Cora Every year, summers take a toll on the skin. The scorching heat, pollution, humidity, et al, wipe it off the natural glow, and sometimes, invites infections. To avoid all these hassles, and to keep your skin radiating like before, here are the eight easy-peasy tips you can follow this season.
- Exfoliate your body
The ground rule of basic skin care is to exfoliate your skin. Your body sheds skin cells at an amazing rate every minute of every day. If you don’t get rid of them, they’ll just set in on your skin making you look dull and dry. No matter how much lotion you use, you’re never going to have glowing skin if you don’t exfoliate. Grab a body scrub and hit the shower. Gently rub your exfoliator in circular movements on your entire body from the shoulders down (you’ll want a facial exfoliator for your face and neck) and rinse clean. Continue to do this 2-3 times a week for the year-round beautiful skin.
- Sunscreen is a must
Throw away last year’s unused sunscreen for a new bottle. Sunscreens aren’t meant to last forever and seeing most people don’t use as much as they should. Buy a new sunscreen that has UVA and UVB products and comes in SPF 30 and SPF 70. You should be using a shot glass full for your body and a full teaspoon just on your face. Reapply it every 1-2 hours that you are in the sun to ensure a summer full of safe sun fun.
- Go for minimal makeup
During summers less makeup is best. Under the intolerant sun, natural looks are best. If you intend to use foundation then also apply face powder with SPF to avoid the patchy skin. To protect your lips always use a gloss or a lip balm with an SPF of 15 to make your lips fresher. Eye make is something which should be very much avoided in summers.
- Make water your best friend
At least 8 glasses of water are needed. If possible, carry a water bottle with you and remember to drink at least once every 30 min. Water not only helps you feel fresh, but it also prevents dehydration and will help wash out a lot of toxins.
- Hydrate your body with a lotion
Find a summary lotion that you won’t forget to put on. It’s time to pack away your thick winter body butter for more light summery lotions. You don’t have time to wait for your lotion to sink in, so look for something light fast absorbing. Gels and purees are perfect fast absorbers. Nothing spells summer more than a light refreshing fruity lotion. Make sure you apply right after you dry off from your shower. You need to seal in the moisture your body just soaked in.
- Summer Glow
You have so many choices when it comes to adding a little summer tint to your skin, and the tanning bed shouldn’t be one of them. Using a sunless tanner will give your skin a beautiful start to summer. Even if you’re not a fan of sunless tanners all over your body, you can happily use them on your face. If you alternate your facial moisturizer with one that builds a bit of colour, you’ll have a healthy glow that will make it look as though you just spent the weekend on the beach. Most facial tanners build colour gradually, by alternating with your regular moisturiser; you’ll never get too dark.
- Don’t forget your feet
Winter boots have long since been packed away; it’s sandal season ladies. Either go or get a pedicure (try a beauty school if cost is a factor) or give yourself an at-home pedicure. You scrub off the dead dry skin to reveal your sandal ready feet. Nothing is worse than seeing dull dry feet inside cute sandals. It doesn’t have to be a big ordeal. Keep a foot scrub and file in your shower and scrub your feet a few times a week. You’ll notice a big difference in the softness of your feet.
- Look for a summary polish
Buy a bold new polish for your toes. Toe nails can be painted a much bolder colour than you would usually put on your fingernails. Pick out something that screams summer. Polish tends to stay on your toes much longer than your hands because you don’t abuse your toe nails like you do your finger nails. Apply a clear base coat, two applications of colour and a clear top coat to protect. Go barefoot or put on your flip-flops for at least a couple hours to make sure your polish won’t dent.