Is It Just As Or More Important Than Winter Skin Care?

With the much anticipated seasonal release of our Limited Edition Summer Skin Saver soap bar, we are invited to ask the question on the importance of summer skin care. If you’re anything like me, you probably grew up hearing about the importance of washing your face morning and night, using SPF to protect against the suns harmful rays, and using clean products. And if you’re ANYTHING like me, you grew up trying every product known to man that was marketed for Acne Prone Skin. But how much of the success of our perfectly honed skin care routine comes down to the season? Yes, that’s right! How much can we blame our skins irritations and imperfections on wether is it Summer or Winter. Join me as we unpack the impact the seasons have on our skin, the benefits of our Limited Edition Summer Skin Saver soap bar, and much more…

Do The Seasons Really Effect Our Skin?

To put it simply, Yes! Seasons and changes in seasons can play a huge roll in the health and life of our skin. In the Winter for example, it is usually dry and cold which can lead to dry and chapped skin prone to cracking. And in the Summer it is usually hot and humid which can lead to sweating, oily skin and breakouts, and sunburns, or hot and dry which can lead to skin dryness and irritation and sunburns that don’t heal very well. With this information in mind, it can help us to adjust our skin care routine, the products we are using, and our daily habits to promote healthy skin no matter the season. In the winter, it is vital to consume extra water as a part of your daily routine and use really healing and moisturizing products to fight against the dryness. So what should we do in the Summer to keep our skin safe?

How To Protect Our Skin In The Summer

1. Products

The products we use in the summer and leading up to summer really sets us up for either failure or success with our skin. Make sure that you are using products appropriate for your skin type, products that will boost hydration in your skin, and avoiding products that can cause harmful damage to your skin. Some of the products I would recommend for summer skin are our limited edition Summer Skin Saver Bar and organic herbal salve. You will also be able to find amazing moisturizers and other skin care products on our website, applevalleynaturalsoap.com. Another product to pay attention to, is your SPF or sunscreen (we will talk about this a little bit in the Diet section as well, but you’ll want to pay attention here too.) We have been told over and over again to wear our sunscreen if we don’t want sunburns, skin pigmentation issues, and even skin cancer. But have you ever thought that maybe it’s what we’re putting on our bodies (and in our bodies, but more on that later) and what it does when it comes into contact with the sun that is the problem? Did you know that sunscreen (or sunblock) started out simply as zinc oxide? But over the years pharmacists, doctors and manufactures started adding more and more ingredients to create what we know sunscreen to be today. However, studies have shown that there are more harmful ingredients living inside your average bottle of sunscreen than good. And we have found that when these harmful ingredients are put in contact with the sun, they react negatively to those rays actually causing skin cancer and other issues. This can happen on such a microscopic level that we have no idea what is actually happening to our skin when we apply these harmful chemicals. Instead, look for a sunscreen with minimal ingredients, the main one being zinc oxide! Some great options to try are the Earth Harbor ECLIPSE Sheer Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 that we actually offer in our AVNS Boutique, the Alba Botanica Sheer Mineral Sunscreen Lotion, and the Babo Botanicals Sheer Mineral Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50.

2. Diet

Did you know that what we put into our bodies plays a bigger role in the health of our skin then the products we put on it? It’s true! The products we apply topically morning and night can only do so much to help our skin. What we choose to put inside our bodies will show on our skin. For example, if we partake in a few alcoholic beverages in a weekend without proper rehydration, our skin will show the effects in dryness and dullness with puffiness and bloating in our face and neck. And if we eat a lot of refined sugars, it will most likely make itself known in the next day or two with breakouts/acne and puffiness in the face and neck.

The health of our skin is also a sign of gut health. Do you have dull skin, acne that won’t seem to go away, and dark circles under your eyes even after a good night of sleep? This might be a sign of and unhealthy gut and it might be time to invest in some quality pre and probiotics to help your guts microbiome.

Did you know that seed oils increase the sensitivity of your skin to the suns UV’s? This is a theory that is still in discussion, however most people (myself included) have noticed that with the elimination of seed oils from their diet, the time they were able to be outside in the sun without their skin getting irritated by the sun (sunburned) went up drastically. Plus the severity of the sunburn and rate of recovery from that sunburn dropped (yes, this is a good thing.) Seed oils were first introduced to the United States as early as 1911. Cottonseed Oil was developed and marketed by Procter & Gamble as a creamed shortening called Crisco which was then made available to the public. The first sunscreen in the United States was invented in 1944 by a pharmacist named Benjamin Green which would later become known as Coppertone Suntan Lotion. Coincidence? I think not, but let me know what you think in the comments.

