As another warm season approaches, we try to start as early as we can with preparing our skin. And even though it’s completely true that you should take good care of your skin all year round, summer is known for taking a toll on our skin. The extreme heats usually make us wear less clothing, and that alone leaves our skin more exposed to the sun. But not every trip has to end in sunburns and weakened hair. If you take the necessary precautions, you will find yourself leaving the beach just as healthy as when you walked in. So let’s see what the most important parts of summer skincare are:
Gradually build up your tan
Have you ever noticed how most people tend to get sunburns at the beginning of summer? This is simply because their skin is not used to the exposure of the sun. Depending on where you live, spring might gently roll you into summer, but it might also just surprise you one day with extreme heat, when yesterday you were outside with a winter jacket on. The latter are more dangerous, because our skin needs time to adapt to the incoming sun. If you gradually build up your tan, you are far less likely to burn and damage your skin. So if you are planning on going on a long tropical holiday, try sunbathing in your back yard for ten minutes every day for a few weeks leading up to it, to get your skin working. It’s also not a bad idea to stay a bit more covered during the first few days of intense sun. Having a sheer swimsuit cover-up or a long sleeve flowy dress will keep you cool enough while still protecting your skin from the direct sun. As much as you might want a tan as soon as the sun arrives, it is definitely not worth getting burnt and damaging your skin.
Stay hydrated
The number one danger that comes with the warmer weather is dehydration. When the weather gets warmer, we tend to sweat a lot more than usual, and we are losing a lot of water as we go. If we don’t drink enough water to make up for it, our skin will dry out and easily crack in the sun. Staying hydrated, of course, is not only good for the skin – all of your internal organs will thank you, your hair will be shiny and you will feel a lot more energized. Try to always carry a bottle of water with you and refill it at every stop. And if you don’t like drinking water because you think it tastes boring, then you can infuse it with fruit by just placing a couple of pieces in your water bottle. You can also try eating more salty food, because salt in your body helps you retain water. But beware – too much salt is never healthy, so find a good balance.
Use proper skincare
This one might be considered obvious, but you would be surprised by how important this is. When we hear the word “summer skincare”, most of us will think of sunscreen; and while using sunscreen is important, it is not the only thing you should be taking care of. Keeping your skin hydrated comes primarily from within, but during the summer heat, your skin might need some extra love and hydration.
You might be feeling a bit more oily and sweaty than usual because of the heat, so make sure you never skip your daily skincare routine with special products from Skin Matrix. When choosing a sunscreen, make sure you get one with a high SPF and reapply it regularly.
After all, even if you combine all of the things that you should be doing to protect your skin, it adds up to a mere couple of minutes every day – which is not at all a high price to pay for healthy skin. Our skin is the largest organ we have and protects us every day, so it is only right to return the favor. Make sure you are not obsessing over it, though, because the main goal is to have fun in the sun.
Diana Smith is a guest writer.
