No matter the season, warmer weather calls for a beauty routine designed to withstand heat, humidity, chlorine and UV rays. Skin needs special treatment to combat excess oil, sweat-induced acne and harmful sun exposure. Warm-weather destinations like the beach and pool can take their toll on hair and skin as well. Skincare-News.com's latest article, "Summer Skincare Recap," offers the top 10 tips for keeping skin radiant in warm climates.
http://www.skincare-news.com/a-6492-Summer_Skincare_Recap.aspx
- Budget beauty with sun-specific tips. In hot weather, the old beauty edict “less is more” should apply to a person’s wardrobe and skincare budget. Instead of splurging on pricey skin treatments, women can take advantage of summer’s edible bounty to concoct low-budget facials. Many fruits and vegetables are loaded with alpha hydroxy and beta hydroxy acids, the same fruit acids found in expensive skin creams and exfoliants, along with antioxidants like vitamin C and E. For inexpensive at-home treatments, women can buy fresh fruits and vegetables and concoct their own face masks, using recipes found online or in natural skincare books. To keep skin hydrated, women can use an oil-free, tinted moisturizer that contains SPF and avoid air conditioning, which sucks moisture from the skin. And to achieve a natural, healthy glow, there’s no substitute for regular exercise.
- Beat common warm-weather beauty blunders. Hot, lazy days are no excuse for getting careless with skincare. It’s easy to keep skin protected and refreshed with a high SPF sunscreen (15 or greater) and a stash of touch-up tissues for blotting away shine. For blemish-prone skin, combat sweat-induced face and body acne with salicylic acid. For maximum sun protection, women should avoid tanning salons and use streak-free self-tanning lotions instead.
- Learn how to protect skin from melanoma. According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer, causing more than 75 percent of all skin cancer deaths. It’s also the most common form of skin cancer for young adults age 25-29. The best way to prevent melanoma is with diligent, daily application of sunscreen with SPF 15 or greater. In the case of moles and birth marks, learn the “ABCDEs” of monitoring them, and examine skin regularly for irregularities. Risk of melanoma increases with new or atypical moles, a family history of melanoma or a history of any type of skin cancer. Experts suggest seeing a dermatologist for a thorough skin exam on a regular basis. Everyone, however, benefits from an annual cancer screening.
- Make SPF part of a daily routine. Rain or shine, it’s vital to use a sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher and broad-spectrum coverage (protection from both UVA and UVB rays). Dermatologists recommend applying sunscreen every day, even for those who spend most of the day indoors. According to a 2008 study published in the Archives of Dermatology, daily sunscreen application reduced “the formation of actinic keratoses, a potential precursor to skin cancer,” according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). But it has to be used correctly, Martin Weinstock, M.D., professor of dermatology at Brown University, tells the ACS. “You have to put it on before you go out, you have to put on enough of it, you have to reapply it while you’re out, and you have to be sure not to wipe it off.”
- Missed a spot? Learn how to maximize sun protection from head to toe. It’s not enough to protect the obvious places like face, chest and back. Sunscreen should also be applied to scalp, hands, lips and ears as well. Dermatologists suggest using SPF 15+ lip balm or gloss, wearing a wide-brimmed hat to protect the ears and scalp and regularly applying sunscreen to hands, even before driving. The ACS advises a “Slip! Slop! Slap!” approach: “Slip on a shirt, slop on some sunscreen, and slap on a hat before spending time in the sun.”
- Enjoy the beach without sacrificing skin. People don’t have to let dry skin, bug bites or sunburn ruin sunny-day fun. Children and adults can protect their skin from harsh chlorine and saltwater with a hydrating lotion, and everyone should rinse off after swimming to prevent irritation and dryness. Water and sand reflect the damaging rays of the sun, increasing the risk for sunburn, so people should use extra caution at the beach and pool. Activities like swimming, sweating and toweling off require a water-resistant sunscreen, which should be reapplied every two hours or sooner. For further coverage (and a break from the heat), it’s wise to invest in a portable beach umbrella. And if bugs are an issue, people can wear unscented sunscreen and repellant.
- Keep hair healthy at the beach and pool. Healthy hair requires protection from chlorine and other warm-weather offenders. For dyed hair, excess sun exposure can create a brassy hue, and chlorine can give hair a greenish tint, in addition to drying it out. Hot-weather humidity can cause frizz, especially if unhealthy ends haven’t been trimmed. Men and women can use an SPF leave-in treatment to protect hair from the sun and try a smoothing leave-on serum to help tame frizz.
- Show sunburned skin some TLC. With the plethora of information and warnings about the harmful effects of UV rays, there’s really no excuse for skipping sun protection. According to Medicine Net, repeated overexposure to UV rays can cause scarring, freckles, dryness, damage to the eyes and premature wrinkles, in addition to the biggie: skin cancer. If it’s too late to take preventative measures, people should be gentle with sunburned skin. Aloe, cool compresses and moisturizer can soothe the skin. Caffeinated fluids should be avoided in order to stay hydrated.
- Develop a melt-proof and sweat-proof makeup regimen. In the midst of a heat wave, the last thing anyone wants is a greasy, makeup-caked face. Women can trade heavy foundation for a tinted moisturizer and skip the tanning salon in favor of a sexy (and safe!) bronzer. Makeup routines can be simplified with warm-tone eye shadow and smudged eyeliner, waterproof mascara and a shimmery lip stain applied to both lips and cheeks.
- Say no to indoor tanning. The jury is in on indoor tanning: Contrary to popular myth (and what tanning salons would like people to believe), indoor tanning is no safer than falling asleep at the beach. Indoor tanning equipment emits UVA and UVB radiation in amounts similar to — or even stronger than — the sun, reports AAD. According to AAD, exposure to UV radiation from indoor tanning can lead to “skin cancer, eye damage, aging skin and immune suppression.” With facts like these, a person’s natural skin color — or a bottle of self-tanner — looks much more appealing.
Skincare-News.com covers all skincare and beauty topics from head to toe. Check out these latest articles:
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Cigarettes and Your Skin
http://skincare-news.com/a-2253-Cigarettes_and_Your_Skin.aspx
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http://skincare-news.com/a-2175-Concealing_your_Tattoos_at_Work.aspx
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