Summer Skincare-A

By: Jordan Zeman

A solid skincare routine is a necessity throughout all seasons and climates but our skin especially begs our attention during a dramatic and lasting shift in weather.

The needs of our largest and most exposed organ change as we transition from spring to summer. The consistent sunshine is of course the most notable difference in climate at this time of year. The damaging and harmful effects of the sun receive a lot of attention. However, instead of being fearful of the sun, let’s be grateful for an abundance of Vitamin D! Nearly every cell in our body has receptors for vitamin D so it absolutely drives our innate immunity. Conversely, its absence is a large driver for seasonal illnesses. With that being said, mindful precautions are necessary in order to be safe and to retain the health and youthfulness of your skin. Side note: We have the ability to see changes in our skin over time. If our other organs were visible, would we treat them differently? I’d like to first emphasize that beauty comes from within. It’s a cliché for sure but has been my biggest personal revelation regarding skincare over the course of my early twenties. I was constantly on a hunt to find the products that would clear my acne, perfectly hydrate without being oily, shrink my pores, brighten my eyes, and overall just make my skin glow. I have learned that there are no miracle products. What we allow inside our bodies every day and at every meal is the biggest factor is creating beautiful skin. Think of skincare products as a supplement to a nutritious diet and a conscious lifestyle. If you’re not eating your greens, drinking plenty of water, incorporating healthy fats, and getting a variety of vitamins and minerals in your diet, don’t expect your topical skincare to pick up all the slack. If you’re looking to improve your diet and facial care products to protect and rejuvenate your skin, here are a few product recommendations to get started!

Garden of Life Super Beauty Collagen--astaxanthin and vitamin C—ingredients proven to boost your skin’s elasticity and resistance to UVA- and UVB-related skin aging. UV-blocking properties, help skin protect itself against sun-related aging.

Mad Hippie Vitamin C Serum—– One of the most vital ingredients in any effective skin care regimen, Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and can help reduce the appearance of wrinkles & discoloration. Vitamin C in the form of Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate is more a more stable source than what is found in most other Vit C products. Vitamin C helps prevent hyper-pigmentation and can improve the appearance of fine lines. Layer a few drops on your skin between cleansing and moisturizer.

Summer might be a great time to add an exfoliation step to your skin-care routine. Try slowly increasing the number of days you exfoliate per week. Sloughing away those outer layers can actually be extremely soothing on stressed-out summer skin. Acure’s Radically Rejuvenating Facial Scrub is packed with antioxidants that fend off free radicals, red clay that helps draw out impurities and black jojoba beads that delicately exfoliate leaving your skin feeling renewed.

Badger Sunscreen—ranked high by the Environmental Working Group, Badger’s certified organic mineral sunscreens provide safe broad spectrum protection with the mineral zinc oxide. Unfortunately, many brands of sunscreens contain chemicals that are absorbed into the body and can impact our health. It’s absolutely a smart idea to do your research and find a safe sunscreen to have on hand but you may want to think about making sunscreen your last resort. We are human and can easily get distracted by the fun happening around us and forget to put on sunscreen or to reapply. Once you’ve gotten your daily dose of pure Vitamin D during indirect sunlight hours it is good practice to wear sun blocking clothes, find or make shade, wear sunglasses, check the UV index, and in general plan outdoor activities around the sun when you can. I’d highly recommend a wide-brim hat!

An app such as dminder can help you avoid high UV times of day but also encourages mindfulness on getting the right amount of Vitamin D from the sun without SPF.

A few last tips: Keep showers brief and not too hot to prevent over-drying your skin. Consume foods that are high in Vitamin C to give your body the building blocks it needs to produce more collagen on its own. Find shade during midday hours. Don’t forget to hydrate and moisturize. In a nutshell, drink water, eat your veggies and wear a chic hat!