Summer Skin Care Made Easy!
For many of us, summertime often means increased exposure to the sun. Here are several easy things you can do to look your best during the summer months, and help prevent the premature aging that follows sun damage as sure as night follows day.
Ah Summertime! Gotta love it! Vacation! Kids and grandkids home from school! Trips to the beach! Daylight Savings Time brings precious extra hours of sun to play in and increased levels of vitamin D to nourish our bodies.
Did you know that rising temperatures outside can cause your body's internal temperature to increase? When your skin is warm, your blood vessels send extra blood to the skin's surface to help cool it off. This causes a number of physiological changes, including making your face turn red, and causing the skin to retain water. When your body sweats, dirt, oil and environmental chemicals can get trapped in the pores, and potentially cause blemishes, regardless of age.
What's a girl to do? Here are some timely suggestions.
1. Avoid harsh soaps! Keep your facial skin away from soaps and cleansers that contain deodorant, sulfates and potentially toxic ingredients that can be irritating and stress the natural acid mantle. La Isha's Gentle Aromatherapy Face Wash does an excellent job of removing makeup, sweat, sunscreen, excess oil and environmental impurities without stripping the skin of the critical natural moisture it needs. It is exceptionally soothing to skin that has absorbed a little too much sun.
2. Exfoliate! Use a gentle, moisturizing exfoliant on your face (we recommend La Isha's Orange Coconut Skin Polish), and try a loofah (a natural sea sponge, available in health food stores) to remove dead skin from your arms, legs, and feet. Be aware that most exfoliants designed for use on the extremities can be too harsh for the tender skin on your face.
2. Moisturize! Applying a good moisturizer is critical to maintaining young-looking, well-hydrated skin. Summer heat and extra perspiration can be irritating and disrupt moisture levels. Soothe your skin after sun exposure by applying a natural moisturizer like our own Nutrient Rich Face Creme. Guess what? No need to slather it on, because it is extremely concentrated. A little dab'll do ya!
3. Protect! Did you know that your skin can burn in as little as 10 to 15 minutes?
There is no such thing as a healthy suntan. Research has conclusively shown that sun damage causes not only premature aging but cancer (melanoma). Be sure to wear a wide-brimmed hat when you are outdoors, and apply a sunscreen with a rating of SPF 30, approximately twenty to thirty minutes before exposure in order to give it time to work. If you are not thrilled with the idea of using sunscreen, there are companies that make clothing with an SPF built right into the fabric that is definitely worth looking into. I have used it myself as an adult and purchased it for my children when they were young and amenable to my dressing them. Coolibar to this day remains one of my favorites. Check them out at www.coolibar.com.
4. Hydrate! Drink water - it's a great thirst-quencher! Not only does it hydrate your skin better than any other liquid, but it is hands down the best beverage for your body and your health. Stay away from sugary juices, carbonated soda, and energy drinks that add extra calories and introduce synthetic ingredients that can be detrimental to your health. Research shows that even natural sugars like fructose can be harmful to the body in large doses, so do yourself a favor: go ahead and enjoy your fruit, but when you need to hydrate - skip the fruit juices and drink water instead!
FYI: There are many cosmetic bronzers on the market that can give skin the natural, sun-kissed look that first became popular with designer Coco Chanel and her infamous sun-bathing in the south of France. These cosmetics do so without subjecting skin to the harmful rays of the sun. But there is a caveat: manufacturers do not always have your best interests at heart, and may be more concerned with their own bottom line than with the health risks their products pose. Those of you who know me personally have heard me say over and over again that it is important to pick and choose our poisons very carefully. Be sure to read labels, as some of the ingredients in bronzers and faux-tanning preparations contain toxic chemicals that can be irritating, cause allergic reactions and compromise both short and long term health.
Maybe the time has come for you to embrace your natural skin tone and color sans suntan? Just saying. Think about it....
Have a happy and safe summer!
CEO/Founder
La Isha Natural & Organic Skincare
www.La-Isha.com
Copyright 2012 Sharon Gnatt Epel/La Isha Natural & Organic Skincare
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