Sensational Summer Skin Is In

Fun in the sun, lazy days by the ocean, barbeques, vacations and warm summer nights. Summer is just around the corner. Everyone loves summer. It’s the season completely devoted to leisure and good times with family and friends. How do you maintain sensational summer skin throughout the season?

We are all aware of the detrimental effects the sun can have on our skin. Heat and humidity can lead to breakouts and premature aging. Nevertheless, you can enjoy the sun and the benefits of this wonderful season. With some special care, you can have sensational summer skin. A good skin care routine and these 8 tips are all you need to enjoy the season with glowing, healthy skin.

1. Sunscreen and More Sunscreen

Did you know it only takes 15 minutes for the sun to damage your skin?

I know you’ve heard this before, but you really need to wear sunscreen 365 days a year. Even when you don’t think the sun is shining, it is. Those rays get through clouds and fog and inclement weather.

Sunscreen reduces visible signs of premature aging, lowers your risk of skin cancer, prevents sunburns, and minimizes blotchiness or hyperpigmentation. We all want beautiful skin. Incorporating sunscreen into your morning routine is key. If you barely remember to put sunscreen on your body, at least apply it to your face, neck and décolletage every day.

Whether you wear lotions, sticks or sprays; a broad-spectrum, mineral sunscreen is best. These products will block both UVA and UVB rays. UVA rays are most responsible for changing the skin deep below the surface. Your strongest defender of UVA rays is zinc oxide.

Before you plan on going for a swim, lather up with water-resistant sunscreen. Make sure you use at least 1 ounce of lotion to cover your body from head to toe. That’s approximately a shot glass worth of product. Reapply at least every two hours, and maybe even more frequently if you’re swimming or sweating excessively.

Also, don’t forget sunscreen expires. Be sure to check for an expiration date. If you can’t find one, toss it. If you keep it in your car or outside, beware, the active ingredients will degrade faster.

2. Set Sun Limits

The sun is not all bad. Giving your body access to the sun’s rays can lead to immediate mental and physical benefits. First of all, it is a natural mood enhancer. Sunlight triggers the release of Serotonin, a key hormone responsible for feeling happy and balancing your mood.

Furthermore, the sun is your best natural source of Vitamin D. Vitamin D is important for cell growth, calcium absorption, muscle, heart and bone health.

Are you a sun worshipper? Do you genuinely look forward to sun bathing? You can keep your skin safe and still enjoy the sun. All it requires are a few limitations:

• Wear protective clothing as often as possible. This includes long sleeves and pants, a wide brimmed hat to cover your ears and neck, as well as sunglasses to protect your eyes.

• Find or provide shade with umbrellas or canopies when going to the park, pool or beach. Also, don’t forget that water and sand reflect damaging rays of the sun.

• Avoid spending long periods of time in the sun during the peak hours 10am-4pm.

• Check your local UV index before planning outdoor activities.

3. Exercise For Your Skin

You rarely go to the gym thinking that exercise is good for your skin. Great for cardiovascular health, mental health and overall physical wellness, but skin? I’m here to tell you, it can do amazing things for your skin.

When you exercise, you sweat. Sweating actually detoxifies your pores. Working out stimulates blood flow to the skin and restores your glow. Furthermore, exercise tones muscles and improves the metabolism of your skin cells, making you look younger.

The sweating and increased blood flow reduces inflammation in the skin, and it also decreases breakouts. Believing that exercise actually causes breakouts or acne, is mostly a reaction to your hygiene routine. Exercising with a full face of makeup on can lead to clogged pores as that sweat tries to push through.

In addition to wanting a clean face before you start sweating, wash off the sweat and dirt when you finish. You will be glowing and radiant this summer if you take a few extra minutes to wipe up after exercising.

4. Hydrate For Sensational Summer Skin

Proper hydration levels help keep your skin plump and improve elasticity. Without water our skin can become dull, with wrinkles and pores becoming more prominent. Hydrating from the inside out means you are less likely to have skin irritations, dryness and blemishes.

Nobody has time for dull and droopy skin. If sunscreen and exercise sound like too much work, you can at least pour yourself a glass of water and drink up. Water also helps your digestive system flush out toxins from the body. This in turn improves your complexion and gives you that sensational summer skin we’re looking for.

Seriously, drinking water is easy. It should be your first beverage when you wake up and your last beverage before bed. In between drink the recommended 8-10 tall glasses of water throughout the day, especially in the summer. What’s not to love about something that gives you radiant skin and has zero calories?

For more tips on increasing your water intake read my post 25 Easy Healthy Habits To Feel Better Now.

