There’s only couple of weeks of summer left. Here’s how to help your skin recover from the hot, hot heat that was, without spending much cash.
Summer may be on its way out, but our dry skin woes are only just beginning. Not only does sun, sand, and saltwater wreak havoc on skin, we’re getting closer and closer to the aridness of autumn. So basically, we’ve got to rejuvenate a sun-soaked epidermis and combat autumn dryness at the same time. Sheesh!
Luckily, there’s nothing new about any of this. People have been studying hydration and skin care for years, so it’s relatively easy to save your skin after summer.
Here are just a few simple tips that should work for all skin types and importantly, on any budget.
Eat plenty of water-rich foods
I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t drink the eight doctor-recommended glasses of water that we’re all supposed to be chugging daily. I do eat lots of water-rich fruits and veggies, though, so that helps.
If you’re looking for ways to hydrate your skin but you’re also terrible at drinking water, then you might want to start eating your water instead.
More than a dozen fruits and vegetables boast a water content of 90 percent or higher. Personally, I’m a big fan of watermelon, tomatoes, green peppers, strawberries, cucumbers, cauliflower, and baby carrots. Refreshing!
Treat your feet before work and at bed time
If all of those barefoot adventures and open-heeled summer shoes have done a number on your feet over the past three months, despair not. There’s a few ways to combat dry feet, and they’re all cheap and easy.
Get yourself a pumice stone and put it to work. After that, try slathering your feet in either a shea butter cream or your favorite moisturizing face mask before slipping them into a pair of clean cotton socks. You won’t regret it.
Keep a water bottle and hand lotion in your bag
As we’ve established, proper hydration is crucial for healing summer-ravaged skin. Since we also know how challenging it can be to even remember to drink water, it’s a smart move to keep a reusable water bottle in your bag at all times.
This way you’ll think about hydrating every time you get into your bag, plus you’ll have the option to stay hydrated without spending your hard-earned dollars on bottled water.
And while you’re at it, toss a rich hand lotion in your bag as well. There’s a ton of hand cream’s under $10 that you should definitely check out.
I like to stay stocked up on Vaseline Intensive Care Cocoa Radiant body lotion. It’s nourishing without being greasy, and you can use it all over. Versatile AF.
Take warm showers instead of hot ones
Hot showers may feel glorious, but they won’t do your dry skin any favors. Oh, no. Hot showers can strip the skin of its natural oils, which makes skin conditions like sunburn, eczema, and dry scalp worse.
So avoid hot showers when you can, and replace them with water temperatures ranging anywhere from all-out cold to toasty warm. Just not too warm. Your skin will thank you.
Try First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads
OK, they’re a little bit more pricey, but First Aid Beauty’s Facial Radiance Pads are totally worth the $30 splurge if you can budget them in. They’re meant to work for any skin type, and they’re formulated without any parabens, sulfates, or phthalates.
Sephora and Ulta Beauty tend to market these magical little face circles as a daily exfoliating and brightening treatment, but I find they work wonders for dry skin as well.
I’ve been using these pads to combat dryness and dullness for two years now — which is really saying something, because I get most of my wellness products at the drugstore. Enjoy!
Words: Elizabeth Enochs
Photos: Daria Kobayashi Ritch/GIPHY
