Your Sun Smart Guide to Beautiful Skin this Summer
Summer is a time for rejuvenation. We get to lose all the layers we have been wearing in the colder months and get out in the fresh air and great outdoors. This can be a treat for our bodies and our minds, but exposure to the elements can also come with its downsides. Summer heat can dry out our skin and sun exposure causes major lifelong damage. Luckily, there are a number of products and skincare steps on our side to ensure we take care of ourselves during the hotter months. So here’s our guide to being sun smart and having beautiful, radiant skin this summer.
1. Always Avoid Sun Beds
While we love a sun-kissed glow, a sun bed is not the way to get it. In the simplest of terms, tanned skin means damaged skin. Tanning beds emit a huge amount of UVA and hardly any UVB (the rays which stimulate vitamin D). Research has also shown that the UV concentration in sunbeds is up to eight times stronger than the midday summer sun. This puts users at an increased risk of skin cancer as well and skin damage and premature ageing. Basically, no sunbed can give a safe tan, so we advise you to stay well away.
2. Apply a Face Mask Weekly
A face mask is a lush and necessary treatment for your skin, especially when the mercury is rising. Hydrating masks are particularly important in the summertime to get back the moisture that can be lost with exposure to the elements. They are also a lovely treat to cool down at the end of a hot day. There are a huge range of masks out there packed with feel-good ingredients to revitalise and replenish your skin. Here are some of our favourites:
Ultraceuticals Ultra Replenishing Mask
Relieves dry, distressed and dehydrated skin. Order your Ultraceuticals Ultra Replenishing Mask here.
Societe Peptide Mask
The Societe Peptide Mask is a great refreshing mask for all skin types including sensitive skin.
Esthemax Peel Off Hydrojelly Mask
This peel off mask is packed with electrolytes, this mask hydrates, smooths, exfoliates and reduces inflammation.
Societe Peptide Eye Mask
A lovely eye mask with cooling plant based ingredients to reduce redness and puffiness.
Ultra B2 Hydrating Sheet Mask
A hydrogel mask featuring panthenol, sodium hyaluronate and peptides to help calm, comfort and restore hydration to the skin. Order your Ultra B2 Hydrating Sheet Mask here.
3. Supercharge Your Skin
Summer is a great time to level-up your skincare routine. O Sonic is a cleansing brush that combines sonic pulsations and silicon fibre touchpoints. This provides a gentle yet deep cleanse to support healthy skin, removing dead skin cells and stimulating blood supply.
Light Stim LED is a therapeutic light which uses the latest LED and Multi-Wave technology combined with potent peptides to clarify and smooth skin. This clever light works with a collagen peptide serum to fill in lines by stimulating collagen and elastin.
4. De-Stress
Stress can have a huge impact on your skin. Feelings of stress can cause everything from dryness to breakouts, and can leave us looking dull and feeling flat. We recommend you find some activities that help you to decompress from the stresses you experience in your life. This could include outdoor exercise where you can connect with nature, and meditation to calm your thoughts and clear your head. We stock a number of lovely products that help to reduce stress and encourage calm. Anxietea is made up of a blend of herbal ingredients designed to bring your mind, body and soul back to a calm state. It’s also delicious, with ingredients including cinnamon, peppermint, nettle and rose petals. We also have a lovely De-Stress Anxiety Support self-care package which makes a lovely gift to someone special, or to yourself!
5. Remember Your Antioxidants
Now is the time to up your antioxidants and put a bit of extra love into your skincare. Antioxidants work to fight damage caused by the sun and also enhance the effectiveness of SPF. Products including vitamin C, E and niacinamide can help to neutralise sun damage, with vitamin C, in particular, helping to prevent hyperpigmentation. You can also up your skin health from the inside out, by boosting your diet with antioxidant rich berries and leafy greens.
6. Protect Your Skin
Exposure to the sun is the fastest way to age your skin. So we really recommend you be sun smart and cover up with SPF every two hours (look for broad spectrum and SPF 30 or above), as well as hats and layers to minimise your sun exposure. It pays also to keep an eye on the time – the sun is at its hottest between 10am and 4pm, so it’s a good idea to be extra careful during these hours. If you can’t help but love a summery glow, there are a ton of great fake tan products out there, and making the effort to minimise sun exposure will keep your skin healthy for years to come.
—
If you liked this blog, head over to our Blog page to read more of our helpful skincare guides! If you live in Auckland and are new to the world of facials, get in contact with us or make a facial appointment here.
We offer free no-obligation skincare consultations which involve an in-depth assessment of your skin and a recommended prescription of products and treatments.
Alternatively, head over to our online store for some skincare retail therapy (we have some beautiful gift ideas too)!