Summer is something we always look forward to, right? Going out and having fun in good weather, enjoying pool and beach days, going out for frozen treats, and all the summer activities we’ve romanticized. But what happens when you’re out doing those things and you start sweating? It’s certainly no reason to not go outside and have fun, but it’s about time we made a sweaty person’s guide on how to survive summer heat.
I personally tend to overheat easily; there are times where I’ll go the whole day being fine, but my body will heat up out of absolutely nowhere. And more often than not, it’s when I’m not in the comfort of my own home to cool off. Here are some ways that I’ve learned to manage the heat.
- Try an antiperspirant instead of deodorant
A lot of people’s first instinct is to reach for their deodorant, but if you’re worried about sweat, antiperspirant might be the better option. Deodorant is essentially just a perfume that covers smell, while antiperspirants have ingredients that actually block your sweat glands and in turn, stop them from sweating. One great antiperspirant that I love is Dry Idea Advanced Dry. It’s both an antiperspirant and a deodorant all in one. It’s a clear gel too, so you also won’t have to worry about it being visible or transferring and showing up on your clothes. I have pretty sensitive skin when it comes to products like these, and this is the most effective product that hasn’t given my skin a bad reaction!
- Make a summer routine for your skin
And no, I’m not just talking about skincare for your face (but reminder, don’t forget your sunscreen!). I mean prepping your skin for going out in the heat. So, an obvious answer is deodorant and antiperspirants – these are what we typically turn to when we’re expecting to sweat. But to get those products to work the best, you need to prep your skin before applying them.
The best way to do this is to simply cleanse your skin; whether that’s with a shower or just doing a quick wash/wipe of your underarms. You can’t block those sweat ducts if they aren’t already cleaned out beforehand.
- Pick your clothing fabrics
Taking a quick consideration of what you’re wearing can make a huge difference on a hot day. Fabrics like linen, polyester, nylon, silk, etc. do a great job keeping you cool throughout the day. Wearing loose and light clothes with a lot of ventilation will also help you feel a lot cooler! Lastly, make sure you wear lighter colored clothes that won’t absorb the sun’s heat. Something I do is make sure all the clothes I wear can either be loosened or rolled up in case I start to overheat.
- Be prepared
I know this sounds vague but hear me out! Always carry a hair tie or claw clip on you if you use them, so that you can put your hair up when it gets hot. You’d be surprised how big of a difference it makes, our hair can absorb a lot of heat and make it really hard to deal with the temperature. If you start to feel overly hot, you can apply cold water/ice to these points on your body: wrists, neck, chest, and temples. These points have veins close to the surface of the skin, so it’ll help you cool down a lot faster.
Something to also keep in mind, overheating for too long can cause upset stomachs. This is your body’s way of telling you that it can’t handle the temperature anymore. Drugstores and places like Walmart and Target carry over-the-counter medicines to help combat upset stomachs, and it wouldn’t hurt to keep some in your bag just in case you need it!
Whether dealing with heat is a constant issue for you, or if it’s something that can come out of nowhere (like how it does for me), taking some of these steps can definitely help manage the stickiness and sweat that comes with the summer heat.