Seven Summer Skincare Sins

Here we are on the cusp of August when most of us will be going on our biggest holiday of the year. From the sun worshipers to the adrenaline junkies, the heat and exposure to the elements can wreak havoc on the skin. These are the ways we can be damaging our skin whilst having the time our lives.

1. High and Dry: It's possible to lose up to 3 litres of water on a long haul flight. At high altitudes the low humidity encourages water to be lost through evaporation from our mouths. Combine this with drinking alcohol, which acts as a diuretic, and eating salty foods means that your skin is in for a rough flight. Dehydrated skin appears dull, lips are dry and cracked, wrinkles are exaggerated and eyes are puffy and red.

To combat this, keep a medium sized water bottle with you on the flight and refill it regularly. Apply a night cream with hyaluronic acid before the flight and during to lock in extra moisture for your face. Stock up on lip balm and wear glasses instead of contact lenses on the flight.

2. Going Bare: Hopefully we all know that wearing sunblock reduces the damage that UV rays exert on our DNA. It prevents wrinkles and sunspots and drastically reduces the chance of skin cancer....but only if we use it correctly. How many of us remember to apply sunblock to the tips of our ears, along the hairline, hands, feet or lips. This is particularly important because the ears, hands and feet are often exposed to the most sunlight . Lips are especially vulnerable to UV as they don't have very much melanin. It comes as no surprise that these areas are most prone to skin cancer.

3. Once is Not Enough: Ok, so you apply sunblock AND you make sure to cover all the vital areas, but do you reapply? After 2 hours sunblock loses its efficacy due to sweating and activity. To get the maximum benefit choose a broad spectrum brand, use a shot glass full for the entire body, apply every two hours and after every dip in the sea.

4. Foundation in the Sand: Thick layers of foundation, eye shadow and mascara on the beach should be avoided. The high humidity increases sweating and causes make-up to run. Mascara is undoubtedly the worse offender. More importantly the combination of thick make-up and perspiration blocks pores and creates the perfect breeding ground for acne bacteria. Even lipstick has its drawbacks as its shine attracts UV rays.

If you want to be kind to your skin whilst having fun, focus on applying sunscreen and find a lip balm with SPF. For those of you who really want to be glamorous whilst on the beach, the next tip is for you.

5. Shades to the Rescue: The sun's rays don't just damage the skin. Excessive exposure to UV radiation increases the chance of developing cataracts, where the lens of the eye becomes cloudy, and macular degeneration, when vision deteriorates in the eye. 10% of all skin cancers occur on the eye lids. Bright light and sunny days make us more likely to squint and develop wrinkles around our eyes.

All of these risks are reduced by wearing a good pair optometrist approved. Look for brands that are polarised as these have a filter which blocks out all rays except those that are vertically oriented.

6. Forgetting our Feet: Wearing sandals, open backed shoes or shoes without any support can cause the fat pads in our heels to spread out which cracks the skin. Standing for long periods of time and exposing our feet to the drying effects of the air can exacerbate the problem.If sandals are a staple of your summer wardrobe, try applying heel balm at night and then wearing socks to bed. Most heel balms work within days. This is definitely a key ingredient in my summer skincare.

7. Scratching That Itch: The biggest drawback to summer is the influx of biting insects. The situation is made worse because we wear less clothing and spend more time outdoors. If a creepy crawly does manage to get you, resist the urge to scratch. Scratching breaks the skin's barrier, promotes infection and increases inflammation...all of which can lead to scarring. Aside from insect repellent, apply soothing antiseptics such as witch hazel or aloe vera to cool down and anti-histamine creams to keep the itch at bay.

Cosmetic Beauty Secrets wants to wish everyone a safe and fabulous summer holiday! Armed with your skin care do's and don'ts we know it will be a blast.

If you want to check out our tips for looking beautiful after a long haul flight click here and don't hesitate to contact us for further information. Bon voyage!

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