Summer skin care

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Top tips on how to look after your skin this summer.

Protect skin and wear sunscreen every day, and reapply regularly if you are outdoors or active.

Go for a sunscreen of SPF15 applied four times a day if you are outside or at the beach (less often is OK if you are working indoors). In the morning after cleansing, toning and moisturising skin, apply SPF15 sunscreen before makeup.

Don't rely on just makeup/foundation containing SPF if you plan to be outside. "It's not designed to protect you," About Body beauty therapist Tammy Gordon says. "It might be okay for an office worker, but if you gardening or working in the sun all day it is not enough especially with the (thin) ozone layer we have above New Zealand. It's all about the amount of sun exposure a person has and protecting yourself."

Don't tan. Laying out in the sun to get a tan is not only unfashionable, but dangerous. The New Zealand sun can be brutal, burning skin in minutes with high levels of ultra violet rays, with the associated risk of skin cancer. Also avoid sun beds. Instead, go for fake tanning sprays and lotions if you want a golden glow. Younger women are leading the way. "The good thing is that lots of teenagers are into getting fake tans because they don't want to get sunburnt," About Body beauty therapist Elena Eason says. "There seems to be more of an awareness among younger women (of sun dangers) than those in their late 20s or early 30s."

Treat sunburnt skin. If skin is sunburnt, take it seriously and treat it as you would another burn. "Put a cold flannel on it or stand under a cold shower," recommends Gordon. "If your skin is still hot to the touch, it's still burning. Don't put any after sun gel on it or you can trap the heat in." Storing aloe vera gel in the refrigerator is a handy trick for keeping it cool.

Drink water. Some people say drink eight glasses of water a day, which is a good rule of thumb, but the key is not to get dehydrated. "If you feel dehydrated then you probably already are," Eason says. A good measure of that is to check the colour of your urine. The aim is to have clear/light yellow urine. "When you are hydrated and drink enough water, your pee is almost clear," Eason says. "Your body is working well." The yellow colour of urine is part of the natural filtering process of dead red blood cells by the kidneys. "When those cells don't have enough water they shrivel up and die and your kidneys filter the dead cells out of your body, which is why pee is yellow," Eason says. Dark yellow urine can indicate a person is not drinking enough liquid. Avoid sugary soft drinks, juice, coffee and tea in favour of water where possible. "Some herbal teas are okay, but some green teas contain more caffeine than coffee," Eason says. "Any drink other than water is a diuretic (which increases urine secretion) so for every coffee you have you need to replace it with a glass of water," Gordon says. For those who don't like drinking water, consider a slice of lemon or cucumber in a jug of water.

Remove damaged skin. Exfoliate dead skin cells with a body scrub. Always massage toward the heart, starting at the extremities (tips of the toes and fingers) back towards the interior. "That's the way the blood flows through the body, towards the heart, and you want to massage out the toxins," Eason says. Don't exfoliate if skin is still healing from sunburn, as it may irritate it further. Wait until all red/pink colour and heat has disappeared and skin has turned brown or begun to peel naturally before exfoliating.

Make your own at-home body scrub using something granular (such as sea salt or raw sugar) with some slippery fluid (olive, coconut, grapeseed or almond oil) and something that smells good (lemon zest, a few drops of high quality essential oil). Depending on the consistency you like, use 1-2 cups of granular salt/sugar to 1 cup of oil. There are lots of at home recipes online.

Keep skin hydrated. Use a hydrating moisturizer daily in the morning and evenings suitable for your skin type. Products that say they are "water soluble" are a good choice, as they will soak into your skin. "Manuka honey is a good ingredient to have because it is a natural humectant, which helps skin draw moisture from the air," Gordon says.

Melanoma alert. Consider getting a MoleMap (molemap.co.nz) or getting your doctor to check any moles or freckles during your next check up. If you have lots of moles and freckles, a personal or family history of melanoma or have suffered from major sunburns during childhood or adolescence, you may be at increased risk of developing skin cancer.

Eat well for a skin that reflects inner health. Start the day with freshly squeezed lemon juice in a glass of warm water. Fill up on leafy greens and brightly coloured vegetables, and eat a balanced diet. Avoid alcohol and greasy takeaways. Go for foods with "good fats" including salmon, avocado and nuts.

- © Fairfax NZ News