Can you name the largest organ in your body?
That’s right — it’s your skin. In fact, the average adult carries around eight pounds of skin that covers an impressive 22 square feet!
Like the rest of your body, your skin needs special care and consideration — especially during the warmer, sunnier months. How can you safely enjoy the summertime while protecting and nourishing your skin?
Read on for the best summer skincare tips from dermatologists and master estheticians.
1. (Always) Wear Sunscreen
You’ve heard it before and you’ll hear it again — sunscreen is your #1 defense against wrinkles, age spots, and many types of skin cancer. Wearing sunscreen daily (even on cloudy days) can reduce your chance of melanoma by up to 50%!
To protect your skin from damage, generously apply sunscreen to all exposed skin before you leave home for the day. Don’t forget often-overlooked places like your hands, chest, ears, back of the neck, and tops of the feet.
2. Lighten Your Moisturizer
Even when the air isn’t cold and dry (aka wintertime), your skin still needs to replace lost moisture.
However, summer is the perfect time to put away those heavy, thick moisturizers and switch to something that won’t leave you feeling greasy. Look for a light hyaluronic acid-based moisturizer to use morning and evening during the warmer months.
3. Level Up Your Face Washing
During the summer, you’ll likely sweat more than during the cooler months. As you wash your face, be sure to wash up into your hairline, where clogged pores can lead to redness and breakouts.
To ward off acne, use a foaming or gel cleanser that contains benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid. These ingredients pack a powerful one-two punch to unclog pores and kill bacteria that cause acne.
4. Embrace Self-Tanning
We know — it’s not nearly as much fun to apply self-tanning lotion as it is to lounge by the pool all afternoon. Even if you’re not prone to sunburns, natural “tanning” still equals skin damage, which you might regret as you get older.
For that sunkissed glow, apply plenty of SPF while you’re outside and get your “tan” from a lotion, cream, or mousse instead.
5. Stay Hydrated
Drinking water offers a host of terrific health benefits. Perhaps the most obvious is providing your body and your organs (including your skin) with the moisture it needs to prevent dehydration.
It’s fine to enjoy a fruity cocktail on the beach, but make sure you drink plenty of water too — aim for eight glasses or 64 ounces each day (even more if you’re very active).
Bonus hydration tip: To avoid drying out your skin, switch to cooler, shorter showers, and limit bathing to once per day.
Love the Skin You’re in With These Summer Skincare Tips
Hopefully you’ll get to enjoy plenty of time outdoors this summer doing the activities you love most!
As you go about your day, though, keep these summer skincare tips in mind. That way, you’ll have healthy, glowing skin — not just this summer — but for many years to come.
Speaking of healthy skin, how long has it been since your last facial treatment? Contact us today to book a facial or a massage session at our beautiful boutique spa in West Vail!