8 Skincare Hacks to Prep For Summer

Summer is just around the corner, and we’re practically buzzing with anticipation for longer days and shorter nights; because we all know longer days mean longer surf sessions. Sure, it may be summer in Hawaii year round, but we can’t help but celebrate the incoming of summer with those of us who experience more than one season!

Although, we can’t forget that with warmer months comes warmer skin, sometimes too warm if you catch our drift. It’s important to maintain the health of your skin year round because the sun, while we may not be able to see it, still exists in the colder months; however, it’s twice as important to maintain the health of your skin during the summer.

Our offer to you? An ultimate list of skincare prep for summer. After all, it’s far better to prepare for protection against the sun than get those horrible sunburns that leave you flaking for weeks.

PSA

Before you read on we’d like to make a PSA about the contents of this article. That PSA is that the information in this article is full of realness! Most skincare sites will tell you to slather sunscreen and stay in the shade as much as possible for fear of the sun rays, but that’s not necessary. You can have fun in the sun accompanied by healthy, supple skin without limiting yourself to fulfilling your most daring of adventures.

So grab a glass of water (because it’s fantastic for your skin) and a fruit bowl (also fantastic for your skin) and get your thumbs a-scrolling.

10 Skincare Hacks For That Summer Shine

Whether you’re a surfer, adventurer, or avid beach-goer, these 10 skincare hacks are sure to prep you for a fulfilled summer without the expense of your skin.

1. EAT YOUR WAY TO CLEAR SKIN

Our first hack, and quite honestly our favorite, is a tribute to what moms have us for centuries: eat your fruits and vegetables! It’s well-known that fruits and vegetables contain powerful antioxidants that help keep us healthy and well-nourished, but did you know that they help protect the skin from cellular damage caused by free radicals? Aiming for at least five portions of fruits and vegetables a day is important for normal skin development and maintaining a healthy skin tone. 

Increasing your intake of vitamin C is a great place to start. Vitamin C is a super antioxidant that supports our immune systems, promotes radiant skin, and helps blemishes heal properly. The best sources to get vitamin C are through eating oranges, blueberries, broccoli, guava, strawberries, and kiwi. Vitamin C is also needed to produce collagen that helps to strengthen capillaries that supply the skin. 

In addition, selenium is a powerful antioxidant that, when coupled with vitamins E and C, are essential to supporting our immune systems. A selenium-rich diet can help to protect against skin cancer, sun damage, and age spots. Eating Brazil nuts, fish, shellfish, eggs, tomatoes, and broccoli is an excellent way of getting your intake of selenium. 

Lastly, consuming vitamin E through almonds, avocado, hazelnuts, pine nuts, and sunflower and corn oils is a great way to protect your skin from oxidative cell damage, supporting healthy skin growth.

2. H20 ✖ 8

If you were to google ways to help maintain the health of your skin, we guarantee you that 90% of the articles you find will tell you to drink water, but they’re right! Water keeps your body hydrated and help’s maintain your skin’s elasticity. Those who drink large amounts of water are less likely to experience scars, wrinkles, soft lines, and overall a lack of physical aging. 

If you’re working to get a “summer body” (because all bodies are summer bodies) then you may experience sagging skin due to rapid weight loss. By drinking portioned amounts of water day-in and day-out, you can healthily tighten your skin and maintain a healthy glow.

In addition, water helps flush harmful toxins from your body that inhibit healthy skin complexion, and balance your pH levels which contribute to healthier skin and prevent those occasional dreaded pimples and breakouts.

The key: drink eight glasses of water per day.

3. SALTY SKIN, SALTY SOUL

While we advise that you put back what’s taken away, as in moisturizing after using any product or medium that takes away moisture, using salt water is a great, natural method of treating your skin. Minerals such as magnesium, calcium, and potassium are all skin-friendly and can be found in sea salt. Those with oily skin can benefit from a dip in the ocean or a saltwater solution to minimize the overproduction of oil, preventing facial skin from experiencing clogged pores.

If you have any skin conditions such as eczema, the magnesium in salt water is anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial, alleviating itching, and reducing the moisture produced by bacteria and fungi. Sea salt can also act as a natural exfoliant by opening pores for deep cleaning and increasing blood circulation. It even helps with skin cell turnover, or the process of regenerating skin cells, creating a softer texture to the skin.

But remember that too much of a good thing can lead to a bad thing, so we advise that if you use this hack, make sure you only do so once a week to prevent dehydrated skin. If you’re looking for products packed with natural, cruelty-free ingredients curated for boosting skin hydration and complexion, we advise you to try out our Aloe Cream and Coral Glow. Aloe Cream utilizes aloe and calendula to heal and hydrate, accompanied by Hawaiian Kukui nut oil to hydrate the deepest layers of skin. Coral Glow utilizes an array of skin-loving oils to restore the skin’s natural sebum production, providing its user with a youthful, dewy glow.

4. GUA SHA

Gua Sha has recently had its limelight in the skincare world, and there are certainly reasons why. To start, Gua Sha is a traditional Chinese healing method that involves scraping a massage tool, typically a u-shaped stone, that is used to promote lymphatic drainage. Your lymphatic system is responsible for storing your body’s waste and toxins. This release of waste from your tissues provides you with depuffed complexion and a feeling of clarity. Gua Sha practice also has anti-aging effects by tightening skin, reducing dark circles underneath the eyes, reducing wrinkles, brightening the complexion, and helping boost absorption of skincare products.

