Ah, summer. Time to hit the beach, break out the barbecue essentials and spend some serious time shopping for sundresses (let's be honest, one can never have too many). But, due to increased humidity and sun exposure, all that summer fun can wreak havoc on your skin. Protecting your skin without weighing yourself down with a cumbersome routine is crucial during the summer - and we've got your covered. With these summer skin care tips you'll be on your way to having a dewy glow all summer long.
1. Look in your kitchen for cleansers
Feel like you always have a constant sheen on your forehead during the summer? Oiliness and related breakouts are an unfortunate reality during hot, humid summer months. Cleansing is an absolute must, but many synthetic options do more harm than good. Chemically irritated skin is not a good look on anyone. Thankfully, there are a couple natural cleansers are hiding right in your kitchen! Try using apple cider vinegar as a cleanser (limit use to every other day) or try rubbing melon on your face and leaving overnight for a cooling effect.
2. Get dirty - with clay masks
When a stubborn breakout just won't go away your skin may be in a need of some serious rehab. Face masks to the rescue! There are many great DIY options out there, and all are a far cry from the skin damaging chemical peels (don't let us get started on that topic), but all natural options can also be found at high end retailers. A great basis to look for in a store bought mask is a clay like kaolin, which penetrates pores and wicks away excess oil. Just be sure to follow this simple tip when applying clay face masks: apply on clean skin and allow it to only partially dry. Rinse off at this stage to avoid overly drying your skin.
Although there are a myriad number of DIYs, but for those who are looking for a perfectly formulated product with these ingredients and more try our Deeply Clarifying Face Mask.
3. Practice safe sun
This is pretty simple: SPF, SPF, SPF. While there are not any completely natural options that exist in the sunscreen realm yet, zinc based sunscreen is a great naturally derived option. If you're not planning on being in the sun that often, a quick one-step solution is to invest in a foundation with SPF for basic face protection. Sunscreen blocks out a lot of other minerals and chemicals, so make sure to apply it over your other skin care products! And, we hate to sound like your mom here, but time in the sun often goes hand in hand with dehydration. So keep that water bottle full and try infusing water with cucumber or lemon for flavorful twist.
4. And if that fails, use natural ingredients to heal sunburn
We've all paid for our over-exposure in the sun with red, painful and blistered skin before. While prevention is the best medicine when it comes to sunburn, treating sunburns the right away can prevent long term damage to your skin. The good news is the plethora of natural treatments out there makes it easy. Aloe vera gel is an obvious choice, but did you know you can rinse your skin in buttermilk to soothe the inflammation? Or make a cold compress out of oatmeal wrapped in gauze? Read more tips here.
5. Prep your body for bikini season
We are not about to give you suggestions on how to get a six pack in less than two weeks! But we can give you some serious skin care tips you can use all over your body. While the other nine months of the year you've been able to safely neglect everything below the neck, (hello, cellulite and bacne!), it's now time to shape up. For glowing skin, without the weight of a traditional body lotion, try our Absolute Anti Aging Body Oil like lavender essential oil blended with a carrier like coconut. You'll love how soft and supple it makes your skin, as well as its ability to reduce redness. Feeling more confident in your own skin is the secret to making bikini season less daunting.
