A How To: For Summer Skin Care

Summer is around the corner, but for a lot of us, it’s already here. I myself have already made it to the beach two times in the past week! I love summer: I love how colorful everything is, I love the crickets and fireflies at night, I love that there’s always an excuse for ice cream. Summer is wonderful in so many ways, but for our skin, if we’re not careful, it could be quite harmful.

Melting ice cream on a table near pool

UV Levels:

As you know, UV levels from the sun are highest in summer, and those ultraviolet rays can permanently damage our skin. One in five Americans are affected by some sort of skin cancer every year, and prolonged exposure to the sun may also cause cataracts in the eyes. Too much sun also aids the skin aging process a little faster, leading to earlier wrinkles, dry skin and age spots.
There are ways to protect yourself from the sun’s harmful rays. We’ve come up with a list of ways to avoid the consequences of too much sun exposure!

Sunscreen:

Wear your sunscreen! That one’s a no-brainer but even on cloudy days, the sun’s UV rays still make their way through to your skin. For your face, it’s best to buy sunscreen specifically made for facial and other sensitive areas. Our favorites are: Murad’s City Skin Age Defense Broad Spectrum, Kiehl’s Super Fluid UV Mineral Defense, bareMinerals Broad Spectrum, and Promise Organic’s Coconut Sunscreen Stick. For your face, aim for a cream between SPF 30 and 50. If you’re at the beach or by the pool or even if you’re outside for a long period of time, reapplying your sunscreen is always a good idea!

Grab a Hat ( A cute one):

You know you’re going to be out in the sun all day and an easy thing to grab before you head out the door is a hat! Keeping your face in direct contact with the sun is the quickest way to early wrinkles, dry-skin and sunspots. If you haven’t got a sunhat, why not treat yourself to one! Here are a few we’ve found that we absolutely love (and will match perfectly with a cute summer outfit)

Madewell

Reformation

Keep Lips Moisturized:

Chapped lips? Tends to happen a lot in extreme temperatures. Chapped, cracked or peeling lips in the summertime could be signs of actinic keratosis, a condition that could mean early signs of skin cancer. Doctors recommend using a lip balm with at least 15 SPF, and reapplying every hour or two. If you’re out for the day or early evening, you can also find lipsticks, (brands like Urban Decay, Nars and Glossier) with SPF incorporated into their solution.

Oversized Sunglasses:

It’s easy to buy fun and quirky sunglasses at those little stores along the boardwalk, but in the summertime, make sure you’re buying sunglasses that won’t do more harm than good. When it comes to sunglasses at the beach, the bigger the better! When more or your eyes and face is covered, it’s harder for UV rays to reach those areas. When buying your next pair of shades, make sure to pick out sunglasses with UV 400 protection.

Find the shade

It’s so easy to be outside all day during the summer; whether you’re at the pool or the beach, grilling with friends or lazing the afternoon away with a book in your backyard, but after an hour or two, find some shade! Give your skin a rest from the sunlight throughout the day, even if it’s sitting under the umbrella for a few minutes!

Moisturize All Over

And last but not least, moisturize! Keeping your skin moisturized throughout the summer is key to fending off dryness. The heat makes it easy for skin to dry out, become cracked and sore. Moisturize whenever you need to, it’s a good idea keep a small tube of cream with you in your car or your bag so you’re never without it!

We hope you all have the most wonderful summer with many relaxing afternoons reading, swimming or just resting! If you have any questions about this article or any other article, or just want to reach out and say help, you’re always welcome to do so!