Pamper your body in summer
The higher temperatures and the changes in our routine and diet are an invitation to enjoy the long-awaited summer. However, they can also mean we take less care of our physical appearance. Holidays, relaxation and disconnection usually bring with them a carefree attitude that translates into extra pounds and sun-damaged skin and hair.
However, this change of outlook doesn’t affect all parts of our body equally. Some areas, like our hands, feets, elbows and heels, need more care than others to stay healthy. Even so, we should try to combine the pleasures of summer with habits that can help us stay fit and healthy.
Different care for body and face
Before looking at which is the most effective bodycare advice, it’s important to understand the difference between the face and the body.
Our body is protected by clothing all year, while the face is constantly exposed to external factors like the sun, the wind and pollution, which have a direct impact on it. In addition, the skin of our face is thinner and more sensitive to irritation and dermatological conditions than the skin on the rest of our bodies. All this means the passage of time will make its mark on our face before the rest of the body.
These differences also apply with body and facial products. Products for the body have a fairly dense texture and tend to contain more oils than water, letting their moisturising effect penetrate deep into our body. Face products, on the other hand, are more fluid, and unlike body products, they usually don’t contain alcohol or perfumes, avoiding any reaction that could harm our skin.
Bodycare routine
Bearing these differences in mind, we can create a bodycare routine to help keep our figure under control.
- Exfoliating is the first step in looking after your skin. Its benefits are that it removes dead skin cells and prevents your skin from scaling. Exfoliate once a week and prepare your skin for the most delicious of rituals.
- Moisturising. This is the next step after exfoliation. As well as keeping hydrated by frequently drinking water and other fluids, it’s a good idea to use moisturising creams and gels, or deep-penetrating oils that nourish your skin, such as argan oil, almond oil and shea butter, which are excellent natural remedies for dry skin and hair.
- Sun cream. It’s essential to be healthy when sunbathing. That’s why you need to use a strong enough sun cream, with SPF between 30 and 60 depending on your skin tone. It’s advisable to apply sun cream at least half an hour before tanning, and to re-apply it every two hours to stay protected.
- Balanced diet. Summer offers us plenty of seasonal food, especially fruit. As well as being delicious and refreshing, many fruits, such as melon, watermelon, apricots and cherries are also low in calories, so you should include them in your diet to keep the pounds off.
- Exercise. Moderate physical activity is a habit we should keep up throughout the year. We can also make the most of the extra downtime we get on holiday to work out and keep ourselves in shape.
- Sensible clothes and shoes. As well as being light and comfortable, loose-fitting, cotton clothing prevents perspiration, which can damage our skin. It’s the same with shoes: it’s good for them to be comfortable, flexible and breathable, to prevent chafing and blisters.
If you put all this easy, simple advice into practice, your body won’t suffer from the changes that come with summer: you’ll have a healthy body you feel good about.
