Essential summer guide for healthy, vibrant skin
Skin Care Without Nasties - Your essential guide in keeping your healthy and vibrant skin this summer!
Are you prepared for the long-awaited summer vacation? Before you head to the beach, we have handpicked a list of essential items that will help protect your skin using natural and where possible, organic, products made in Australia. This blog is not just your “Instagram worthy guide to the essentials of summer getaways” posts. But also, the definitive guide for skin-worthy products you can use while having fun at the beach. Yes, we can have fun and be worry-free at the same time! Are you ready for a hot summer at the powdery white sand of Queensland’s Whitehaven Beach or pristine waters of Western Australia’s Turquoise Bay?
Protect Your Skin with Natural Sunscreen Lotion
We get it – nobody goes to the beach and hides under a tree forever. Whether it is to enjoy the cool waters, sun-bathing for the perfectly tanned skin or taking photos with your friends, you will be outside most of the time.
Your skin is your body’s first line of defence, and it is constantly exposed to the environment. Sun exposure can take its toll on your skin pretty quickly and can lead to different forms of skin damage, including cancer. One of the most common effects of sun exposure is premature ageing1, but perhaps the most concerning impact is melanoma and other skin cancers. Melanoma alone is the third-most-common skin cancer diagnosed in Australia2 and the number one most common cancer in under 29 year-olds3.
Australia and New Zealand have the highest incidence of skin cancer in the world, and 2 out of 3 Australians will be diagnosed with some form of it, so protecting your skin while you are out in the sun is so important. The problem with traditional sunscreens, though is that they are full of chemicals that are harmful to your body4 and damaging to coral reefs5.
There are natural ingredients available like shea butter and silk amino acids that have natural sun-blocking properties6.
While there is no evidence to suggest these are a complete replacement to a broad-spectrum sunscreen, especially if you are out in the sun all day, it is worth combining them into your morning routine. On days where you will be out in the sun but perhaps not in the water, the sun protection these ingredients provide may be more than enough.
Our Sativa Lush Whipped Butter has ultra-rich, moisturising properties and anti-ageing protection for all skin types – all year round! This ‘crème de la crème’ is made with richly moisturising ingredients such as sausage tree extract, hemp seed oil, cupuacu butter, mango butter combined with shea butter and silk amino acids that both contribute to moisturisation but also offer some protection for your skin from the sun. Feel the lushness of this therapeutic blend of floral and citrus fragrance which leaves your skin feeling like silk and smelling like royalty even under the hot sun.
Enjoy swimming with Recycled-origin Swimwear
It’s the bikini buying season, and we all want to have fun in the sun. An essential product, of course, is your swimwear. While popular brands might be on top of your list, check out these swimsuits made from recycled fishnets. You heard it right! And no – these products don’t resemble any fishnets you’ve ever seen.
Ghost fishing nets, which are lost and left in the ocean, make up 10 per cent of plastic waste in the sea and these nets take about 600 years to decompose.7
As the Seapia brand puts it “One of the biggest improvements in fashion these days is transparency and accountability – what price are we paying to look and feel good? Using a fabric produced from recycled fishing nets and other post-consumer plastic waste, designed and made in Sydney and using organic packaging and sustainable products throughout the process, our hope is to leave as small a footprint on our beaches as possible8.
Le Bun’s, another Australian swimwear brand, is famous for it’s no-waste attitude to manufacturing. It was featured in Fashion Journal Australia, amongst many others, on the topic of sustainable production9.
Your swimmers provide protection from the sun, for the areas they cover, and choosing an option like Seapia or Le Buns, can help make a difference for our oceans while looking after your skin at the same time.
Keep rehydrated with water!
Most mature adults lose about 2-3 litres of water per day from their internal body water supply. This water loss may increase, especially during hot weather or summer days.
