5 Tips to Keep Your Summer Skin Photo-Ready

I don’t know about you, but the St. Louis summer wreaks havoc on my skin. Between the sun, the heat, and the humidity, there’s a lot for our poor faces to combat to stay clear, clean, and beautiful. Some of these summer skincare tips may seem obvious, but it’s nice to have a helpful reminder to stay in the habit of good skincare and always be camera-ready.

Tip #1: Wear sunscreen (DUH)!

I’m super pale, and I super burn if I’m out in the sun for any period of time without sunscreen. Even darker complexions can suffer the wrath of the sun, so just wear the sunscreen. Everyone knows the harmful effects (f u, cancer) the sun can have on our skin, so if you’re going to be outside, apply your sunscreen 15 minutes before heading out, and re-apply every two hours or so.

I use a moisturizer with SPF 30 every day in the morning so that even if I am out running errands or taking the dogs for a quick walk, I know I have some protection on my face.

And don’t forget your lips! Lip balm with at least SPF 15 will keep your lips kissably soft and unburnt!

Tip #2: Cover yourself

When the temperature is in the upper 90s, and the sun is beating down, the last thing I want to do is wear more clothing to cover my skin. Wide-brimmed hats, sheer swimsuit covers, and cute parasols work great to hide you from the sun without making you feel like you’re actually ON the sun. Now you get to look cute AND not get sunburnt!

Tip #3: A clean face is a happy face

Remove your make-up every night. Every night. Even after you’ve had too many mojitos.

Wash your face after swimming, or if you were outside sweating all day, too. Most skin-types can handle being washed with a gentle cleanser everyday, just make sure to moisturize, too. Exfoliating once a week can also help remove dead skin and will keep your face looking so fresh and so clean, clean.

Tip #4: Take your vitamins

Most of us don’t get all of the vitamins we need just from our diets alone, so supplementing with vitamins may give your skin a nice, healthy boost. A daily multivitamin will usually contain plenty of vitamins, and you can also buy creams and lotions with vitamins to boost your skin’s health topically.  Vitamins  A, C, E, and K  can help protect your skin from the sun; aid in the body’s production in collagen; moisturize and nourish your skin; and reduce spots, wrinkles, irritations, and dark circles.

Tip #5: Stay hydrated

This is a good tip year-round, and healthy for your whole body. The sun and heat can severely dehydrate your skin and body, so avoid pop and sugary drinks and just stick to some high-quality St. Louis H2O.

Drinking enough water keeps your skin supple, elastic, and moisturized; and it allows you to sweat to cool your body down when it feels like a sauna outside. The recommended amount of water to consume can vary by person, but if you find yourself running to the bathroom to pee every hour, you’re probably staying hydrated!

Follow these tips, and your skin will thank you! Your face should be glowing in your photos, just not glowing red from sunburn!

Love,

Kelly