cosmetologist, expert of Shopping Live online store
How to take care of yourself in summer to keep your hair and skin beautiful?
SPF is not just for the beach
The first rule of summer care is not to forget about sun protection. Yes, the SPF bottle is always our faithful companion on the beach. But now we are not talking about those cases when you risk getting fried, but about urban everyday life.
UV light does not care where to penetrate the skin – on the beach or in the metropolis. And, maybe, during a walk in the park on a sunny day you will not get a burn, but another dose of UV rays, more aggressive in summer time, will significantly approach the appearance of wrinkles.
If there is hyaluronka in the composition, be sure to check that it is low molecular weight. Otherwise you will get a product with huge molecules of the active component, which will not penetrate into the skin, but will only create a locking film on its surface.
Such an effect is of little use in summer, and it is contraindicated for oily skin. But this does not mean that the composition of the cream can not be, for example, oils, although they are also considered locking components. It all depends on the type of skin.
For dry skin, a nourishing cream with oils is suitable, but with a lighter texture than the winter cream. For oily and combination skin, a great option is moisturizing gels and mattifying face wipes, which absorb excess sebum and retain moisture. There is another very important component – drinking water. If you don’t maintain water balance, no cream will transform you.
No to aggressive peels and procedures
In summer, it is better to refuse products with components that increase the skin’s sensitivity to ultraviolet light. The first on the black list is retinol. It is dangerous phototoxicity. That is, when interacting with the sun, firstly, can severely burn the skin, and secondly, contribute to the development of tumors. Retinol is followed by acids, but means with them are not under a complete ban. They can be used if you are not going to go directly into the sun in the next couple of hours.
So, it turns out that in the summer we have to give up peeling? Not at all. In warm weather, as well as in winter, it is important to remove keratinized skin particles about once a week. But it is important not to traumatize the skin, otherwise exposure to UV rays will provoke either burns or unwanted pigmentation.
It is necessary to switch to more gentle peels, and retinol replaced by analogs. Among them are plant variants: blue retinol, which is actually an extract of blue algae, bakuchiol, rosehip oil – and synthetic: copper peptide or matrixyl. All of them are devoid of phototoxicity, they can be safely used in the sun.
Plant analogs will additionally nourish the skin with vitamins, and chemical ones will enhance tissue regeneration and collagen synthesis. By the way, you should also refuse aggressive salon procedures: chemical peels of medium and deep penetration, laser hair removal of the upper lip, skin resurfacing, removal of tattoos in open areas. There is no substitute for them. It is better not to carry them out and just wait until the activity of UV rays decreases.
Summer is the time of bright images, and makeup should be to match them. One of the trends of the season-2022 – matte textures of lipsticks, which loved for the saturation of shades. But lips in such an outfit have a hard time. Matte products usually dry out the skin due to the fact that they contain more pigment and less moisturizing components than glossy lipsticks. And in summer, this effect is intensified due to the heat.
Before applying any cosmetics that are not labeled “moisturizing”, the skin should be prepared. Apply a nourishing balm or the same lip mask, leave it on for half an hour to an hour until it is fully absorbed, and voila – now your lips will remain juicy even after a whole day in matte lipstick.
In summer you should not carry out procedures that involve serious interference in the nature of hair: melting, bleaching, perming and straightening. Ploys, tongs and hair dryer is also better for a while to remove from the beauty arsenal or at least reduce their use. The heat outside, multiplied by the heat from gadgets, will deprive the hair of the last vital forces.
But you can color safely. Only immediately after coloring should not go to places where there is a lot of sun. Do it a couple of weeks before the vacation. Otherwise, the blond will turn into unaesthetic yellowness, and darker shades will quickly fade.
Nourish dry skin, control oily skin
In summer, all the weak points of the skin become even weaker. Dry skin only dries out more due to the heat, while oily skin produces sebum even more actively. As a result, we get either lifeless straw instead of hair, or the feeling of a dirty scalp on the second day after washing. To achieve harmony, you need to choose summer products according to your hair and scalp type.
If the scalp is oily, it is worth switching to a shampoo that regulates the production of sebum. It will contain ingredients that gently cleanse the scalp without depriving it of nutrients: zinc, selenium, nettle extract, clay, salicylic acid. As for the length of hair, we apply a revitalizing conditioner or balm with moisturizing components and nourishing oils of argan, jojoba, coconut, shea, emblica.
Protecting hair from external factors
Where hair is most stressed is on vacation. Sea and chlorinated water destroys keratin, the sun burns ultraviolet, the wind turns the style into a disheveled peacock’s tail. There are two simple things you can do to protect your hair from them.
Headgear. No product will not protect the hair on the top of your head as much as a simple hat, panama or scarf, which completely blocks the way to UV rays. And if you find a chic beach hat with wide brim, you will not only protect almost the entire length of your hair, but also create an unforgettable image.
Rinsing. After the pool or sea, you should rinse your hair with clean water so that no salt or chlorine remains on it. There are also special sunscreen products for hair: sprays, oils, creams and light fluids. Choose the one you like best and apply it all over your hair if you’re going out in the sun.