3. Routine

Making sure we have a healthy routine in place, will help the health of our skin for years to come. Getting 8-9 hours of sleep each night, drinking 80 – 100oz of water each day, getting a good sweat in during a workout (but making sure to shower and wash your face afterwards), and applying clean and natural products to our skin after it is cleaned. Staying away from inflammatory foods such as refined grains, refined sugars, and seed oils, taking a high quality pre and probiotic, eating fermented foods, and keeping alcohol consumption in a minimum will all greatly improve the over all health of your skin not just on your face but your whole body during the summer months. Do you love spending time outside in the summer? I mean who doesn’t? One of the best ways to get your skin used to the stronger UV rays from the sun is to sit outside or do something in the sun for very short periods of time everyday. 5, 10, or 15 minutes a day for a couple of weeks and making this a part of your routine will help your skin to acclimate to the suns stronger rays during the summer and reduce the risk of a nasty sunburn.

Summer Skin Saver Limited Edition Soap Bar

With summer comes an increase in outdoor activities, and our skin takes a beating. The negative effects of sun, wind, bugs, and added opportunities for scratches and scrapes require some tender loving care and attention. Gently wash and protect your skin with our limited edition Summer Skin Saver Bar. Super-fatted with lanolin, the oil sheep secrete to keep them warm, dry, and protected, this bar not only cleanses, but it forms a barrier on the skin that locks in existing moisture while at the same time attracting additional moisture from the surrounding air. This barrier created by lanolin is helpful for skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema as it can help seal and protect skin, while also allowing it to breathe and attract moisture.

But that’s not all! Unrefined organic cocoa butter and mango butter add an extra boost of moisturizing benefits while white kaolin clay makes this bar smooth and silky on your skin. We’ve also scented this one with uplifting citrus fruit essential oils. In selecting these essential oils, we made sure that each one either by the nature of the oil itself or by the way it was produced, is NOT photosensitive. Enjoy this zesty, sweet, sparkling bar of happiness for all people everywhere.

Natural Deodorant Creme

Moisturize and deodorize those pits with our all natural, aluminum-free deodorant cremes. Made with anti-bacterial, odor absorbing ingredients like organic virgin coconut oil, diatomaceous earth, aluminum free baking soda, arrowroot powder, and white kaolin clay, our natural deodorant creme is safe and effective.

Our unscented version fights hard with the anti-bacterial, odor absorbing base ingredients (perfect for sensitive skin), while our regular deodorant adds an extra level of protection with the antibacterial essential oils of tea tree, lavender, and lemon.

Organic Herbal Salve

Chock full of soothing, certified organic herbs infused in a base of organic, extra virgin olive oil and unrefined beeswax, this organic herbal salve is amazingly multi-purpose and economical. Apply it to rashes, bug bites, sun burn, wounds, dry, cracked skin, bruises, diaper rash and more!

St. John’s wort has historically been known to help speed up the healing process and prevent scarring, Echinacea has a long history of success with venomous stings and bites and is anti-inflammatory and antibacterial. Comfrey & Yarrow have astringent properties and have been used to promote cell regeneration and healing. Plantain is acclaimed for its ability to relieve bee stings, insect and spider bites and rashes. Calendula is impressive because of its ability to speed healing, improve the appearance of the skin, lower inflammation, and protect the skin against infections. Rosemary has natural antiseptic properties, which makes it a superior disinfectant for our skin. It can also help protect skin cells from damage often caused by the sun and free radicals. Grapefruit seed extract is an excellent anti-fungal agent.

Keep a jar of this on your counter top! It is safe for your children to grab and put on their frequent summer scratches, bites, and rashes.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, the appropriate skin care routine at any time of year is very important. But during the summer, there are things we want to be aware of that will set us up for either failure or success in the seasons to follow. The seasonal changes play a huge roll in the health and overall wellbeing of our skin and we want to make sure we are giving our skin the best chance to have the best summer this summer and every summer after. Make sure you are using natural, clean products on your skin. Make sure you are cleansing well and applying healing products back on to your skin. If you are using an SPF or sunscreen, make sure it is clean with minimal ingredients with the main one being zinc oxide. Make sure you are drinking plenty of water, avoiding large amounts of alcohol, eating fermented foods, taking pre and probiotics, and staying away from seed oils in your food. Set up a healthy routine, getting plenty of sleep, getting a good workout or sweat in, and spend a few minutes outside every day to let your skin get acclimated to the sun. And stock up on our favorite summer skin care products like the Limited edition Summer Skin Saver Bar, All natural, aluminum-free deodorant cremes, and organic herbal salve. Most importantly, don’t forget to have FUN this summer! Summer is an amazing season full of fun, days on the water, bonfires, and time out of doors with family and friends. So enjoy it! It is only here for a short time, so make the most of it starting TODAY.

If you found this post interesting, learned something new, or think of someone who might enjoy reading it too, please share this blog post with your family and friends. It means the world to us! You can also leave us a comment to let us know what you learned or share one of your favorite skin care tips with us. We would love to hear from you!

All my love and have happy week,

Amanda Pehrson