SUMMER SPA DAYS: Get Rid of Dry Skin

Just when you think you have your skin care routine down, summer hits. The hot temperatures and the change of climate when going on vacation can throw you (and your skin!) for a serious loop. Between spending time outdoors to retreating to a pool to cool off, your skin takes a beating from heat, chlorine, and even environmental factors, like elevated smog levels. Because of all this, we need to be willing to switch up our routine and give our skin some extra special TLC with moisture-rich products to balance and repair.

Typically during the summer the air is humid, giving our skin an added boost of moisture. However, in some areas of the country it is dry, dry, dry and it shows through our skin.  Balancing out your skin’s moisture content is easy if you know what ingredients to look for. We suggest moisture-rich (and all organic, of course!) Jojoba Oil, Shea Butter, Aloe, Almond Oil, Coconut Oil, Avocado Oil, Camellia Oil, and Cocoa Butter, to name a few.

Using natural products to combat dry is skin is essential. So often products touting names like “Aloe After Sun Moisturizer,” which claim to be made with “Vitamin E and Cocoa Butter,” also contain some not-so-good ingredients like Mineral Oil, Propylene Glycol, and Fragrance when you check out ingredient list.  But what’s wrong with Mineral Oil? Sounds healthy enough to me.  Nope. Mineral Oil creates a protective barrier over your skin, not allowing any sort of moisture or other good-for-you ingredients to penetrate and reach the skin. (Don’t believe us? Check this video out.) What’s the good of Cocoa Butter if it can’t get to your skin? Not only that, but Mineral Oil and other petroleum-based products are extremely drying on their own. Ever known anyone to have a ChapStick “addiction?” Well, that’s because the petroleum proved drying to their lips, kept their lips constantly chapped and craving more, more, more.

Luckily for us, natural ingredients are powerful and can get the job done without the use of harmful chemicals. Here are a few at home spa ideas to restore your skin the all-natural way:

• Calm inflammation. If your skin is irritated from too much wind or too much sun, reach for products filled with tamanu oil, an ingredient that has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Our Eco Body Lotion has tamanu oil, making it a particularly good product for slathering on after being in the sun, and our Tamanu Luxury Facial Cleanser is one of our most popular products, perfect for calming and cleansing skin at the end of the day.
• Get Smooth. Dry air and heat can cause skin to become dry and rough, but that doesn't mean you have to cover it up. Exfoliate arms, legs, hands, and feet with with a Dry Brush. The centuries-old technique of dry brushing is said to detox, exfoliate, and stimulate skin. Incorporating dry brushing into your daily routine will clear the skin's pores and pathways so that the body can properly detox for vibrant, radiant health. Another great tip for Summer: pick the peppermint - it's naturally cooling and like air conditioning in a jar. Who knew you could get goosebumps in the summer?
• Slather. Massage. Cover. If your hands and feet are especially dry, apply a good amount of moisturizing lotion, like our Healing Hand Butter, to them before you go to bed. Cover with gloves and/or socks to help your skin soak up as much moisture as possible. Warning: your hands may feel as soft as a baby’s bottom when you wake up.  

Once your skin is happily moisturized, there are natural ways to keep it from drying out too much again:  

• You’ve heard it plenty of times before: make sure you drink lots and lots of water. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty; rather keep a full glass near you throughout the day to encourage continuous consumption. Also, take advantage of seasonal fruits and veggies, like watermelon, and tomatoes, as they, too, provide a substantial amount of your daily water intake. Don’t forget to buy organic and local. For the best results, keep chemicals off your food and keep the distance from farm to table as short as possible.  
• Chlorine can be very drying to your hair and skin, so if you plant to spend time in the pool, rinse off with non-chlorinated water before you jump in. This will allow your hair to absorb clean water versus fill up with the chlorinated, toxic stuff. Then, when you get out, rinse the chlorine of your body as soon as possible and follow up with an application of lotion to keep skin from drying out. 
• Apply your moisturizer or lotion while skin is still damp. The layer of lotion will trap in the moisture, allowing it to absorb into your skin.
• Reduce shower time and try to avoid super hot water temperatures as they can wash away your skin’s important natural oils. You should also choose showers over baths (it’s tough sometimes, we know!) and pat dry instead of doing a quick dry rub down. 
• SUNSCREEN. SUNSCREEN. SUNSCREEN. When you’re spending time in the sun, make sure your skin is protected. To find a non-toxic option, visit the EWG’s Skin Deep Cosmetic Database.

While these tips are great to have handy when you've had enough of the heat, we hope that they also serve as preventative tips, too. If you have a vacation planned to a knowingly dry and hot climate, stock up on products that you know you will need, like a moisturizing lotion and lip balm. Prepping your makeup bag before you leave will allow you to not skip a beat with your skin care routine and enjoy your vacation to the fullest.

For more pure nontoxic skincare products, browse more Sally B's Skin Yummies products and feel good knowing that you are being good to yourself and the planet!