The Summer Sun Shines on
I love summers, don't you? The sun is shining, the flowers are blooming and all that vitamin D is just waiting for your skin to soak it all up. No more staying couped up at home hiding from frigid temperatures, it's time to step out into the light, literally.
Just follow these three simple steps and you will have happy skin all summer long.
Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate.
The draining heat pulls moisture from plants, soil, and also our bodies. When we sweat we lose more than moisture, we lose minerals so adding a dash of salt to our food to compensate for this loss is ok to do. You could even make a couple of those tall glasses of cold water a drink like Propel (This has no added sugar or calories and comes in many flavors as well as a flavor free option) which balances your electrolytes. Ideally, you should drink half your body weight in water every day. I manage to drink anywhere from 62-74 ounces daily. My favorite drink after a workout or a working day in the hot sun to replenish and rehydrate is this concoction :
A tall iced glass of water
Two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar with the "mother"
A dash of pink Himalayan salt
A sprinkle of cream of tartar
A spritz of fresh lemon juice (optional)
This drink not only has a great flavor profile, it replenishes sodium, pottassium and many other minerals that have been depleted from your body. And you will notice it tastes good and your body will crave it once you introduce it to the drink when you are low in the minerals these provide.
Eat Foods that Cool Your Insides.
Some of the best coolants are coconuts, cucumber, cantaloupe, and watermelon. In hot temperatures, it is best to avoid hot beverages with caffeine like coffee or hot tea, spicy and oily foods, and alcohol. The foods and drinks tend to dehydrate us sucking moisture faster than you are able to restore it.
Exfoliate Three or more times a Week.
I know I've talked about scrubs and their importance a lot in my blogs. If you haven't read them here is a good one to take a look at Why I Love Scrubs and You Should Too. Natural exfoliators are great to use in the shower. I prefer salt scrubs in the summertime for their skin soothing properties and the minerals in salt are excellent in calming inflamed or agitated skin. Salt scrubs also curb excessive oil production which means you won't be greasy and shiny when you sweat. If you are looking for an all natural skin care option, shop our collection of scrubs here. My favorite is Elevate Rose and sandalwood Salt Scrub. However, if you have sunburned skin, open wounds or excessively dry and sensitive skin in the summertime refrain from using a salt scrub. A good alternative is a sugar or shell scrubs.
Moisturize Daily
If you scrub in the shower your skin will already be soft and moist but I find that adding a good moisturizer to my daily routine especially at night or after time in the pool or at the beach is essential to maintaining moisture. I sometimes favor a body oil to a body butter but I do alternate because each has its own benefits that work best when used alternatively. My favorite go-to is Synergy Ayurvedic Body Oil (Can you tell that rose is my favorite super ingredient?) Well, it is because roses are as powerful as they are beautiful!
Sharing Some Rose Love
Roses have so many benefits, rose extracts are excellent makeup removers, they can also add a great layer of cooling and soothing to any skin treatment you choose without altering the base. Rose water lifts and discards impurities gently and naturally. Rose powder adds glow and vitality to aging or sensitive skin and rose petals make the perfect additive to a facial steam or bath water to induce the element of moisture while toning and minimizing pores. Rose clay and crushed rose powder will also calm and eliminate skin flare-ups from allergies and irritation.
If you want to step up your summer skincare another notch then try this cooling mask below. My Grandmom used different variations of this mask for different skin needs. She sported glowing skin all her life.
DIY Cooling Mask Recipe
1/2 Cup Finely ground Chickpea flour,
4 tsp Finely crushed rosebuds
2 Tsp Freshly milled turmeric powder
1/2 Lemon squeezed
Thin this paste with rose water. ( I prefer it to be refrigerated) until it is smooth yet not runny.
Why These Ingredients?
- Rose powder is a natural skin coolant and tone equalizer
- Turmeric is an anti-inflammatory spice with incredible healing abilities
- Lemon juice an antibacterial and skin brightener, rich in vitamin C and citric acid.
- Rose water balances the skin's pH and also controls excessive oil production.
Directions
You can also make the powder blend and store it in an airtight container and simply add the rose water and lemon juice to the amount you scoop out to use everytime you need it. Use it as often as you want without any ill effects. I apply a liberal amount to my face and neck and sometimes even back and arms using a masking brush to paint it on. I find the brush is mess free and also gives me an even thin coat which is all you need. You can certainly use your fingers to apply the paste. Leave it on for a few minutes, this blend will dry quickly, you can use a wet, lukewarm washcloth to wipe the mask off gently. Or you may also wash it off in the shower. Lukewarm water usually is more effective than cold for this mask.
Why Mask?
Masking is second to none in its ability to maintain blemish free and even-toned skin.
If you don't feel like DIYing a mask for your skin don't worry! We have some amazing masks for you to try. Grabe one that catches your fancy here.
Winning the Big Fight.
Keep your skin youthful and slow down the aging process with these simple steps.
Have a plan for every season. Pick your products depending on the problems you face based on your skin type and lifestyle.
Do Your Homework on the products you put on your skin. We place a tremendous amount of trust in the companies who create our products so it is important to know if they are worthy of our trust and our money.
Remember to shop by ingredients. There are so many natural powerhouse ingredients that are used in Ayurvedic skin care. Using them correctly is everything. Make sure every ingredient in your chosen product has a purpose. Stay away from products that use chemical and fillers that have no restorative or cleansing purpose.
Quality over Quantity. You can have three really good skin products that will keep you looking your very best as opposed to 8 or 9 generic creams and gels that are not effective. Less is definitely more when it comes to skin care products.
To Shop our collection of Ayurvedic skin care go to www.lotusandaire.com
Subscribe to our newsletter: