Summer Beauty Hacks
Summer is such a joyous time. I remember growing up in the North East when summer would roll around. I felt so free from the cold that I didn’t care about jumping into the chlorinated pool or getting a sunburn (life is too short, you know?!). As I got older and began to care about my skin and my hair (because when you are dishing out $300 for your hair every few weeks you start to care) I began to realize that I couldn’t just run outside and expose myself to the harsh elements of summertime. Working in the beauty industry has taught me so many tips and tricks that I am excited to share with YOU. I have learned not only how to care for my hair and skin during the summer, but also how to prevent damage. These tips will allow you to swim in the pool and ocean once in a while and not have to worry so much about your hair breaking or turning green!
Beauty hack 1
Protect your strands before jumping in the pool or ocean with these 2 easy steps:
Wet your hair completely with filtered water- Hair is like a sponge. When it is dry, it will absorb everything (chlorine, chemicals, minerals, salt, etc.). When your hair absorbs these harsh elements it can take a toll on your hair and disrupt the pH level causing it to be dry and break (as well as even turn green or ruin colored hair). Completely soaking your hair will prevent the absorption of excess water as well as the chemicals and salts in that water.
Once your hair is soaked, add a leave in conditioner or an oil like coconut oil- This is an added layer of protection. Coconut oil is best as it won’t be easily removed off of the hair without a proper washing. This will help keep your hair hydrated and it will block out the chemicals and salts in the water. Chemicals and salt are super dehydrating on hair strands, so make sure you hydrate extra!
Beauty hack 2
Purify your hair post swim. Like I said, life is too short to not enjoy a good swim. There are lots of options out there to remove pool water chemicals from the hair. Some are good for everyday use and some are good for once in a while:
My favorite every day purifying shampoo
I use this shampoo after every swim. It helps to get rid of the chlorine and chemicals in the water, and it prevents buildup. *because this product scores higher than a 2 on EWG.org I don’t recommend it for daily use.
My favorite summer hair treatment
I use this treatment about once or twice a month (depending on how much time I am spending in the pool). It helps remove mineral and chlorine build up in the hair (say good bye to that green stain).
Beauty hack 3
Hydrate your skin pre swim. I love to keep a jar of coconut oil around for head to toe use in the summer. Before swimming, I not only add it to my hair, but also to my face. This will help to prevent chemicals from entering the skin and it will prevent the water from drying your skin out.
Beauty Hack 4
Keep beauty wipes with you in your car, beach bag, pool bag, etc. I don’t use makeup wipes regularly, but they are amazing to keep around. They not only are great for removing makeup before your swim, but they also help remove any product, salts and chemicals after swimming if you can’t get to the shower straightaway. If you use the coconut oil technique for your skin pre swim, you will want to remove the oil from your face to prevent breakouts!
Beauty hack 5
HYDRATE!! Hydration is extra important in the summer! We are sweating, being exposed to the sun, pool chemicals and salt water. While it is important to hydrate on the inside (see my post here for my favorite hydration products), it is also important to hydrate on the outside. The beauty hacks above help to prevent dehydration while swimming or soaking up the sun in a pool chair, but now I am going to share my favorite products to help hydrate and sooth the skin post swim and sun:
Facial Mask- I personally love this facial mask here. It helps exfoliate off build up as well as boost hydration. I also love this face mask here which can be used as an overnight mask.
Moisturize- I love this facial moisturizer. It not only protects the skin from pollutants, but it also helps to keep your skin moist without the breakouts. I also love using a facial oil like this one here to maximize moisture, again without the breakouts.
Hair Mask- The hair needs love too! I love this hair mask. It deeply nourishes the hair strands and leaves your hair feeling GOOD! I do a hair mask about once a week.
Leave In Conditioner- I love this leave in conditioner. It leaves your hair feeling silky smooth without the weight. Leave in conditioner should be your favorite hair product. It acts like a moisturizer for your hair which helps prevent dryness and it also acts as a base for your other hair products.
Lather up in butter- I love using body butters like this one here. It is especially great to hydrate rough areas like knees and elbows. I also love using basic coconut oil. You can use the stuff from the kitchen or you can use one like this one here!
Lip Treatment- Give those lips some love! I love using an exfoliator, just mix sugar and coconut oil together, scrub and rinse. I then follow with an overnight treatment like this one here, it is ultra hydrating. During the day I will use this lip butter which leaves my lips feeling luscious!
Beauty Hack 6
Exfoliate!! Exfoliating is an important part of getting rid of build up and hydration. Did you know that most SPF products don’t just come off with a basic wash? Most need to be exfoliated to remove all of it. While it isn’t necessary to exfoliate every single day, I do recommend exfoliating skin and body a few times a week. This prevents breakouts, leaves skin looking fresh and smooth and it helps you to absorb hydration products better. I love this facial exfoliator here and this body exfoliator here. I also love using a dry brush like this one here to exfoliate without using product.
Beauty Hack 7
Invest in some hair clips or good quality scrunchies. I got these hair clips for $11 and they have been my best purchase this summer. They are perfect to pull back hair when out on the boat or by the ocean. They are also perfect for those days or nights when you don’t want to do anything to your hair (or if you want to go heatless).
Let me know your summer beauty hacks below!
