Summer Skin, Baby
The days are long, the sun high, the weather is hot, hot, hot. I’m sure you’re fit and fine, psyched for the fun, the sun dresses, tee shirts and shorts and flip flops. I know I am.
But what about your skin? Is it naturally gorgeous? How is it holding up in the intense heat of summer?
Let’s face it; we know the deal with chemical additives in our skincare products, but we all want to look as good as we feel and that begins with gorgeous skin.
According to the Environmental Working Group, if we understood what was in most skincare, we would faint! Their site reads, “The average woman uses 12 products containing 168 different ingredients daily. Many cosmetic chemicals are designed to penetrate into the skin’s inner layers, and they do. Consequently, some common cosmetic ingredients turn up in people’s bodies. Among them: industrial plasticizers called phthalates; parabens, which are preservatives; and persistent fragrance components like musk xylene.”
EWG does contend that more research is needed to truly confirm if products have an adverse effect on our health and wellness, but with so many effective natural products out there for us to choose from, why risk your health to create the skin you crave?
From our make-up bags to our showers, it’s as important to consider what you put on your skin as seriously as you consider the food you choose to eat (and I know how serious you are about that!).
So take a quick look at your skincare and if it’s well, less than natural, perhaps you can consider slowly swapping out products. As you use up one item, replace it with a natural version so that your skincare routine becomes as natural as possible.
In the meantime, take care of your skin from the inside out with these simple tips…and my favorite skincare tip of all time!
1. Drink half your body weight in ounces of spring or filtered water each and every day. If you eat lots of moisture-rich veggies or juice, you can probably get away with a bit less, but your skin craves moisture so stay hydrated! If you drink coffee or tea, remember that these (while yummy) can dehydrate you so compensate for that with more water.
2. Eat a varied plant-based diet rich in whole grains, beans, tofu, tempeh, veggies and fruit to get the minerals your skin needs to look its best.
3. Ditch junk food, soda (liquid poison; sorry…but it is) and all those energy drinks (that come in weird colors that are not exactly natural). And since you’re cleaning up your act, why not get rid of meat and dairy? If you are anything like me, dairy products not only caused me to feel stuffy in my nose, but made my skin break out like nobody’s business. That cured me of my cheese obsession years ago. My diet, free of animal food has created skin I love and never struggle with anymore!
4. Sweat it! You know how I’m always telling you to chill and not sweat it? I mean that in every aspect of your life except in the gym…or on the trails or tennis courts or the dance floor or wherever you choose to stay fit. Working out should be like brushing your teeth, not to be missed. Working up a sweat helps cool the body, stimulate circulation and allows the skin to expel toxins and impurities.
5. Sleep, sleep, sleep. One of the greatest beauty treatments is 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. That kind of deep rest allows your brain to chill, your organs to relax so they can function better during the day. The result? You wake up looking as refreshed as you feel.
6. The Body Scrub is the best skincare advice I have ever received and one discipline that I never…and I mean never skimp on or skip. I have shared this many times, but until every single person is glowing with health because they scrub their skin, I’ll keep sharing it. Give it a go and I’m sure you will fall in love too.
Now you have all my secrets to great skin. So the spotlight is on you. How do you keep your skin healthy and glowing? I’d love to hear your beauty tips…from the inside out. What natural skincare products does your skin just adore? Share your secrets, pretty please?
