Everything your Skin Needs This Summer
By now we all know that truly great skin starts from within. With each season, your body needs a different variety of nutrients to protect itself. In this article, we highlight the nutrients and products your skin needs to prepare for and see you through the summer. Certain nutrients can provide some protection against UV rays acting in a similar (but weaker) way to sunscreen. These protective effects are not instant, so this is something to build up for several weeks or months before the summer. They are never a substitute for SPF sun protection however, so you still need to always wear sunscreen – see below for product recommendations.
Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant found in cooked tomatoes, watermelon, papaya, red peppers and mango, which research shows is especially beneficial for providing natural protection against the sun. In one study, participants who ate lycopene-rich tomato paste for 12 weeks experienced 48% less reddening following exposure to UV light. Include, at least one serving of lycopene-rich foods per day. Cooking tomatoes increases their lycopene content, so homemade tomato based sauces are a top choice.
Astaxanthin is a carotenoid antioxidant, from the same family as beta-carotene. It is the pigment that gives salmon, prawns, crab and other shellfish their pink colour. This wonder nutrient has been linked with a host of skin benefits including reducing inflammation and wrinkles and improving skin’s elasticity. It has also been shown to be excellent at protecting skin against UV damage. It works from the inside, enhancing the cells natural capacity to resists UV damage. Include salmon and shellfish several times per week and consider a supplement.
The combination of nutrients and superfoods in Beauty & Go Summer Skin builds up your skin’s natural defences before you go in the sun, provides protection while you are in the sun and has restorative effects following sun exposure. Sun Defence will help skin stay soft, supple, hydrated and radiant and can even help you tan safely and help prolong your tan. Its protective ingredients include vitamins, including antioxidant vitamins A, C and E, antioxidants, coenzyme Q10, beta-carotene from carrots, green tea, aloe vera, collagen and hyaluronic acid.
Vitamin E helps skin retain moisture, aids skin healing and can help relieve skin complaints. It is also an antioxidant, so protects skin from the ageing effects of free radicals. Vitamin E may also help protect against sun damage and reduce inflammation in the skin. The best sources are spinach, kale, nuts, seeds, avocadoes, fish, broccoli and butternut squash. It is also found in Beauty & Go Summer Skin.
Self-tan is the safest way to tan and keep your skin healthy at the same time. Building up your tan gradually is easier and more natural looking and you will need a separate product for the face, designed specifically for the more delicate skin there. Tan Luxe is an excellent range of natural tanning drops that you can add to your daily moisturiser. Their products are free from chemicals such as sulphates, synthetic dyes, mineral oils and phthalates. The range contains products for both the face and body and even an anti-ageing version containing Tri-collagen booster. You can adjust the amount you add depending on the intensity of tan you want to achieve.
Beta-carotene from foods sources (as opposed to supplements) has been shown in several studies to have protecting effects against UV damage. Beta-carotene is found in carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe melon, spinach, kale and mango. Include a couple of servings of these foods every day from now on. Beauty & Go Summer Skin also contains beta-carotene from carrots.
Green tea has been shown to protect skin against sun damage, so get drinking! Green Tea contains polyphenols, powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds that can help make your skin more resistant to sunburn, inflammation and even the longer term ageing effects of the sun. Include 1-3 cups per day and decaf is available for anyone who avoids caffeine.
Colour correcting or CC creams give a lighter, more natural look than foundation, especially in the hot weather, when heavier make-up can ‘melt’ and clog pores. They moisturise, even out skin tone and some provide additional benefits such as SPF protection. Madara City CC cream is a fantastic chemical-free CC cream, which evens out skin tone addressing issues such as dullness, redness, dark spots or sallow complexion. It contains broad spectrum UVA/UVB (mineral) sunscreen, botanical extracts and hyaluronic acid for intense moisturisation.
Water is essential in the hot weather as we lose more through sweating, so are more prone to the effects of dehydration, including dehydration of the skin. Preserving hydration levels is therefore key, by drinking plenty of water. You need 1.5-2 litres per day and more if exercising or sweating in the hot weather.
While regular sunscreens work through the action of chemicals, natural mineral sunscreens work by forming a physical barrier on the skin. This barrier means the suns rays ‘bounce’ off the skin in another direction. The strong chemicals used in the former can be harmful to health, cause rashes and irritation and they also pollute the oceans when we swim, causing quite devastating effects for marine wildlife. Organii make a fantastic range of mineral sunscreens, including SPF 30, SPF 50 and After Sun Cream.
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