Congratulations collegiates, you did it. You survived another year of professors, essays, and long nights in the library. You’ve been anxiously awaiting the warmth and serenity that summer brings and the wait is finally over! But before you go diving into the next few months, here is some advise on how to make sure your skin and hair show no regrets come this fall. Summer also means your daily skin and hair care routine needs to be revamped due to intense, dry heat, and extended exposure to the sun’s harmful (yet so glorious) rays.
Let’s get to the facts about summer skin care.
Face Sunscreen:
Ever heard the myth, “It’s ok that I got burned on my face, the sun dries out my skin and makes the acne go away?” FALSE. While it is true that getting sun on your face dries out your skin, it is also true that after the initial dry phase the oil on your skin gets worse as it works to replace the skin lost after the burn, which will result in worse acne than before. Excessive sun exposure on your face will also result in premature wrinkles, age spots and the worst of these, whose danger is deadly—skin cancer. Your face has some of the most sensitive skin on your body, so protect it! Never skip sunscreen on your face. Instead, opt for face sunscreen without harsh oils that could irritate your skin. For daily wear, make sure your makeup or moisturizer includes at least SPF 15. Your face will thank you.
Body Sunscreen:
When it comes to the rest of your body, sunscreen is just as important. Not only is having fried skin unattractive and painful, but it is completely unnecessary! Remember this: dry skin burns, moist skin tans. Protect your skin using a sunscreen with helioplex, because it provides the most broad protection of both UVA and UVB rays. This Neutrogena sunscreen sprays on easily and can even be applied to wet skin! No need to towel dry and wipe off the sunscreen you already have on when you are ready to reapply, just spray it on. No excuses, ladies.
Lips:
Now you may be good about applying sunscreen on your face, but have you checked to see if your favorite lip balm has any SPF in it? Popular brands like Burt’s Bees and Chapstick do not offer sunscreen in any of their regular options, which means you could be applying a substance to your lips that attracts the sun, but cannot protect your lips. Over the summer forget about heavy lip sticks and lip glosses while you are soaking up the sun and instead opt for a kissable, sunburn free option like this one.
Hair:
The dry heat and harmful rays from the sun can also do a number to your moisturized locks this summer. One of the best ways to protect your hair from drying out is simply by wearing a hat. However, if you’ve been swimming in the pool and salt water and you start to notice a change in your hair’s texture, start using a moisturizing hair mask or protective spray. Another trick—lay off the heat styling tools! Let your wavy or curly hair shine this summer and give your hair straighter a break.