Ah, it feels so good to get outside in the warm summer months, doesn’t it? And as long as you’re using sunscreen, you have no worries, as far as your skin goes.
Not.
Actually, there are other things that can cause your skin to go downhill just when you’re trying to show it off. That’s why we’ve created the following list-to help you keep your skin in tip-top shape all summer long!
1. Rosacea flare-ups.
If you have rosacea (a skin disease that causes redness, swelling, bumps, pimples, and uneven skin thickening) you know that the sun and warm temperatures can cause flare-ups. Just a few minutes outside and you can see new patches of redness and rashes. So much for your healthy looking skin.
Besides avoiding the sun and religiously using sunscreen, here are a few more tips to help you avoid this warm-weather danger:
- Eat more foods rich in probiotics, or consider a probiotics supplement. Some studies have found that these friendly bacteria can help reduce inflammation, and may help you resist flare-ups.
- Take a regular fish oil supplement, which also helps tame inflammation and feeds skin healthy fats.
- Keep your face cool when exercising. Exercising can actually trigger rosacea flare-ups, so spritzing regularly can help reduce flushing. We recommend our Rescue + Relief Spray as it’s alcohol free and super hydrating.
2. Sports redness and chaffing.
The more we get out and exercise, the better we feel-except for that nasty chaffing. Here are a few tips to help you avoid this uncomfortable situation:
- Choose your clothing carefully. Ditch the cotton and look for fabrics that wick away moisture. Look for items without seams or tags. Make sure they fit well, and don’t forget to protect your legs (if you’re biking, for instance) with compression shorts.
- Protect. Chaffed nipples are the worst, for both girls and guys. Cover them up with NipGuards, Bandaids, or other similar products.
- Use a lubricating balm or ointment. You know what areas of your body are most vulnerable to chaffing. Apply lubricant balm/ointment to those areas to be sure they’re not dry before you even start. We recommend our Restorative Skin Balm, because it’s formulated to help soothe and heal, while moisturizing to help skin recover faster. We also recommend you follow up with our Body Repair Lotion, as it will help seal in the benefits of the balm and keep skin moisturized throughout the day. Remember that well moisturized skin is less prone to chaffing.
- Once it happens, clean carefully, dry, and use a cooling spray like our Rescue + Relief Spray for relief.
3. Acne breakouts.
Because of the warm weather and increased sweat, some of us notice an increase in acne breakouts in the summer. Try the following:
- Keep your hands away from your face. Acne comes from bacteria, and bacteria come from your hands. Be particularly careful when you’re working out.
- Wear less makeup. If you’re outside sweating and you’ve got makeup on, it could be sinking into your pores where it will cause trouble. Try switching to a tinted moisturizer during the warm months, particularly when you’re going to be active.
- Alter your cleansers. Choose a sulfate-free cleanser in the morning, and an enzyme-based creamy cleanser at night. Alternating back and forth can help keep impurities from becoming trapped under the surface of skin.
- Use gentle acids. Fruit acids, like malic and glycolic, and salicylic acid, all help keep dead skin cells from sticking to the outer layer of skin. Use products with these acids more often in the summer for gentle exfoliating.
4. Chapped, flaky lips.
The lips, perhaps more than any other area of skin on the body, suffer in the summer. They get dry, chapped, flaky, and sometimes end up bleeding. Ugh. Definitely not the look we want.
- Exfoliate your lips. We’ve got to get that dry, flaky skin off before anything else will do any good. Try gentle exfoliating products with sugar and natural oils, or make your own with some brown sugar, honey, lemon, and coconut oil.
- Moisturize wisely. Most chapsticks contain petrolatum ingredients that only make your lips dryer over the long-term. Choose products that truly moisturize-which means they have real butters and oils to do that! We like our Restorative Skin Balm because it’s so thick and soothing.
- Mask your lips. Really! Every week, give your lips an extra dose of moisture with a lip mask. Make your own with ingredients like honey, yogurt, coconut oil, almond oil, and a touch of vitamin E.
5. Age spots and dark areas.
They say hyperpigmentation has become the new wrinkle-we all hate it! It ruins the look of skin by making it uneven, blotchy, and dull. The last thing we want to do is develop more of it this summer, but sun exposure can do just that. Take these precautions:
- Protect! You already know this, but it’s the best way to avoid age spots and dark patches this summer. Protect your skin with hats, umbrellas, shade, and sunscreen.
- Step up your exfoliation. Exfoliation helps fade the hyperpigmentation you do have, and can also help hide the appearance of new dark areas.
- Stay cool. Even if you’re out of direct sunlight, the sun’s heat can also stimulate melanin activity. Try to stay cool, and when you’re outdoors and baking, drink ice water, and regularly spritz your face with either a hydrating spray (like our Rescue + Relief Spray, best if kept in the refrigerator or cooler). Try to avoid regular water as it will dry out your skin.
- Use vitamin C. It helps lighten skin, and may also help prevent future darkening. Look for an anti-aging vitamin C product that you can use regularly.
Do you have other skin problems you worry about in the summer? How do you deal with them?
