The official start of summer is right around the corner! The dry, cold air of winter is behind us, so it’s time to prepare our skin for the warmer weather. Let’s face it; we can’t hide under long sleeves and pants anymore. Summer is all about shorts, sundresses, open-toed shoes, sleeveless blouses and, dare I say… bathing suits. So, I have put together some tips to get your skin ready for summer and how to keep it beautiful all summer long.
Preparing Skin for Summer
Exfoliation/Detoxification – First things first, you’ve been cooped up all winter long and probably neglecting your skin a little bit, so it’s time to get rid of some of that dry, winter skin by exfoliating. Grab a body scrub and hit the shower to shed some skin cells to reveal glowing skin. If you don’t exfoliate, you’ll be left with skin that makes you look dull and dry. Now is also a good time to detoxify your skin. Head to a sauna or steam bath and sweat out all those toxins.
Manage stress – Stress can lower your body’s levels of estrogen and thyroid hormone, which can lead to dry skin. Find at least 15 minutes of time out of every day to unwind and decompress. Go outside and take a walk, practice yoga or tai chi, go get a mani/pedi, sit on your porch with a good book, whatever it is that you enjoy.
Eating well – Beautify your skin from the inside by eating a well-balanced diet and taking a high-quality multivitamin to give your skin a nutritional boost. Foods rich in antioxidants and protein, such as fresh produce, fish and eggs, can stimulate collagen growth, which keeps the skin elastic and helps prevent wrinkles. Vitamin E helps keep skin glowing, protects skin from ultraviolet light, improves the effectiveness of sunscreen and helps with stretch marks, so look for vitamin E-rich foods like sunflower seeds, greens like spinach, almonds and asparagus.
Topical treatments with key ingredients – Products that contain vitamins A and C improve skin with their antioxidant effects. Have a little cellulite you’d like to minimize? Look for creams with collagen, a naturally-occurring substance that keeps skin firm. (Or check out Louisa’s feature below for a home remedy to blast and prevent cellulite.)
Maintaining and Protect Your Skin in the Summer
Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen – The most obvious way to protect your skin in the summer is to use a high-quality sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30. Don’t grab last year’s bottle though, sunscreens do have expiration dates. So, go out and get a new bottle that has broad spectrum UVA and UVB protection. Sunscreen isn’t just for the days when you’ll be spending a lot of time outside. Everyone should apply a daily moisturizer with SPF all year long. And, obviously if you’ll be outside for a long period of time, use a sunscreen on other exposed areas of skin and reapply every couple of hours. You should also wear a hat and sunglasses and apply a lip balm with SPF protection.
Apply aloe – A day at the beach or in the pool can be harsh on your skin. Chlorine can dry out skin, hair and nails. So be sure to rinse off after a dip in the pool and apply a moisturizer with aloe to replenish dry skin as well as to relieve any potential sunburns.
Hydrate your skin – The beating sun can dry your skin, and not to mention cause you to sweat more, so staying hydrated is very important. Drink lots of filtered water to keep your body and skin hydrated.
Tags: skin care
