But these are the days we dream about, when the sunlight paints us gold
Bright Eyes
Summer is ALMOST here! We’ve already had a few scorching days so we can taste it on our lips now. And we’re ready for it! Or are we? Is your body ready? No, we’re not talking about whether or not you fit into that bikini you’ve been lusting over. We’re talking about your skin. Summer can be a devil for drying it out and speeding up the ageing process too, so you need to be prepared! Here’s a quick guide: get your skin ready for summer!
Protect
The sun has harmful UV rays that are most certainly NOT skin friendly. But you already knew this. So protect it! You need sunscreen on your face, under your make up every single day. Seriously. Forget the thick, chemical laden creams you can get- try this natural method instead. All you need is:
- sesame oil
- raspberry seed oil
- carrot oil
Mix 8 parts sesame oil with 1 part carrot and raspberry oil and apply to your face as a moisturiser before applying makeup.
And the rest of your body? Sunscreen, people. Make sure it’s organic and free from chemicals. Go to the brands you know and trust and read your labels before you buy. Your skin is your largest organ, so you need to protect it from getting burnt and shrivelled.
Pamper
Your skin is going to need some pampering this summer, because it takes a bit of a beating in all honesty. What we mean is that the sun is has a lot to answer for! So yes, protect it as much as you can with sunscreen, but also give it a little pamper every now and then too. This season, Vitamin C is your best friend. Make a berry blaster face mask to slow down the ageing process and fight acne! All you need is:
- A handful of berries
- greek yogurt or fresh cream
- organic honey
- ground oatmeal
Mix all ingredients together to form a thick paste, and apply to the face. Rinse well with warm water after 10 minutes or so. This treatment has astringent and anti-inflammatory agents to fight acne, and it also removes dead skin cells thanks to the salicylic acid in the berries. The Vitamin C plumps up your skin and helps it to glow. Perfect.
For skin that has been exposed to too much sun (and it happens, despite the best intentions) try using tomatoes to soothe it, and to lose that tight feeling you get during summer. All you need for a soothing tomato wrap is:
- 4 tabelspoons tomato puree
- 4 Vitamin E tablets, with contents poured into a bowl
- 4 drops peppermint oil
Mix all ingredients together and apply to the skin. The Vitamin E will help to accelerate the skin’s healing process and the peppermint oil will cool ad soothe. And the tomatoes? They contain lycopene, which will protect against skin cancer, and help you to glow too.
Our final pamper truck is for your eyes. Sometimes it’s hard to sleep when it’s hot, or we feel more tired thanks to muggy atmospheres. So your eyes bear the brunt of this by becoming puffy and sore. The answer here is to soothe them with watermelon, of course. All you need is a few thin slices of watermelon, from the fridge preferably. Simply apply to closed eyes, lie back for ten minutes and relax.
Feed
Your skin needs plenty of water all year round, but more so in summer. And not only that, but the food you put inside your body counts too. Make sure you feed your skin this summer. We recommend:
- pumpkin seeds- full of zinc, and essential fatty acids including omega 3, omega 6, and omega 9; these seeds also help to reduce inflammation in the body.
- avocado- when eaten with carotenoid-rich foods such as tomatoes, carrots, or bell peppers, avocados can help you absorb up to five times more of the antioxidants lycopene and beta carotene.
- berries and stone fruits- high levels of Vitamin C will protect your skin throughout summer.
- leafy greens- studies have found that spinach, kale and swiss chard can reduce the risk of skin cancer by 50%. Broccoli is also a good choice: it’s full of sulphoraphane, an antioxidant that protects your skin against UV radiation.
What are your top beauty tips for summer ready skin?
