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Want to maintain your youthful complexion this summer? We certainly do so we turned to the expert! As a skincare specialist and nutritionist, Katie White shares with you a few of her top tips for keeping your skin safe in the sun – even in the UK!

 

Hydration internal and external
Hydration is essential to keep skin looking plump, firm and healthy. In the same way sun evaporates water, it can dehydrate our skin both internally and externally.

Make sure you always keep a water bottle with you to encourage you to drink around 2 litres per day – probably a little more if you are working out (sweating buckets on the tube)

To keep my skin feeling fresh and hydrate externally I love using a mist with hydrating properties such as rose water, orange blossom water, aloe, glycerine. Use before applying serum for that extra boost of moisture and protection and then use as desired throughout the day. Most natural beauty brands have a mist in their line ups.
SPF
I always recommend that my clients wear SPF every day. Our skin is constantly exposed to UV rays, whether this is from the sun or from our laptops, which can lead to pigmentation and premature aging.
Natural skincare brands are starting to step up to the consumer’s expectations and produce lightweight SPFs for daily wear with high factor protection.
Another very effective SPF is the shade; I know it’s temptating to roast your self to top up your vitamin D, but it doesn’t quite work like that. Studies show that you need around 5-30 minutes of unprotected sun exposure (even through the clouds) twice a week for sufficient vitamin D synthesis.
Good skin care regime
As always, a good skincare regime is essential to keep you skin glowing and avoid any dryness, redness or irritation that may come with the sun and heat.

Here is what to look for in a deep cleansing and hydrating summer skincare regime:

Cleanser: look for an efficient yet hydrating cleanser – in these hot summer months in London our skin can get a bit grimy so we want to ensure we are cleansing thoroughly without stripping away the natural oils that protect us from bacteria.

Exfoliator: to avoid any congestion from getting a little bit sweaty with a full face of make up its good to exfoliate GENTLEY twice a week with either an exfoliator with perfectly round beads or a product with AHAs.

Hydration: hydration is key to keeping your skin strong and maintaining the integrity of skin cells so they can do their job as our bodies barrier to the outside world. As I mentioned before, a hydrating mist is great followed by a serum, moisturised and SPF. If this is too heavy for your skin just take out one of the steps (not the SPF!)
Diet
Diet is essential for maintaining healthy skin all year round but there are a couple of key nutrients to protect skin from sun damage and help with recovery from exposure to UV rays.

Omega 3: UV rays can cause collagen to break down at a faster rate which can lead to loss of skins elasticity and firmness. Omega 3 fatty acid is a collagen boosting nutrient and can be found in oily fish, nuts and seeds

Antioxidant vitamins:
The sun is known to cause oxidative damage to the skin, releasing free radicals as it does.
Together, Vitamins A, C and E offer a power house of antioxidant protection which helps rebuild skin, promote collagen synthesis, improves skins texture and reduces damage from UV rays. Good sources of these vitamins are dark green leafy veg, carrots, sweet potatoes, broccoli, avocado, nuts, seeds, olive oil, tomatoes and citrus fruits

 

In the event that you do get burnt, the following things can help:

Stay out of the sun – protect yourself against sunburn

Lactic acid – cold milk or yoghurt either directly on the burn or soak a cloth in milk and apply it to the burn. The cool temperature will act as an anti-inflammatory while the lactic acid works on removing the dead skin to help the burn heal quicker

Aloe vera – keep in the fridge and apply liberally to sunburn. It will act as an anti-inflammatory and aloe vera is amazing for promoting hydration and healing in skin

Lavender essential oil – either neat or mixed with a carrier oil such as almond oil or coconut oil is great for taking the heat out of a burn to reduce redness, swelling and pain

 

Stay safe out there and please feel free to get in touch directly with any questions or for product recommendations

Katie x

@relaxldn

 

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