This year the UK is experiencing a sizzling summer, and although we throughly appreciate the heat and glorious sunshine, the hotter weather brings with it some unwelcome side effects for your skin, including sunburn (and premature skin ageing!) prickly heat, and increased sebum (natural skin oils) production, which in turn can lead to inflammation, acne and more if left untreated.
So why not grab yourself an ice lolly or pour an iced spritzer, and we'll give you some tips on keeping your skin calm and healthy in the heat - whether at home or abroad!
Think from the inside, out!
Your skincare regime shouldn't be all about topical (i.e. external) applications; you need to think about what you are putting in your body too, which will reflect in your skin.
- Increase your fluid intake - your body loses fluids due to increasing temperatures, and you will need to consider factors such as exercise too. We like to take a big glass of cold water first thing in the morning before breakfast, and then refill a 2 litre water bottle throughout the day,
- Avoid excess salt in food, as this naturally draws water from the body, leading to dehydraton
- Consider upping your intake of 'water based' fruits and vegetables, such as as cucumbers and watermelon, which are also packed full of vitamins and minerals
Exfoliate - and always moisturise!
This applies to your face and body. Your skin sheds dead cells every single day, and failing to exfoliate leads to a build up and thus dull looking, dry skin. For the face, consider using a face cloth along with your cleanser, and for your body treat yourself to some exfoliating gloves - or make your own scrub, see below - which can be used in conjunction with a shower gel or wash. Follow up with your favourite moisturiser - and we love to keep our Orange and Aloe toner in our bags for a refreshing facial spritz throughout the day!
Homemade body scrub (enough for 3 treatments)
- 1/2 cup fine grain sea salt
- 1/2 ground coffee beans
- 1/4 oil of your choice
- 20 drops essential oil - we love eucalyptus
NEVER skip sunscreen
It can literally take a matter of minutes for your skin to burn, so it is always better to be safe than sorry. Throw away last year's bottles - they aren't meant to last forever, and often have a short shelf life. Buy products - they don't need to be expensive - which have 5 star UVA and UVA protection, and ideally use SPF 30 and above (remember: a tan is damaged skin...!). In terms of how much to use: a teaspoon for your face, and a shot glass for your body, and reapply every 2 hours (or more often if you have been in water). Remember your scalp and ears too!
Go easy on the eyes (and lips)
The skin around your eyes is incredibly delicate, and can be easily aggravated by squinting in the sunshine, or swimming in sea water or chlorine. Wear sunglasses as much as possible, and keep using an eye cream twice a day. Your lips are also made up of thin skin too, so use lip balm on a regular basis, and try and avoid drying, long-lasting lipsticks.