Summer Lovin' - Tips for Helping Your Skin and Body Through the Warm W

The air is turning… there is a warmth in it… the days are getting longer... you know it's coming...

Summer!

This means lots of outdoor time, sweat on your skin, pool and ocean water through your hair and plenty of Vitamin D. It’s an adjustment after the cool, dry air of winter and it is important to re-work your skin and body care to support the environmental changes.

We've outlined below a few ways to look after your entire body during this seasonal shift.

FACE

Summer tends to be more humid than winter, so your skin will likely need to be moisturised differently. You might find that your skin is calling out for something more lightweight than your winter moisturiser; something with more water than oil in it. Our Vitamin A+B+C Daily Face Cream has an aloe base that is perfect for skin that needs to breathe and sweat through the heat.

HOT TIP: Whenever possible, try to leave your skin bare in the summer– just moisturiser and sunscreen. And try to remember an extra squirt of moisturiser after a swim.

HAIR

Your hair, on the other hand, will likely need more moisture. The ocean might give your hair that amazing crunchy texture, but it also dries it out. The water content of your hair is what makes it stretchy and elastic, so when you swim in salt water, the osmotic process means that water leaches out of your hair, leaving it dry and quite brittle over time.

It is important to rinse after every swim and, in addition to your regular wash and condition, keep a little watered-down conditioner in a spray bottle for a post-swim soothe. Look for conditioners that contain ingredients like Quinoa Protein, which is full of amino acids that allow for greater penetration of other ingredients into your hair shaft. This will help to keep your hair flexible, rather than rigid and breakable.

HOT TIP: For a nourishing post-beach hair mask, try warming up some honey, coconut oil and buttermilk and rub it through the ends of your hair for a few minutes before you shampoo and condition as usual.

BODY

Now that winter is gone, so is the temptation to bolt straight from the shower into warm clothes; warmer weather means you can take a little more time to pamper your skin. Your body is no different than your face when it comes to shedding old cells to reveal new, fresh ones underneath. This turnover process is nudged along with the help of a moisturising body scrub. This works in a few different ways. As you massage your body with the granules, you slough off the dead skin, boost circulation and help to drain out your lymph nodes.

HOT TIP: An oil based scrub will leave your skin softly moisturised and protected after the shower. The other bonus is of course the tingling, fresh sensation that is the perfect start to any day.

ODOUR

Since we sweat more in the summer heat, there is a tendency to think that an anti-perspirant is the answer.

It isn’t!

The last thing your body wants is a heavy, chemical concoction that it needs to sweat through and filter out. Natural deodorants don’t stop any of the natural processes of the body, but they do much more than just mask the aroma of sweat.

HOT TIP: Look for natural extracts like green tea, rosemary leaf and horse tail, which have anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory qualities, meaning it kills any germs or fungus, allows your body to eliminate sweat naturally and still smell great.

INSIDE

Finally – the best part of summer is the food. Make yourself some delicious fruit salads full of berries, nuts and seeds to feed your skin from the inside out. Our favourite summer food is the pomegranate – which is full to the brim with Vitamin C, anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatories.

HOT TIP: Want a delicious way to get pomegranate into your body? How about pomegranate sangria?

Say no more, we’re off to the pool!

Feature image: Enjin Akyurt