Summertime Skincare

Summer is practically everyone’s favourite season. We get caught up with the excitement of a beautiful, sunny day and the thought of an afternoon at the beach or going for a hike. Ahh, to be outdoors again! It’s easy to forget that we need a daily summer skincare routine to prevent sun damage. If you’re not sure where to start, we have some useful, simple tips to get you going.

Stay hydrated. This is the number one tip that might seem obvious, but, hydration is key. Drinking water is great for our bodies in general, but it also keeps our skin looking beautiful and healthy. To kick it up a notch, make a pitcher of fruit-infused water, or simply squeeze lime or lemon juice into your glass. It’s too easy to get dry, flaky skin from the sun and heat if you aren’t keeping yourself hydrated. Drink up!

Avoid sun exposure as much as possible. Bring an umbrella to the beach or wear a cute summer hat.

Even if you’re being careful to avoid the sun, always wear sunscreen, even on overcast days, and it should be a safe, natural brand with a good SPF coverage. If you wear make-up, your brand should have a good SPF coverage, too. Depending on your skin tone, you’ll want to use anywhere from SPF 30 to SPF 50. Don’t forget to apply to areas such as the tops of your ears, hairline, neck and décolleté. The lips, too, as they can burn easily and get chapped.

Use an after-sun spray or gel. Aloe is wonderful for this, but you’ll want to use the gel from the leaf itself, or a clear, all-natural aloe gel. A cooling spray sometimes feels better on hot, sticky skin and you can easily make a DIY after-sun spray with witch hazel, spring water and essential oils. Mix in a few drops of pure therapeutic grade Geranium or Lavender, for example, and shake well before use! Keep the bottle refrigerated for the extra cooling effect. Rose water is fantastic for the summer months because it’s multi-purpose. You can use it as a face mist, skin toner, and even a spray mist for your hair.

Keep your face moisturized more often than usual by using hydrating masks, or pure organic oils like Jojoba and Rosehip, which are both lightweight moisturizers. Have a hydrating facial mist handy while you’re on the go, too.

Eat hydrating foods that are rich in anti-oxidants. All types of melons are excellent choices, especially watermelon and cantaloupe, as well as red fruits. (apples, nectarines, apricots) Leafy greens (kale, swiss chard, collard greens) are loaded with minerals that help our skin protect itself and help damage from too much sun exposure.

Taking care of your skin during the summer is important, requires a bit more work and some changes to your fall/winter routines. Implementing these simple tips will help you enjoy the outdoors, prevent sun damage and slow down (not speed up!) the ageing process. And that is definitely worth the extra work!