sandy toes - scrubzbody
AH… SUMMER!

Summer is a relaxed and easy time of year that has everyone in a better frame of mind. I know the warm weather and sunlight do that to me! It is the attitude and easiness in the air that really brings the feeling home. The movies are sillier and the ice cream is colder and the mornings are filled with anticipation. We wiggle our toes in cold water or warm sand. The clothing is easy and breezy and we pin our hair up in a loose buns. We spend hours in the sunshine, biking, blading, hiking or just walking the dog. Oh, how I love this season!

But what about our skin? Does our skin change so much in Summer that we need to change our habits and our routine, too? Well for the most part no, because I believe in year round simple care, but there are a few exceptions that I do myself and suggest to you.

SUNSCREEN ALL THE TIME. SUMMER THE MOST!

I recommend sunscreen with a minimum of SPF15 year round on your face and hands and any other part that is exposed on a regular basis. It is easy to find in mineral makeup and tinted foundations, but sunscreen can be easily applied under any makeup or over any moisturizer. In the Summer, it should be reapplied more often. If you spend lots of time outdoors like I do, this is important. In summertime, up the SPF to a minimum of 30 as well.

SWEATING IS GOOD FOR YOUR BODY, BUT BAD FOR YOUR SKIN.

Sweating is natures way of cooling you off. Totally necessary in life, but can cause a mess on your skin. I recommend having clean tissues around all the time. You can blot the excess sweat and not mix whatever bacteria or dirt you have on your hands into the sweat on your face. Sweating will also minimize sunscreen’s effectiveness, so reapply with SPF30 after exercise and excess perspiring.

DRINK UP!

I stress all the time how important drinking water is. The recommended amount is half your weight in water daily, or 70 oz. of H2O if you weigh 140 lbs. a day! But in the Summer, you need at least another 8-12 oz. more than you regularly drink if you spend time outdoors or maintain a warmer body temperature. Water hydrates your insides and keeps your body temperature cooler. It also allows your skin to feel supple and moist, instead of leathery and dry from too much sun.

EXFOLIATE 2-3 TIME A WEEK.

Obviously we are all about great exfoliation and why it helps skin so. Normally I recommend 1-2x a week, however in the Summer, especially when spending extra time in the sun, skin tends to be more dry and flake more often. If you polish off the dead skin on a more regular basis, it will ensure a supple and soft surface. If you use a scrub, like our Summer Daze that contains natural botanical oils, it will moisturize your skin immediately after washing, and lock in hydration, too.

MOISTURIZE SKIN WHEN DAMP

This is a great every tip for skin in every season, but Summer (and Winter) skin needs it more. Moisturizers are meant to lock in moisture, so when lotion is applied to damp skin, it really goes to town helping skin stay nourished and hydrated.

So, if you are like me, you think Summer is especially awesome and one of the greatest time of the year. We both just need a little extra effort to stay dewy and soft!

What are your Summertime tips?