10 Skin Care Tips for Glowing Skin in Summer

Summer is about baring skin and showing off the beautiful (fake) summer tan you have. But in order to look good baring that skin, you need to take some time to ready your skin and reverse the signs of neglect you showed your skin during fall, winter and spring.

1. Exfoliate!

   It's so very important 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 sitting 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 year-round beautiful skin.

   Product pick: for face - Kiehl's Epidermal Re-Texturizing Micro-Dermabrasion (twice a week), Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant on other days; for body – The Body Shop Mango Body Scrab

   DIY: the best and cheapest body scrab which also fights that nasty cellulite and adds some nice tint is used ground coffee. You can add essential oils to the mix to nourish your skin. For sensitive skin try mixing coffee with shower gel. You may also try using a scrub made of equal amounts of honey and corn flour or sugar.

   
   

2. Stay Hydrated!

   A daily moisturizer for both your face and body is necessary to not only add hydration to the skin, but to help the skin maintain hydration throughout the day.  A good moisturizer is formulated with water rich hydration, skin protecting anti-oxidants, natural moisturizing factors that act as humectants to absorb water from the air and effective film-formers that lock in the skin’s natural moisture, preventing moisture loss.

   
   

   Find a summery lotion that you won't forget to put on. It's time to pack away your thick winter body butters 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. I personally love to break out the berry or citrus scented lotion for summer. 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.

   Product pick: for face – Philosophy Hope in a Jar; for body – The Body Shop Satsuma Puree Body Lotion

   DIY: Combine a couple of drops each of essential rose and lavender oils with almond oil, and pamper this fragrant and delectable concoction on your skin after a shower or just before tanning. The results are truly wonderful!

   
   

3. Water is the Key

   Drinking water is the most obvious way to stay hydrated. But most non-alcoholic beverages will hydrate your body unless they have excessive caffeine. A nice, tall glass of iced tea on a warm summer day is perfectly fine. Many fruits and vegetables also have high water content and will give you phyto-nutrients and anti-oxidants at the same time they replenish water. Fluids help detoxify the skin, keeping it looking soft and dewy and clear. Drink at least 8 glasses a day, and enjoy plenty of the season's fresh fruits and melons.

   
   

4. Protect Your Skin

   A well formulated sunscreen rated SPF 15 or greater (and greater is better) is a daily must! To avoid as much sun damage as possible, make sure any sunscreen you’re considering contains one or more of these active ingredients: titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, avobenzone, ecamsule (Mexoryl SX) or Tinosorb. In addition to the active ingredients, look for sunscreens that contain antioxidants (such as vitamin E, green tea, or pomegranate) as these help boost skin’s environmental defenses and reduce the impact of sun damage. Avoid the following ingredients.

   And don't forget the most important sunscreen advice: USE IT. You should be using a shot glass full for your body, and a full teaspoon just on your face. Reapply every 1-2 hours that you are in the sun to ensure a summer full of safe sun fun.

   Product pick: La Roche Posay Anthelios 60 Melt-In Sunscreen Milk for face and body 150ml ($34)

5. Bring On the Balm

Your lips are even more sensitive to the sun than your skin, but how many of us think about protecting them with sunscreen? By picking out a lipbalm with SPF protection, your lips will skip the painful peeling that can come from sunburn. Try to find one with at least SPF15.

Product pick: Kiehl's Tinted Lip Balm SPF 15 15ml ($10)

6. Don't Forget Your Feet

   Winter boots have long since been packed away; it's sandal season ladies. Either go and get a pedicure, 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. Pick out a bold nail polish that screams summer!

   Product pick: The Body Shop Peppermint Cooling Pumice Foot Scrub 100ml ($14) and OPI Tropical Punch

   DIY: mix sea salt (or table salt), uncooked cornmeal (or blended uncooked oatmeal) and olive oil. Add pepermint oil and tea tree oil for cooling, anti-bacterial anti-fungal effect.

   
   

7. Get a Safe 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 color, 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 color gradually, by alternating with your regular moisturizer, you'll never get too dark.

   Product pick: St Tropez Self Tan Bronzing Mousse 240ml ($30), Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Oil Free SPF 20 50ml (349 RMB)
   

8. Go to Rehab Every Night

   Night creams are NOT just for winter months or drier skin conditions.  No matter what your age, or what time of year, a PM moisturizer is a necessary part of your skin care regimen.  An effective PM treatment will help speed cellular recovery from environmental exposure and help build the skin’s immune response, returning your skin to its optimal condition, allowing it to better defend itself during your waking hours

   Product pick: Olay Definity Restorative Night Cream 50g ($21)

   DIY: organic rosehip oil or jojoba oil

9. Keep Your Hair Frizz-free (well, this is not skin care, but not less relevant)

   When hair cuticle is damaged - which can occur from chemical processing, UV exposure, or excessive heat styling - it becomes porous, allowing water to enter the hair shaft and swell it open. That's frizz. And you don't have to have curly hair to get it. Thankfully, there are safe solutions, including breakthrough products that seal the cuticle to keep out moisture and simple but effective styling techniques. To help smooth the hair's cuticle, shampoo and condition with formulas that contain silicones. Leave conditioner on for five full minutes. After rinsing, blot wet hair gently with a towel. Rub a dime-size drop of anti-frizz serum (for straight hair) or cream (for curls) through hair. If hair is damaged, spritz on a heat-protecting spray.

   Product Pick: Frederic Fekkai Summer Hair Zero-Humidity Frizz Control 150ml (152 RMB)

10. Lighten Up

    Trade liquid foundation for a lighter, mineral-based powder with a minimum SPF of 15. Skip the creamy blush and instead go for a natural-looking glow with a touch of bronzing powder. Use waterproof mascara and ditch that lipstick for a dab of tinted gloss. More about summer make up tips in the next article.