Basking in That Summer Glow:

Hey fellow skin addicts! So, you know how we preach all the reasons to avoid sun exposure? Premature aging, cancer risk, melasma… well, let’s give the sun credit where credit is due. With the hot weather we have been experiencing you are likely basking in a summer glow right now. Your skin is feeling hydrated and soft, your texture has improved, and your breakouts have either cleared up or at least become manageable. Let’s be honest, everything is better in summer, but why is our skin so much better? Let’s break it down:

UVB Rays

Ready for some controversial information? Here it is: UVB rays from the sun are the shorter wavelengths that cause your skin to burn when exposed without protection (read more about the effects of the different wavelengths on your skin in our recent blog post: SPF: Here’s What to Look For When Choosing The Right One For You), but these rays also have an anti-inflammatory effect on the skin… weird right? UVB rays reduce redness and swelling making them especially beneficial for acne-prone skin and rosacea. Does this mean you should go out in the sun without SPF? Absolutely NOT. We promise you that even with broad-spectrum SPF applied, your skin will still reap these benefits and avoid the risks.

Humidity

Not great for the hair but so beneficial for the skin! The increase in humidity during summer restores moisture in the skin that winter dryness strips away. Summer gives your skin barrier a chance to heal from the dryness of winter. There is less build-up of dead skin cells on the surface resulting in cleaner pores and softer texture. We can thank humidity for the summer glow we love!

Less Makeup

Hello tinted SPF, goodbye heavy foundation. Overall, we tend to wear less makeup in the summer months giving our skin a chance to breathe. A medium coverage, tinted SPF like Colorescience’s Sunforgettable Total Protection Face Shield Flex SPF provides enough coverage to hide blemishes, even out the skin’s appearance and protect against the sun (did we mention this SPF has gone viral? It’s THAT good!). Foundation does clog the pores and traps bacteria, especially on those super hot days when you’re prone to sweating. Opting for a non-comedogenic SPF in the summertime does wonders for helping your skin heal and prepare for winter.

Improved Mood, Less Stress

Sunshine really is medicine! We are all a little happier in the summer months and eager to prioritize our emotional, mental, and physical health with increased exercise, vacation time, outdoor activities, and consuming less inflammatory foods. Stress is a major source of skin conditions like acne, as is eating a poor diet. During summer we generally feel better internally and therefore look better externally.

Cool Showers and Swims

Who doesn’t love a hot shower when it’s colder than ice outside? While so enjoyable in the moment, hot showers don’t support our skin health. In fact, hot water dries out our skin as our natural oils become stripped. Taking cooler showers and jumping off docks into cool lakes does wonders for reducing the appearance of pores and puffiness, and improving overall circulation, bringing a healthy radiance back into the skin. Think of your favourite lake as your full-body ice roller!

What About Increased Sweating Though?

We can’t end this post without addressing the sweat-acne connection. Yes, some of us experience more pesky breakouts (body acne can be a big summertime issue) because of excess sweating. Keeping oil levels from reaching excess amounts is tricky in the summer, especially if your physical activity is high, but we have two products in particular that can help mitigate breakouts caused by sweating. Both of these can be thrown in your gym or beach bag and easily applied on the go:

Hale Derma Pure: What doesn’t this spray do? It’s a natural all-in-one refreshing mist spray used to reduce redness, control oil, speed up healing, and kill bacteria. You can spray it on your skin multiple times a day as needed. This is a great product to use after a workout to reduce redness and keep sweat bacteria from turning into breakouts.

DermaQuest DermaClear Pads: This is an amazing product for ridding body acne as well as ingrown hairs. These pads are highly exfoliating clearing out all dirt and bacteria from the pores to prevent and speed up the reduction of breakouts, even cystic ones!

Summer doesn’t last long in Calgary, so enjoy that summer glow and use this season to prioritize your skin health and internal wellness. Remember that what’s happening internally will shine through externally!