Summer’s here – is your skin ready? Warm weather sets the stage for lighter, more revealing clothing and even though you may not necessarily gravitate towards midriff baring tops, minis or plunging necklines, if you want to keep cool, you will be showing more skin. And you’ll want that skin to radiate health.
Here are 5 top tips to ensure that your skin is ready for summer.
Tip 1: Exfoliate, exfoliate. Whether you have bumpy skin due to keratosis pilaris or scaling, dry skin that has been hidden away under layers for months, exfoliation can help. You want to show off smooth, sexy arms and legs so choose from a range of treatment options including scrubs and chemical exfoliants with ingredients including glycolic acid, mandelic acid or lactic acid. Try Neostrata Body Smoothing Lotion or Lac-Hydrin Lotion.
Tip 2: Moisturize – The cold weather may have gone, but if you suffer from dry skin, you still need to pay attention. A good moisturizer will help to lock in moisture and maintain the health of your skin. What worked through the winter may be too heavy for the summer and you may need to consider lighter options. Consider La Roche Posay Iso Urea which exfoliates and moisturizes doing double duty. M2’s Exfoliating Moisturizer is a facial treatment that soothes dry skin and exfoliates with gentle mandelic/malic acid. And Keys Luminos is a chemical free option that contains anti aging benefits. Skin appears soft and luminous.
Tip 3: Inject Some Color – This may not be a concern if you’re darker skinned, but friends of mine with lighter skin do complain (I think they look fabulous…). If you yearn for a glow, then do it safely with a fake tan. Try Neostrata Insta-Tan or La Roche Posay Autohelios.
Tip 4: Address Your Elbows and Knees – Modest though you may be, summer dressing will almost certainly reveal your elbows and/or knees.These parts of our bodies contain more skin than others and is thicker mainly because there needs to be more skin to move with us when we bend and stretch. Friction and trauma (even from something as simple as resting elbows on the table on kneeling on the floor) can cause the epidermis to thicken, leading to a leathery appearance that appears darker than surrounding skin.
While there isn’t a quick fix to resolving darkened knees or elbows, there are some steps you can take:
- Moisturize and exfoliate, which will help to remove dry, dead skin cells. Products like Lac-Hydrin and La Roche Posay Iso Urea may be particularly beneficial.
- Lighten skin. Although not specifically indicated for these areas, check with your dermatologist to see if he following treatments may make sense for you:
- Hydroquinone creams such as Glyquin XM or Lustra
- Hydroquinone-free alternatives including kojic acid (try La Roche Posay Mela D) , Neostrata Spot Lightener ), Reversa Anti Spot Night Care can help.
Skin lightening is a gradual process can take many weeks or months. Remember to use sunscreen to keep the area light. Choose from a range of effective formulations including Anthelios sunscreen, Keys Solar Rx and Cliniderm SPF 45.
Tip 5: Exercise. While at the outset this may sound like a strange tip regarding summer skin, consider that exercise can provide salvation from flabby arms, jelly thighs and a muffin top. Nothing you do to your skin can make it look better than if it’s fit.
Lastly, don’t forget the sunscreen. The daily use of a broad spectrum UVA/UVB blocking sunscreen is the most important thing you can do to keep your skin looking young and healthy for years to come.
