When the weather heats up every year and we shed our winter layers to move outside, the sun becomes both our best friend and our worst enemy. In other words, sweet summertime doesn’t always feel so sweet when it comes to our complexions. With heat, humidity, and sun exposure, some extra precautions may be necessary to take good care of your skin. Let’s talk about how to keep your skin healthy during summer without skipping the outdoor activities.
First Things First: Sun Protection!
It’s every dermatologist’s primary warning and every beauty blog’s biggest piece of anti-aging advice: Keep your skin safe from the sun. That means applying a broad-spectrum (UVB and UVA) sunscreen of at least 30 SPF every morning. If you’re going to be spending all day in the sunshine, make sure you reapply sunscreen every few hours—and don’t skip your neck, ears, feet, and hands! They show signs of aging just as easily as your face. Plenty of reputable skincare brands make sunscreens that are clean and safe for skin, so do some research to make sure you’re getting the good stuff.
In addition to sunscreen, protective hats and clothing can be a great way to keep the sun off your skin if you’re spending long periods of time outside, say for hiking, canoeing, climbing, or other outdoor activities. Your local sporting goods store should have some great recommendations
Stay Hydrated
Another important summer skin care tip is to make sure you’re getting enough water. High temperatures zap our bodies of hydration, and that’ll take a toll on your skin. Water flushes toxins from your skin and gives its surface a supple, glowing look. For healthy summer skin, as well as your overall health, it’s a good idea to keep a water bottle with you at all times this season.
Lighten up Your Skin Care Routine
In winter, when temperatures are low, wind is gusty, and the air is dry, slathering on a thick moisturizer is a great way to protect your skin. Much like we put away hats and scarves in the summertime, however, the heavy creams have to go. The beginning of summer is a great time to take stock of your skin care routine and see where you could tone it down. Some examples include swapping out a heavy, creamy cleanser for a light, foamy one or a thin moisturizer.
Avoid a Sweaty Mess
If you wear foundation, you know this story well. You put on your makeup, your cutest summer dress, your open-toed sandals, and you head out feeling light and breezy. A few hours later, that makeup is running down your face and your dress isn’t all that cute anymore. This is why one of our favorite summer skin care tips is to use light makeup during daytime or outdoor activities. This will help you avoid sweating too much, keep your pores clear, and maintain healthy skin this summer.
Bonus tip: Remove makeup before a workout. For the same reason that sweating at a barbecue is bad for your pores, so is sweating off your makeup in the gym. (You can use this one year-round.)
Exfoliation
The more you clog your pores, the more you’ll need to slough off dead skin at the end of the day. Basically, one of the best ways to maintain healthy summer skin is to keep it clean. Adding a lightweight exfoliant to your skincare routine—whether it be a chemical peel, an AHA toner, or a gentle, natural scrub—is a great way to keep your pores clear and your skin glowing.
For healthy skin this summer, remember these words: sun protection, hydration, cleanliness, and exfoliation. If you’re careful and diligent, you can reap all the benefits of Vitamin D without any of the downfalls.
Belle Medical utilizes state-of-the-art technology and the most advanced technique of the industry to offer patients the safest and most effective body sculpting treatments available. With Belle Medical, you can achieve beautiful, natural-looking results with the least amount of disruption to your everyday life.