Summer weather means a summer beauty routine, ASAP! Hot weather, harsh winds, humid nights – they can wreak havoc on skin and hair. It can be hard to stay hydrated, not just by drinking water, but also by hydrating every other part of us that makes us beautiful. Here are some useful tips to keep you fresh and glowing all summer long.
Hair is the sun’s number one victim. Protect your hair by cutting out unnecessary intense treatments like blow-drying or using hot tools. Heat styling will only double the damage your hair experiences in the merciless sun. On top of that, maximizing moisture for your hair is a big priority to keep it from drying out. Hair masks, leave-in conditioner, and even color-protecting shampoo can help lock in moisture. Whether or not you have color-treated hair, color-protecting shampoo has the active ingredients to preserve your hair in the gentlest possible way. Add tea tree oil will help reduce the build-up of dead cells.
Nails that dip in and out of water can sustain a lot of damage. When nails are exposed to water and chemicals like chlorine, your beds and cuticles can weaken and dry out. There are ways to prevent this. Try adding an extra layer of topcoat before you head into the pool, and then applying cuticle oil to your nails every night. This before-and-after routine will strengthen your nails while keeping your cuticles moisturized and preventing hangnails. Using a topcoat that features UV protection is especially useful in the summer. It can prevent drying and your polish from yellowing in the sun.
Water-based moisturizers come in the form of lightweight creams that don’t stick to the skin as oil does. This makes it top-notch to add to your summer beauty routine because it won’t fill your pores and cause breakouts in the scalding heat. Your skin gets thirsty in the sun, even if it tends to be oily. Water-based formulas are completely free of oils which makes it comfortable and nourishing for oily skin. They have all the long-lasting benefits of a regular moisturizer but zero greasy residues. Because they are so lightweight, they are quickly absorbed by the skin. That means your skin is soaking up minerals and producing a radiant glow in half the time.
Exfoliating your face is great. Exfoliating your lips, too? Even better. It is no secret lips tend to get dry and chapped in the summer. To keep them looking healthy, plump and luscious, add a lip exfoliant to your summer beauty routine. These can be made in a pinch if they aren’t available at your local store. Take a tablespoon of honey and mix it with a tablespoon of brown sugar. This works as a gentle sugar scrub that will naturally scrape away dead skin without causing irritation or cracks. If all else fails, try using a toothbrush as a scrub. Trust me – it works!
This is something to incorporate into your summer beauty routine if you’re considering switching up your tanning routine. Tanning beds and lying in the sun comes at a cost. Not only do these methods of tanning risk causing skin cancer, but they also increase your chance of developing wrinkles and age spots. On the other hand, self-tanning products can produce a natural-looking tan that also helps to conceal skin imperfections (as opposed to causing them). Just like makeup and black clothes, self-tanner is excellent at hiding trouble spots. What’s the harm in looking sexy AF? Nada, according to self-tanners.
The fragile skin around your eyes is susceptible to fine lines and damage from the heat and seasonal elements. This is especially true if you have allergies during this time of year. Allergic reactions to pollutants or dust in the air can cause swelling and puffiness. A restorative eye cream packed with antioxidants that can be absorbed quickly is a relief to dry, puffy, or discolored eyes.
You might be surprised to know that giving your sore feet a rewarding bath at the end of a busy day won’t help keep them moisturized. Feet that are already dry tend to become even more dehydrated when soaked. Instead of a steamy pedicure bath, try a peppermint foot scrub. Exfoliating your feet will reduce dry or dead skin cells and prevent flaking. To take this a step further, use a pumice stone in the shower to scrub down rough callouses. This is especially helpful for your heels because they have thick skin which doesn’t lock in moisture as easily as softer parts of the feet.
We all know that SPF is good for your skin in the summer – if not necessary – but did you know it is good for your hair and scalp, too? Not only do the sun’s harsh rays make the hair appear brittle and frayed, but it can also cause melanoma just like it does to skin. That’s right. Just like every other inch of your skin, your hair and scalp are just as vulnerable to cancer. To prevent the worst from happening, use an SPF spray mist for your hair and scalp. One that features zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are critical for providing intense protection.
If you are already a year-round retinol user, good job. If you aren’t, here’s some food for thought. Retinol can help treat dark spots, fine lines, and even surface damage caused by the sun. You only need a pea-sized amount, and it can be applied at night for maximum retinol power. Can’t apply it every night? You can apply retinol just two nights a week and it will still provide all the anti-aging effects it would otherwise. Yes, your skin may experience sensitivity in the sun, which is why it is always especially important to wear SPF (which we should be doing anyway, right?)
You might have noticed this dark horse making its way to the top of skincare lists all over the web. Overnight peels are like night creams in that they are applied at night when your skin is rested, but they differ in their method of treatment. By gently exfoliating dead skin cells by loosening them from the surface, overnight peels repair and replenish your skin. It is basically all the effort you would put into a sugar scrub and more in a lightweight application of acid (alpha-hydroxy acids, or AHAs, most notably). Be sure to research what type of acid is best for your skin before trying it out to prevent a reaction.
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