Summer weather brings wonderful things like warm vegetable growing weather, trips to the beach and camping. It’s also a time when the bugs wake up, you sweat buckets, and you consistently have your hands in the dirt. I know, I know, you can wear gloves, and I do when I remember, but I’m always in my garden. Sometimes I tell myself I’m going to do a quick check and wind up doing something major because it’s called for and gloves are an afterthought.
I take some extra special care to protect my skin in the summer, and I want to do it as naturally as possible. There are tons of toxins and chemicals in the world that I have no control over, so I want to make the best choices about the things I do have control over. Food of course is one of the most important elements of life to take control over in order to maintain or regain your health. However, skin care should not be thrown to the side. Your body absorbs many of the toxins and chemicals from conventional skin care products. If you attempt to read the ingredients on any leading moisturizer, I know there will be at least a few (and probably A LOT) you won’t recognize. Do you really want all those things in your body?
It’s not just moisturizer – it’s insect repellent, hand lotion, muscle rub, and even sunscreen that can be full of toxins. An even more important question is…
Do you want those things in your children’s body?
I know I don’t!
So I set out to find affordable, natural, reliable products.
As a blogger and business owner I have a responsibility to my readers to report and test different products. Every so often I come across a product that I love and I tell you about it. Then even rarer are the cases that I come across an entire product line that I love and want to share.
Renee Harris and I are personal friends. We have a lot of the same values and beliefs, so I know her products are simply the best. They are made with the simplest ingredients and work naturally! I really encourage you to sign up for her email list so that you can take advantage of all her knowledge, and from time to time she will send you great deals.
Tips for taking care of your skin in the summer
Start from the inside out
- Drink a lot of water! You should be doing this all throughout the year, but especially in the summer months because you can get dehydrated so fast. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink water.
- Eat whole foods! Hopefully, you’re trying to do this already, and truthfully this will help your skin all year round. Going into the summer with healthy skin will make it that much easier to maintain.
- Don’t eat sugar! Or at least try to cut back. I know it’s hard with homemade ice cream and other summer treats. But sugar (especially refined sugar) is not good for any part of your body including your skin.
- Eat food with a lot of water content. Instead of ice cream eat some watermelon or honeydew. Eating food with a high water content will help you stay hydrated.
- Don’t be afraid to sweat! When you sweat toxins are purged from your body when your pores open up. This also open up any clogged pores.
Then Go From The Top Down
Hair
Your hair is not part of your skin but it still needs help in the summer months.
- Don’t dye your hair! I know this is hard, especially living in our society where gray hair is looked down upon. But it’s so hard on your hair; even natural dyes can really do damage. Consider going natural with the hair color God has given you at the moment, even it’s grey.
- Wear a hat. This will also protect your face from the sun.
- If you’re in and out of the water a lot, consider wearing your hair shorter. I use the Creaclip to cut my own hair. It can be used for trimming too.
- Use Hair Butter from MadeOn. This is four ingredient butter that you rub onto your hands and then apply to your hair. I have used oil for my dry hair before but Hair Butter forms a coating that I like. It stays longer. You can also use this to style frizzy or curly hair.
- Don’t wash your hair everyday.
- Use a natural bristle hair brush to move the natural oil your body makes to the ends of your hair.
Face & Lips
Your face and lips are usually the hardest hit in the summer. So here are a few things you can do to help keep a natural shiny glow.
- Keep your face clean. Consider reserving foundation for special occasions and going foundation-free the rest of the time. There is some great makeup out there, but combining sweat and makeup is just gross, no matter how high-end your makeup is. Do you really need foundation when you’re gardening or hiking?
- Rinse your face often with cool water. Don’t scrub or pull your skin.
- Moisturize even if you have oily skin, even if this means just using a moisturizing soap.
- Use Simply Shea by MadeOn. This is a great natural moisturizer with only two ingredients: shea butter and rosehip seed oil.
- Don’t forget lip balm. Use All Natural Lip Balm by MadeOn, especially if you have been out in the sun or in the water. Also apply lip balm if you do let yourself get a little dehydrated (after drinking water of course), because your lips are the first thing to get dry when dehydrated. This natural lip balm only has three ingredients: beeswax, cocoa butter, coconut oil. Renee also carries all natural tinted lip balm and wonderfully scented lip balm!
- Wear sunglasses. Don’t forget to protect your eyes in the sun!
Insect Repellent
This is a must have because of the Zika Virus, West Nile Virus, and Dengue. It also keeps away biting flies and gnats. This option is Deet-free, and unlike other natural insect repellents does not dry out your skin. Most insect repellents, natural or conventional, have alcohol in them.
- Plant herbs bugs hate like peppermint and lemon balm
- Use Bug Block by MadeOn. Not only does it protect your skin it moisturizes it too.
Muscle Relief
Summertime also brings muscle soreness especially if you’re working in the garden or doing other outdoor activities that you haven’t done throughout the winter.
- Take cool showers. Cool water helps sore muscles. Ice water is better, but if an ice bath is too uncomfortable consider an ice pack.
- Stretch regularly. Keeping muscles as limber as possible will help with soreness. Be sure to warm up before stretching muscles and never stretch to the point of agonizing pain.
- Use Bee Cool by MadeOn. This muscle rub only has 5 ingredients and has a natural cooling effect when you apply it.
Hands/Feet
Hands and feet can be difficult to keep healthy during the summer. Dirt from the garden is hard on hands, along with camping. I know when I camp with my family we use cast iron to cook in. Scrubbing those pots and pans out can be hard on the hands. Then going barefoot is hard on the heels of your feet.
- Use Bee Silk by MadeOn. This is an all natural hard lotion bar. It’s so soothing that I call it a little miracle. I love this stuff and keep it in my purse, on my nightstand and in my kitchen. It has three ingredients: beeswax, coconut oil, and shea butter.
Or if you’re a chocolate lover…
- Use Au Chocolat by MadeOn–It’s basically Bee Silk but instead of the shea butter Renee uses cocoa butter.
Bonus One: All of these things travel well – no spilling. And they will pass TSA regulations since they are not a liquid.
Bonus Two: Both of these products help repair and treat sun damage.
Sunscreen
Sunscreen is a controversial and confusing topic. Whatever you do, be sure to use a natural sunscreen that has antioxidant ingredients. Here are my favorites.
The Center For Disease Control says the sun’s most harmful rays are between 10am and 4pm. So when I go out before or after these hours I don’t use sunscreen. If I go out in the middle of the day for 20 to 30 minutes I don’t use sunscreen. If I’m out in the sun all day I use sunscreen. These guidelines apply to my children as well. We have normal skin and don’t burn super easy. If you have a different kind of skin or are sensitive you might need to follow a different regime.
Make Your Own
You can certainly make your own skin care products. I’ve done it. It’s really fun to do with kids. Renee even carries the ingredients you need or if you’d like to order a kit she has those too.
