7 Smart Ways to Keep Your Skin Hydrated This Summer

The summer heat leeches moisture from the skin, which is why it’s so important to focus on keeping your skin hydrated during the hottest months. From exfoliating to drinking more water, learn how to treat your skin right this summer no matter how hot it gets.

Wash With Lukewarm Water

Using hot water for your showers or for washing your face dries out your skin. In summer you don’t need to take a steaming hot shower, anyway. Lukewarm water will feel better on your skin, cool you down, and help your skin retain moisture. Turn down the temperature as much as you can. If you can’t give up hot showers, limit the amount of time you spend in the shower, and at least switch your face washing routine from hot to lukewarm water.

Use a Weekly Hydrating Mask

Ingredients you already have in your home provide a helpful weekly hydrating face mask. You can find lots of DIY recipes for masks containing oil, avocado, honey, bananas, and more. You don’t want to overdo it on the hydrating masks because you may end up clogging your pores. Once a week is enough to give your skin a hydrating boost and a silky feel.

Exfoliate

When you’ve got a layer of dead, dry skin clinging to your face, those moisturizers you apply don’t reach the living layers of skin. Exfoliate to remove that outer layer of dry skin; you’ll notice that your complexion appears brighter, that you don’t break out as often, and that your moisturizer is more effective. You don’t need to exfoliate daily. Once or twice a week is adequate, and if you notice your skin getting red or irritated, use a gentler exfoliant or reduce the frequency of your exfoliation.

Ditch Acid Cleansers

Salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide do work wonders on acne, but they dry out your skin something fierce. If you use an acne-fighting cleanser with these ingredients, switch to a gentler cleanser this summer. To keep your acne in check, use a spot treatment containing benzoyl peroxide, instead. That way you can dab a bit of spot treatment where you need it without drying the rest of your skin. Get more information from Amway about skin care to find the best cleanser for your complexion.

Drink Water

Image via Flickr by panafotkas

It’s obvious that if you want to keep your biggest organ, the skin, hydrated, you need to drink water. Yet lots of people forget, so it’s always worth repeating. Your skin will stay hydrated better if you keep your body hydrated. The human body needs lots of water, especially in summer when hot temperatures and humidity cause us to sweat.

Wear Sunscreen

You’ve seen the dry, dead skin peeling off a bad sunburn before, right? Sunburns damage your skin, and the red skin you’re left with after is drier and less supple than it was before. So avoid getting a sunburn in the first place by wearing sunscreen. It doesn’t matter if you’re stepping outside for ten minutes or all afternoon, you need sunscreen in the summer. If you sweat or get wet, reapply your sunscreen as soon as you can. One sunburn is all it takes to cause irreparable skin damage, so prevention is the best measure you can take.

Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize!

Your skin naturally produces oils that keep it moist, but it needs your help, too. After you wash your face, take a shower, or exfoliate, you need to moisturize right away before your skin can dry out. Depending on you complexion’s level of oiliness, you’ll find that different moisturizers do different things for your skin. If your skin still feels dry after you apply moisturizer, you need one with more oil. If the reverse is true and your skin feels slick and oily, you need one with more water and less oil. What’s important is to find the right product so you feel comfortable using it daily.

Allow your skin to look its best by keeping it moisturized. Combine these techniques to find the skin hydration regime that works best for you.