Sometimes summer
can be a harmful time for our skin. too much sun exposure (skin dehydration,
pigmentation, prickly heat, sunburn) followed by dry, hot winds and overzealous
office air conditioning can easily damage delicate cells and cause premature aging.
1.Let’s start with the very
obvious...
Use an
oil-free and fragrance-free SPF all day over your entire face and body, but
never rely on your BB cream or moisturiser. You really should be using
something as high as SPF 30 or above on cloudless, hot sunny days, but I don’t
believe it’s necessary on sun-free cloudy winter days. We need our Vitamin D
(20 mins of direct sunlight is enough) but UV rays also cause inflammation,
dehydration, cell mutation, cell damage from free-radicals, pigmentation and
skin cancer are worst. Please never rely on the SPF in a moisturiser, BB cream,
CC cream, serum or foundation. SPF needs to be regularly applied every few
hours and applying it at 8am will simply not last you throughout the day - it
gives a very false sense of security. Not only that, but a mineral SPF over 8
in your moisturiser, BB creams act as a fantastic UV barrier but will also
prevent the absorption of the wonderful actives contained in that product and
you can then ask yourself - what is the point?!
2.Keep it cool!
Keep
your skin cool especially if you have sensitive skin. If you have rosacea,
eczema or sensitive skin, try to keep skin as cool as possible by keeping out
of direct sun or keeping skincare products in the fridge. (It is also best to
steer clear of saunas and steam, because they can aggravate your skin
condition). Rosacea, which causes excessive flushing, broken blood vessels
and/or acne-like red bumps, can be exacerbated when blood vessels dilate in
response to the skin becoming overheated. Heat also draws water out of the
skin, so eczema can become worse, sensitive skin can become irritated and
atopic dermatitis (a rash caused by skin allergy or irritation) may itch more
intensely. Normal skin will de-hydrate in heat, so moisturise, moisturise!
3.
Always moisturise, but switch to oil-free creams and serums.
It is always tempting to miss out on a good
moisturiser and eye cream during sticky summer months as your skin will be
producing more sebum, generating that recognisable ‘summer shine’ and clogging
pores, but your skin still needs serious moisture. Replace heavy winter,
oil-based creams with lighter, oil-free or water-based serums or emulsions.
4. Less
is always more...Switch heavy mascaras and eyebrow pencils for eye lash and
brow tinting.
These are especially brilliant if you can’t
stay out of the water, have very fine or light eyebrows or eye lashes, have
contact lenses, want to steer clear of ‘Racoon eyes’ or simply want to enhance
your looks. There are many different eyelash and eyebrow tint colours
(including blues, browns, blacks and greys), so choose one that complements
your skin and hair colouring perfectly.
5. Dewy
skin is gorgeous. Don't over powder your face because you're afraid it's a
grease pit. Instead, try blotting papers.
6.
Remember your cleavage...The neck and collar are too often neglected and can
suffer from premature ageing without you realizing. Your face might look
wrinkle free, but any man will tell you that this area (once so smooth and
plump) can reveal a lady’s real age. As a rule of thumb, treat your neck and collar
as an extension of your face, continuing product application right the way
down, be it cleanser, toner, moisturiser, serum, exfoliant or treatment mask.
The earlier you start getting into this routine, the more grateful you will be
later on down the line.
7.
Exfoliate regularly...Our skin sheds cells every minute of every day, which
results in dull, dry looking skin, particularly sun exposed skin as it
dehydrates quickly. However much moisturiser you apply, your skin will never
look glowing without removing these dead skin cells. Rejuvenation treatments
such as exfoliations and nurturing masks restore the skin’s health and balance,
so to ensure a healthy glow for the summer months, be sure to exfoliate 1–2
times a week.
8. But,
try to avoid using body and facial scrubs with coarse granules as they can
scratch delicate, sun exposed skin. Instead either opt for an exfoliant
containing fine silica granules or AHAs which will both evenly exfoliate as
well as stimulate regeneration and improve the tone and texture of the skin.
9.
Remember your hands...I am always amazed at how smooth my hands are when I come
back from holiday. Needless to say, this is due to applying endless suntan
creams, exfoliants, aftersuns, masks and moisturisers countless times during
the day and night, which obviously I don’t do when back at home. Hands, like
your cleavage and neck, are age indicators, so try to exfoliate your hands a
few times a week, apply a rich moisturiser and always apply an SPF to your
hands, as you would your face.Treat age spots and dryness with our Renaissance
Hand Cream.
10. Your
upper arms. If, like about 40% of the population, you suffer from Keratosis
Pilaris (those annoying little red bumps on the back of your upper arms) then
it’s likely you’ll want to rid these before you expose your arms this summer.
Whilst there is no definitive cure for this condition (unfortunately it is a
very common genetic follicular condition which causes an excess of Keratin
production that accumulates within the hair follicles forming numerous tiny
rough bumps on the skin and commonly found in people with very dry skin and/or
a vitamin A deficiency), daily exfoliating or using a good natural body brush,
and moisturising with a vitamin and AHA rich cream, such as our Renaissance
Hand & Body Cream, can definitely ease these pesky pimples and smooth and
brighten your arms..
11.
Prepare your skin internally before hitting the sun.
Eating as many anti-oxidants as possible (the
brighter the food the better), taking MSM supplements and following an anti-inflammatory
diet can help reduce potential skin damage and premature ageing and keep skin
super healthy. Inflammation is one of the biggest causes of skin damage and
premature ageing, as well as a host of other health problems. Thomasina Miers
has put together a delicious, Mexican Pan Fried Mackerel & Avocados Salad,
recipe that puts together some of the best anti-inflammatory ingredients –
mackerel and avocados for their high Omega 3 content, ginger for its gingerols
content (more specifically 6-gingerol), chilli (also high in vitamin A and C),
olive oil, pumpkin and sesame seeds and oil.