As a large portion of our bodies are made from water, we must have enough of it to function at an optimal level. Our body uses water in so many ways! Water helps regulate our body temperature, remove toxins through perspiration and regulate bowel movements. Water is also vital for lubricating joints and protecting the brain. Drinking water plays an important role in our daily functioning. Keeping hydrated can relieve fatigue, naturally, relieve headaches and improve the skin’s complexion. It is believed that up to 80% of Australians are chronically dehydrated10.
Drinking water will keep you hydrated and promotes good skin circulation. If swimwear and natural lotions protect your skin from the summer heat, water helps you maintain a healthy and pro-active body.
If you love the beach, the pool or any other summer sports, you will need to remember that water is the most powerful resource to keep yourself active. Plus, water is a natural suppressant for hunger. Perhaps vital if you are trying to lose weight this summer and struggle with the temptation of sumptuous beach BBQ.
Avoid Lip Dryness with Rejuvenating Lip Balm
It is essential to keep your lips soft, smooth, hydrated and healthy during the summer and protect them from sun damage. Surprisingly though, 70 percent of beachgoers who lather sunscreen onto their skin will overlook one spot on the body: their lips11. Without protection, your lips can get burnt, crack and become very sore. Continually drinking water is vital to healthy lips, and applying a hydrating lip balm will help to keep the moisture in and soothe any soreness.
Dry, cracked lips can be hard to repair. They are one of the most vulnerable parts of our body, especially under the summer heat. You put on a hat to protect your head – don’t forget to put on lip balm for your lips.
Our Manuka Lip Balm is excellent for summer days – for those painful, dry, cracked lips you hate to have. It is a rejuvenating balm packed with jojoba oil and calendula oil. Keep those smooth lips all summer days. For vegans, we recommend our Vegan Hemp Lip Balm. A rich lip balm with water repellent properties to soothe and moisturise dry and chapped lips. Add gloss to protect your lips from any harsh environment and be sure of the quality. Again, look for ingredients that provide natural sun protection where possible.
Soothe your Skin with Natural After-Sun Body Lotion
Lip balms are essential for sunburnt lips, but what about the rest of your skin?
“We all know how important it is to protect our skin from the sun. But what about the role of after-sun care? It gets far less attention – but it’s essential to healthy skin. And while using a broad-spectrum sunscreen is vital, we shouldn’t rely on sunscreen alone to give our skin all the protection and care it needs from the sun”, said Jurlique’s Ultimate Beauty Expert, Rebecca Nicholls. So, how do you give your skin the after-sun care it needs? Have a cool shower or bath. This helps to soothe your skin and prepare it for the next step. Apply a nourishing and comforting after-sun lotion to help keep your skin moist and supple.
Our Sativa Nourish After Sun Body Lotion soothes away sunburn with its cooling Aloe Vera and Cucumber blend. The added Meadowfoam oil and silk amino acids provide a barrier that prevents loss of moisture and provides some protection against small amounts of further sun exposure. Next, the Kigelia extract breaks down the build-up of melanin to go a long way in counteracting the damage done by the sun’s rays. These natural ingredients help to protect and soothe your skin after the effects of overexposure to the sun.
At Arianrhod Aromatics, we use only the best quality ingredients with proper regard for the environment and most importantly, our products do the job they claim they will do on the label.
Enjoy the sun this summer, but make sure you are taking care of your skin so it can continue to take care of you for many years to come! Remember:
- Sunscreen – Choose based on your sun habits, natural options are better, but if you are in the sun a LOT, choose an appropriate SPF rated sunscreen.
- Swimmers – They do protect your skin from the sun and can be good for the environment too.
- Hydration – Drink lots of water!
- Lip protection and recovery – Use a good quality lip balm to lock in moisture, protect from the sun and help your lips recover after sun damage has occurred. Browse our lip balms.
- After-sun recovery – Give your skin the best chance to recover from sun damage with natural ingredients like Kigelia with our Sativa Nourish After Sun Body Lotion.
