Summertime is great because you get to spend more time outside, sunbathe, go to the beach, and generally have a lot of fun. However, all that sun and heat can get in the way of your beauty regimen.
After all, you’re more likely to sweat and smudge your makeup, your hair is likely to become frizzled, and your skin likely to become red from too much exposure to the sun.
In the summer, your hair, skin, and every part of your body needs extra loving attention. Even though the hot humid weather often seems to frustrate your efforts to be glam and pretty, there are ways to mitigate this situation and get you looking beautiful.
Get Your Skin Glowing
The skin is the body’s largest organ and should be protected from the harsh glare of the summer sun. It doesn’t matter if you have dry or oily skin, you still need to ensure that your skin isn’t overexposed.
The good news is with some effort, proper care, and some attention, you can have your skin glowing and looking radiant instead of damp, wrinkled, and riddled with breakouts.
Start by moisturizing your skin using light SPF-15 moisturizers. These very light lotions are highly absorbent and leave no traces of oil on your skin. Also, if you’ll be spending a lot of time outside, remember that dehydration is the enemy.
Studies show a link between abundant water consumption and great skin tone. You not only need a lot of water to stay cool and replenish lost fluids, but you also need it to keep your skin supple and beautiful.
People who drink a lot of water tend to have overall better skin than those who don’t drink as much. Also, be careful about exfoliating aggressively. You have all winter to do that. If you must exfoliate, do so gently at night and 1-2 times a month.
This will protect the more sensitive skin layer underneath the top skin layer from the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Similarly, only use gentle exfoliators containing salicylic acid or natural oils and avoid those with alpha-hydroxy acid.
The latter tends to make your skin more sensitive to sunlight leading to sunburns. Also, apply vitamin C serum to your skin at night, or mix it with your SPF-15 moisturizers to double your protection during the day.
Pay a Lot of Attention to Your Face
You’ll be outside a lot in the summer, so you need to be prepared. Most women naturally avoid using too much makeup during the summer because it’s often hot and the makeup can smear.
Unfortunately, skipping makeup can expose those blackheads, pimples, rashes, and other blemishes on your face. Thankfully, there’s an acceptable middle ground that works. You can mask those imperfections using very light makeup –this means avoiding foundation for now– or light concealers.
You can also use toners which are effective at keeping your face cool and giving you a lovely glow. If you must, apply some primer. This will keep your makeup on for as long as you need –this is how you get through a hot and humid day looking perfect ;). Also, remember to gently exfoliate your skin.
Use facial scrubs, cleansers, face wash, and face oils. These are gentler on the skin and effective at eliminating those flaws on your face. Pay attention to your lips –it’s easy to neglect the lips when you have so much going on.
Depending on where you’re located, the summer sun can lead to dry, chapped, or cracked lips. Lip scrubs will help get rid of dead skin cells. Then, use moisturizing lip balms to keep your lips plump, moisturized, and attractive.
Protect Your Arms, Neck, and Feet
It’s easy to forget these body parts during the summer. Yet, they’re usually the most exposed parts of the body. So, make sure to always apply an SPF-15 sunscreen ointment or lotion to your arms, back of the neck, shoulder, and feet.
Speaking of feet, make sure to stay on top of those dry, cracked heels –if you have any. You’ll likely be wearing sandals and flip-flops a lot in the summer, so people will see your feet. You don’t want people seeing those cracked heels.
So use a pumice stone to scrub off the dead skin cells in the bathroom, and apply a foot cream afterward. This will tackle those rough heels, keep them soft and make your feet look great.
Nurture and Nourish Your Hair
Summer’s humidity can do a number of both straight and curly hair. The heat can also cause hair breakage, dry scalp and make your hair feel a bit brittle. To prevent your hair from being a “victim” of the summer heat, consider using a volumizing shampoo.
Volumizing shampoos can help fix limp and flat hair by effectively cleansing your hair, and giving it more body and bounce. These shampoos can also help nourish your scalp so that the hair grows properly.
For even better results, add some coordinating conditioners to your volumizing shampoo. This will further give the hair more body and produce even better nourishment. If you have thin hair, then this is a must-do. Remember: Your hair is your crown. And you need to make sure that the hair is on point throughout the summer.
Another issue that you might have to deal with leaving your hair down in all that heat. Most women struggle with this, which is why you can choose to style for comfort.
The good news is you don’t have to sacrifice comfort for style. You can have both –classic case of eating your cake and having it ;). For example, you can simply wear the hair in a ponytail or pack it atop your head in a neat bun.
Spend More Time in Shaded Areas
It’s great that you want to get some tan, but don’t spend all day in the sun. That’s a guaranteed way to get sunburns, destroy your skin, and develop those unsightly orange splotches on your skin.
According to the National Cancer Institute, there are over 33,000 emergency room visits brought on by sunburns every year. Plus, prolonged exposure to sun rays can lead to several skin cancers.
Thankfully, you can still get your tan on by staying out in the sun from 9 am to 12 noon, and 4 pm to 6 pm. Avoid the high heat between 12 pm and 3.30 pm. This is because prolonged exposure not only increases your risk of sunburns, but also, heat exhaustion.
If you’re going for some tanning goal and want to get that highly coveted olive tan, tanning beds can work for you. So after getting your tan in the morning, you can go spend an hour in a tanning bed in the afternoon, and then go back out for some sun tan in the evenings.
Get Rid of Excess Hair
If you haven’t shaved your armpits or “lady parts” in a while, this is when you get to take care of those areas. Get a Brazilian or bikini wax. If you can’t stand the pain, just shave “down there” ;), your armpits, and legs. Just let your pores breathe.
Hair traps heat, bacteria, and fungi. These microorganisms tend to thrive in warm, moist environments –this is why certain parts can smell funky after a long day in the heat. Also, remember to apply some vitamin C serum to prevent hyperpigmentation.
Final Thoughts
The summer is here. Make the most of it this year and have a blast. Oh, and remember to wear comfortable clothing too. Most people don’t think of clothing as part of their beauty regimen, but it is.
The summer isn’t the best time to wear heavy or dark-colored clothes. This is the time of the year where you “dress down”, particularly if you’ll be out in the sun for prolonged periods. Wear bright-colored, breathable, and comfortable materials like cotton, chiffon, linen, and silk. Don’t forget to wear wide-brimmed hats and sunshades too.
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