Skin care use is usually much higher in the winter than in the warmer months. We mistakenly believe that winter weather is much harsher on our skin and we have to protect ourselves only when the weather is cold.

Summer sun and heat can be just a damaging to skin. And in the summer, we have more skin exposed to the environment. Just like we are repeatedly told that we should apply sun block year round, after all, the sun is out every day no matter the season, we also need to learn that cold, dry weather isn’t the only threat to our skin.

Summer weather can cause dehydration very easily, and your skin is one of the first organs (your skin is your body’s largest organ!) to suffer the effects of dehydration. When your body has to conserve water, it uses available hydration to keep the most important body functions running. Sun, salt, sand, chlorine and air conditioning all dry out skin. Dehydrated skin will become itchy, dull, and lines and wrinkles will increase and deepen and “shadows” appear on the skin, around the eyes and nose, giving your eyes a sunken look.

To prevent hydration problems and to help keep your skin healthy, here’s a few things that you can do to save your skin in warm weather:

Drink enough water.

If you find your skin looking dry, or your lips are chapped, up your fluid intake. According to the Mayo Clinic , adult males should drink an average of 3.7 liters of water a day, for females, it’s 2.7 liters. Exercise, hot weather, high altitudes, will all increase your need for fluids. 

It’s not enough just to replace fluid you sweat, heat draws hydration from your body so you will need to replenish more and more often. When you start to feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated.  

Hydrating from the inside out is the best way to protect the health of your skin and your body.  If you plan on spending the day outside, make sure you take plenty of water with you so you are prepare if you get overheated. And if you start to feel warm, dizzy or nauseous, get out of the sun and rest and rehydrate.  Dehydration can happen quickly in hot weater.

Air conditioners dry skin!

Air conditioning takes moisture out of the air and in turn, draws moisture out of your skin. It will deplete your skin’s natural oils, drying out your skin. To counteract the drying effect of air conditioners, using a humidifier can help replace moisture in the air and cooler showers can also mitigate the drying effects of air conditioning. Dry air can cause a number of issues besides dry skin:

• Respiratory ailments – dry air can exacerbate chronic respiratory issues like asthma
• Eye and throat irritations – dry air can dry the mucus membranes in the eyes and throat resulting in irritation
• Stress – a study has shown a connection between lower levels of humidity and increased stress

Clean your skin properly.

We tend to exercise more in the warm weather, and sweat more. While sweating helps your body rid itself of toxins, if you don’t clean your skin properly, your pores can become clogged with dirt and debris, which will cause, in addition to skin problems, dehydration. Make sure you use gentle cleansers that clear away debris without drying out your skin. Using oils to clean your skin can be effective in removing dirt and debris without drying out the skin. Almond oil is an effective cleanser that also has many benefits for skin health.

Which leads us to:

Don’t clean or exfoliate your skin too much.

For those of us who like the feeling of clean, smooth skin, washing or exfoliating too frequently or using harsh products can actually harm your skin by stripping away your skin’s natural oils, leaving you with dry, flaky skin. You can also cause oily skin, because when you strip away your natural oils, your skin begins to overproduce to replace it. Use gentle cleansers and exfoliators and moisturize your skin with products that will rehydrate your skin and rebuild the moisture barrier in your skin. Almond oil is a natural cleanser that scours the pores, and will help rehydrate dry skin.

If you wake up with dry, flaky skin, skip your morning washing, just a gentle wipe, and use a light face cream or lotion to rehydrate. Washing should only be for cleaning makeup, sweat and dirt that accumulates throughout the day. If you wash your face thoroughly at night, you should not need to do a full cleaning in the morning.

If your skin feels tight, that indicates that you have stripped away the natural oils your skin produces to maintain the moisture balance in your skin. Sensitivity, red and itchy skin, or patches of flaky skin can also indicate that you are washing too much, or with a too-harsh cleanser.

You’re getting too much sun and not treating your overexposure.

We have all heard that we need to be vigilant about applying sunscreen. Every time we walk outside, even on overcast days, our skin is exposed to damaging UV rays. Short exposure is important for our bodies to produce Vitamin D, but spending hours in the sun causes damage to the underlying structure of our skin. Sunburn causes the skin to become dehydrated, lose antioxidants, and the fats in the skin deteriorate.

To treat sunburned skin it is important to soothe the burn with aloe, hydrocortisone cream and cool the skin with damp cloths or a cool bath. Resist the urge to remove peeling skin or break blisters. Use moisturizer to help skin regain its moisture barrier and rehydrate your body. It is important to replenish moisture lost by overexposure, as well as the vitamins and nutrients that are depleted by the sun.

Bel Essence products are made for all climates and seasons. The oils in the products provide hydration and nutrition that helps rebuild healthy skin cells, collagen and elastin, and create a moisture barrier in your skin to keep it hydrated no matter what the weather conditions.

You spend a lot of time in your pool.

Chlorine, like the sun, dries out hair and skin and can cause reactions and rashes in sensitive skin. Your best defense against the effects of chlorine is to take a cool shower (hot showers open your pores allowing chlorine into your skin) after your swim, and apply a moisturizer if your skin is still dry and a conditioner for your hair.

By being aware of the effects of summer weather, environment and activities on your skin, you can make sure that you include products and adjustments that will protect your skin’s health. Your skin care routine should be followed year round to keep your skin healthy, youthful and glowing.