5. Stop Stressing

No really, stop stressing! As if there weren’t enough reasons to de-stress and improve your emotional health, your skin will thank you too.

Chronic stress leads to increased cortisol production. This rise in cortisol can cause flare ups of conditions like psoriasis, eczema and rosacea. Not to mention those little under eye baggies. I certainly can tell when I haven’t slept well and I’m feeling stressed. My eyes are a dead giveaway.

Improving your bedtime routine with some journaling, diffusing essential oils, putting on soothing music and no screen time for thirty minutes before bed.

Incorporating yoga or meditation into your daily habits, as well as seeking the help of a professional to talk about the stressors in your life. Whether big or small, the stressful life events that we experience wreak havoc on every part of our bodies.

6. Don’t Skip The Scrub

Exfoliating has always been my favorite skincare step. Scrubbing or rinsing away dead skin cells and build-up from clogged pores feels freeing. It’s like starting over with a completely new canvas. Not to mention fresh skin absorbs all of the serums, oils and moisturizers you apply that much better.

There are two forms of exfoliating: physical/mechanical and chemical. Regardless of which exfoliator you choose, expect unclogged pores, less acne, fewer dark spots, smoother texture and increased cell turnover.

Your face is uber-important, but let’s not forget about your body. When you come in from the beach or the pool, make sure to rinse off chlorine and exfoliate. This removes chemical buildup and sunscreen, as well as decreasing the look of cellulite and keeping that sensational summer skin glowing.

Using face scrubs or exfoliators can be up for debate. Like anything, you don’t want to overdue it. You shouldn’t be scrubbing your face raw on the daily hoping that a brand new face free of wrinkles or dark spots will emerge.

Dermatologists recommend 1-2x weekly if you have dry or sensitive skin, and 3-4x weekly if you have oily or combination skin. I have combination skin and have included my all time favorite exfoliators below:

• MONAT Berry Refined Scrub
• Image Ageless Total Resurfacing Masque
• AnnMarie Kaolin Micro Exfoliant

7. Feed Your Skin From Within

When summer approaches, one of my favorite things is the change in seasonal produce. Fruits and vegetables that are light and refreshing. They can boost your energy, hydrate your skin and cool you down when the temperature rises.

Foods rich in beta carotene or lycopene can help protect your cells from damaging UV rays. Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant. You can find it in tomatoes, nectarines, papaya, guavas, grapefruit, watermelon, sweet red peppers, mangos and persimmons.

Your other powerhouse vitamins are E and C. Vitamin C has cancer-fighting properties and plays a huge role in collagen production. Stock up on summer citrus fruits, strawberries, broccoli and spinach to keep your Vitamin C levels at the recommended 1000mg per day.

Your Super superfood mix Forever Beautiful is packed with acai, acerola and blueberries for a tasty source of Vitamin C. Mixing it with yogurt and berries in the morning, or adding it to your smoothie are two of my favorite ways to get superfoods into my body to feed my skin from within.

Vitamin E is another antioxidant and it’s main function is to protect against sun damage. Vitamin E absorbs harmful UV light. This ability to minimize the damage caused by UV rays prevents dark spots and wrinkles. It also helps in the treatment of inflammation. Ingesting foods such as avocados, raw sweet red peppers, kiwifruit and almonds is preferable over applying skincare products with Vitamin E.

8. Lighten Up For Summer

I’m not talking about your hair color or the numbers on your scale. If you want great summer skin, you need to swap out your thick face creams and moisturizers, for lightweight lotions. Hot, humid weather and rich moisturizers don’t exactly work well together.

The Be Purified Oil-Free Moisturizer keeps your skin hydrated all day long, while minimizing shine and absorbing excess sebum. A cooling and soothing gel moisturizer like Boscia Cactus Water Moisturizer hydrates with succulent fueled goodness.

Oily skin is one of the most common skin concerns. It can lead to a shiny complexion and frequent acne breakouts. There is some belief that if you have oily skin, you shouldn’t moisturize. This could not be further from the truth.

Everyone needs to moisturize their skin, you just need to be mindful of the types of products you use. True Botanicals created the Clear Pure Radiance Oil specifically with oily and acne prone skin types in mind. It is a clarifying moisturizing oil that helps you look and feel clear, smooth, balanced, and hydrated.

Take the time to really enjoy your summer. Utilize these helpful tips to keep your complexion glowing and sport that sensational summer skin.

For more stories about health and beauty check out:

• Adaptogens Are Guaranteed To Improve Your Quality of Life
• Shatter All Of The Rules And Live A Sensational Life Without Dieting

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