No matter where you live, you probably start to pay a little bit more attention to your skin as summer approaches. The warm summer days offer an excuse to wear cute dresses, tanks and shorts. All of a sudden we realize that a LOT more of our skin is exposed versus in the winter months. By incorporating my summer skin care tips, you will easily be able to proudly bare your skin and feel confident every step of the way.
The very first step is to be thinking about your skin care as starting on the inside. A lot of people don’t realize that any problems you see on your skin, whether it be acne or eczema, is due to problems going on inside your body. Think of your skin as the mirror to the inside. By doing this, you can make sure your beauty truly is from the inside out. My favorite way to care for my skin from the inside out is by supplementing with resveratrol (pronounced res-vara-trawl). Resveratrol is the active compound found in red wine and grapes, and is a super antioxidant that fights wrinkles. This has been known to be responsible for the French Paradox, where the French eat high fat diets and still have great skin-because they drink so much wine! What’s more is that resveratrol stimulates the sirtuin gene, which has been shown to slow the aging process by as much as 30%. I definitely want that on my side. There is only about ½ a milligram of resveratrol in one glass of red wine, so I opt for a juice supplement that is equal to 50 glasses of red wine in one serving. My favorite is Pomegranate and Berries with Resveratrol-it’s in the refrigerated section at the grocery store next to the OJ.
My next step for summer skin care is to focus on my face because it is exposed more than any other part of the body. It is super important to realize that anything you put on your skin is absorbed directly into the blood stream. It doesn’t make the most sense to use a product that has a bunch of chemicals in it and lather it up all over our face. That’s why I like to use food. Yes, you heard me-food! Not only is this beneficial for your skin, but it’s also super affordable. I like to use papaya as my source for home facial treatments. This can be done as often as you like, and I recommend at least once per week. Papaya has a unique enzyme in it called papain that helps get rid of dead skin cells-it actually digests them so naturally exfoliates for you. Follow these easy steps and your skin will feel like satin!
- Cut the papaya in half. Scoop out the seeds and discard. Cube the remaining flesh and take about 1 cup and toss into a blender. Blend quickly and place in a small bowl. (You can freeze the remaining papaya and use in smoothies).
- Use your finger to gently dab the papaya puree onto your face and neck. You can be generous with it, it won’t drip off. You may look like a pumpkin, so I wouldn’t leave the houseJ.
- Wait 15-20 minutes and rinse off with warm water. That alone will make your skin feel great, and you can moisturize with coconut oil for an added kick.
The last step to summer skin care is an all-over body scrub. Being a runner, I am constantly beating up my feet with miles on the pavement. You probably notice something similar with your feet, elbows or knees. I am going to teach you one of the coolest body scrubs I have ever made, and it’s really easy! All you have to do is combine 1 ¼ cup sea salt, 1 cup of coconut oil and 10 drops of your favorite essential oil (I use organic lavender). Mix together and store in a glass jar. Just use the scrub as needed on these trouble areas and rinse off. The sea salt is alkaline and therefore helps to de-acidify the body and raise the body’s pH levels. The coconut oil is very nourishing to the skin and contains vitamin E, vitamin K and minerals such as iron. And I don’t know about you, but I find lavender very soothing!
So as you can see, not only is summer skin care very important, it is also very easy and inexpensive to do right at home. The skin takes on so much with sun damage, pollution and the other things we expose it to. We can rebuild our skin health by taking a little bit of time to give it the nutrients it needs. The beautiful glow you radiate will be all you need to feel the best you can this summer!
*The information on this site is designed for educational purposes only and has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. It is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. You should not use this information to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any health problems or illnesses without consulting your pediatrician or family doctor. Thank you!
~by Kimberly Olson
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