The weather is warmer, the sun is shining, and our skin is – still thirsty. Crazy, huh? Most of us are diligent through the winter months (when the air is too clearly dry) about our water intake, putting our humidifiers to good use, and applying serums that go deep into our skin to keep it impeccably hydrated. But as the weather gets fairer and the humidity increases, many of us forget that our skin still needs the same level of hydration in the summer months.
Here’s why:
- We break a bigger sweat in the summer. Meaning that our bodies lose water faster. So, we’ve got to keep replacing it – often and well.
- Our increased use of sunscreen dries out our skin. Mineral-based sunscreen (which creates a physical barrier between dangerous sun rays and your skin) contains zinc oxide, a natural astringent.
- And the sun itself zaps us of our moisture quicker in the summer months with its UVA and UVB rays.
What can you do to fix it?
Well, as always, our first answer is drink water. But that’s only step one. Steps two, three, four, etc. are easily accomplished with our favorite clean beauty brands. Here are a few of our beloved products that will keep your skin hydrated through the summer months and beyond.
Eminence Organics Facial Recovery Oil – unbelievably hydrating and smells divine (if you’re prone to breakouts, consider their Willow Bark Serum instead, which has willow bark and tea tree to fight acne). All of Eminence’s products are organic, their serums come in glass, and it’s a B Corp!
Soapwalla Hydrating Toning Mist – when your skin needs extra moisture, this hydrating spray is the product to use. It also gives you a refreshing jolt in case you want to skip that second afternoon coffee (because too much caffeine can be dehydrating!). Soapwalla is sustainably packaged in glass and handmade in Brooklyn.
Dr. Bronner’s Organic Coconut Oil – coconut oil is mother nature’s moisturizer. Another B-Corp that packages this product in glass, nothing beats slathering your skin in Dr. Bronner’s (and it doesn’t hurt that you walk around smelling like a piña colada).
And don’t forget to exfoliate (gently!) twice a week. In the winter, once is plenty but in the summer again with that increase in sunscreen, our skin needs that extra session. Gentle exfoliation will remove dead skin allowing your products to get into your skin and really hydrate it, instead of just sitting on top.
Stay hydrated, stay healthy – and keep your skin that way too.