likelihood of skin cancer.
If you are going to be exposed, plan your attire accordingly. Find quality shades, coverups in light fabrics and brimmed hats to protect exposed skin. Don’t forget that your scalp is skin too, especially important if you have fine hair or a super-short cut. Nobody likes a painful surprise when fingers running through your hair can be so pleasant on summer nights…
If you do get a burn, natural aloe vera does wonders. The stuff grows like crazy, so it’s absolutely worth getting a plant. It’s easy to take care of and you’ll have automatic burn relief with zero chemicals. Like we said, it just keeps on growing, so don’t be surprised at how easy it is to share with your friends after they comment on how great your skin looks.
SPF and hydration don’t just come from skin care products and water. Good nutrition is a natural way to take care of your skin. Minerals and vitamins found in summer fruits such as berries help maintain healthy skin and may also be sources of anti-oxidants. Produce like melons and cucumbers are fabulous sources of water and they’re all in-season during spring and summer. It’s like nature already knows what you need and when you need it!
- extra! For getting this far, you get a bonus tip:
Let your natural beauty shine by skipping the makeup in summer
If you want to even out your skin tone a little, try some tinted foundation and call it good there. (Make sure it has SPF protection too!. If you’ve just got to have more color, go for faux tan with bronzers that complement your natural skin tones, but make sure to get a good look at the ingredients to know what you’re putting on all that gorgeous skin. (And we don’t even need to point out any examples of how bad fake orange looks compared to embracing your natural glow, whatever the hue).
ACTION PLAN
Wake up, drink some water, and get in that workout first thing in the morning before you have time to double-think it or procrastinate. That way you have gotten a little sun and can come back in to cleanse, moisturize and protect your natural beauty.