Typically, the best stones used are rose quartz, jade, and amethyst. Rose quartz is used as a calming stone that’s best to use at night to alleviate redness, inflammation, and puffiness. It also alleviates dead skin cells while healing any damage to your skin. Using a Jade Gua Sha will help balance your skin once you wake up, warming up your skin. Amethyst relieves stress and boosts circulation, preventing bacteria and tightening up our pores. (If you’re acne-prone, amethyst is definitely for you.)

Setting aside 30 minutes a day before the summer can help you achieve the shining complexion you desire; but remember that the way you use Gua Sha is key, if used incorrectly, there may be bruising and other damage.

5. ICE BUCKET CHALLENGE

If there is anything to take away from the year 2014, it was the ice bucket challenge; and while this next hack won’t involve you fully drenching yourself in freezing water, it will have you dunking your face in cold water. Cold water tightens the appearance of your skin, albeit temporarily, making it appear renewed and fresh. It also reduces puffiness and seals pores. However, consistency is key, so if you incorporate cold water in your daily skincare routine, you can prolong the effects of cold water on the skin. 

Icing your zits can also help with the inflammation and redness of pimples. Never pop your pimples no matter how tempting it is, instead, ice them and watch the magic happen.

Can’t take the chill? Lukewarm water is close to being just as effective. Although, a splash of cold water in the morning does help with waking up. We recommend splashing your face with cold water in the morning, and lukewarm water at night, to not interfere with your sleep. In addition, frequently using cold water may trap bacteria due to its effect on closing pores, so incorporating lukewarm water occasionally can help prevent this.

6. BEAUTY SLEEP

Beauty sleep can be far and few, so we’ll spare you the recommendation that good sleep produces great skin. Instead, we’ll give you a hack for any type of sleeper out there: silk pillowcases. Yes, something as simple as changing your pillowcase does help your skin, and here’s how. 

The super smooth texture of silk makes it less apt to absorb moisture from your skin, keeping it hydrated. In addition, silk pillowcases can decrease wrinkles and improve the appearance of skin’s hydration, giving it a youthful, supple glow. Cotton pillowcases are known to absorb the oils in your skin, including the oils you use in your skincare routine just before catching z’s, so making this switch will help all your hard work pay off.

While this hack works on its own, we recommend combining it with a reliable skincare routine since silk pillowcases don’t combat acne and clogged pores, but rather act as a preventative measure. They remove one less variable that causes your skin to lose moisture, rather than combatting your skin’s spontaneity directly.

7. DOWNWARD DOG

Yoga is praised for being physically, spiritually, and mentally relieving; helping create the temple that is your body. However, yoga is just as fantastic for your skin as much as it is for your mental health. Starting with pimples, a challenging yoga session will increase sweat production levels, ejecting all the residue from your body. Sweat opens pores, allowing for more efficient detoxication. Challenging yoga also enhances blood flow, making sure your skin receives the oxygen it needs, helping it remain elastic, supple, and evenly toned. 

Yoga, as you know, is also quite relaxing when done at a slower pace. The reduced level of stress decreases the amount of cortisol–our stress hormone–in the body, reducing acne breakouts. Lastly, yoga assists with proper digestion, helping even out the complexion of the skin.

There’s even face yoga! 

8. BEWARE THE BATH TOWEL

Lastly, beware of the bath towel! You should use a separate towel to wipe your face than the towel you use for the rest of your body. (It’s not very appealing to wipe your face with what you use to wipe your Okole.) Fungus, bacteria, skin cells, and more are collected on your towel, so you definitely shouldn’t use it to rub your face on. However, it isn’t just a matter of cleanliness and bacteria, but the products you put on your body should be kept separately from your face. This is because the ingredients in your shower care products can clog your pores, increase breakouts, and promote rashes or irritation.

With this being said, you should still replace the towel you use for your face at least once a week. If you’re acne prone, as frequently as replacing it every day will do the trick. We also recommend using a softer towel to dry your face, so it’s less abrasive than regular towels–and make sure to pat, not rub dry!

CLOSING

We hope these skincare hacks will help you achieve your desired summer skin – gently tanned and pimple free! However, it’s important to know that one hack alone may not work as well as multiple hacks combined, or a few hacks and a reliable skincare line. For that trusty skincare line, we recommend our Aloe Cream, Coral Glow, and Better Butter. 

Aloe Cream is our hydrating body lotion that delves into the deepest layers of skin, leaving it hydrated, soft, and supple. Aloe and calendula are used to hydrate sunkissed or windburnt skin while Hawaiian Kukui nut oil is absorbed into the deepest layers of the skin, and banana softens. All these refreshing ingredients are encapsulated in a reusable 7oz tin. 

Coral Glow is the first of its kind. As a solid face oil stored in a reusable tin, Coral Glow utilizes a blend of natural oils such as jojoba, rose hip, and prickly pear to help restore facial skin and bolster its natural sebum production.

Better Butter is a lip balm that never melts in you bag. Built to sustain all temperatures, Better Butter is formulated with coconut and raspberry seed to provide your lips, and anywhere else than needs a bit of tlc, with healing benefits.

Ocean safe. Plastic free. Always.