Beach weather! We all love it. The sun on our faces, the wind in our hair, dressing and traveling lighter.
But whether you live in a warm climate year round, or a seasonal area where summer is around the bend, one thing’s for sure: it’s not always easy to look perfect when temperatures soar and the sun beats down.
You know the deal. Frizz. Sweat. Breakouts. Melting makeup. As much as we love the sun, too much of it can wreak havoc on our attempts to look “put together.”
But fear not. We’ve got you covered with these handy tips for looking fresh and cool, even when the going gets hot.
What the Frrrrizz?
Frizzies are a sign your hair is dry and thirsty. When the air is moist your cuticles open up for a drink and, within minutes, you go from perfectly blow-dried to “where-can-I-hide?!”
Experts offer up lots of options for keeping hair moist so the cuticles stay closed and your hair stays healthy looking – rain or shine.
Luxyhair.com suggests using a sulfate-free, glycerin-packed shampoo. They also tout the benefits of using pure coconut oil as a full mask, or smoothing a pea-sized dab into your hands to smooth over flyways or frizz.
Letting your hair air dry 90% before blow drying and keeping your heating tools on low settings helps too. And here’s a little-known trick: douse a mascara wand with alcohol-free hairspray and apply it directly to unruly strands.
Allure Magazine offers a bonus tip for preventing frizz poolside: before diving in, rinse your hair with cool water and apply a leave-in spray treatment to even out porosity. Keeping hair sunscreen nearby is also a good idea.
Mane-ly Flat?
While flat hair is less of a problem in summer, it can still happen. To keep your hair full-bodied but still tame, organicauthority.com recommends not over washing your hair, blow drying your hair upside down, and switching your part sometimes. Or, for that full beachy look, spray your hair with a sea salt and water mix, scrunch and let it dry naturally.
If you prefer a chemical-free flat-hair fix, wash with three parts water/one part baking soda. In addition to adding fullness and shine, this will keep your hair looking clean for days.
Dews and Don’ts
We mustn’t forget the upside of hot weather. That nice dewy finish on our skin. In good measure, of course.
Walking the line between silky and sweaty can be tricky. And we all know too much sweat on our face can clog pores and cause breakouts.
Popular blog “Into the Gloss” suggests being preemptive by wearing less makeup on days or in situations, like at the gym, when you know you’ll be sweating. Then use a face wipe immediately after or cleanse with a light hydrating cleanser and toner.
Primers also help prevent makeup melt. And, of course, keeping blotting powders and brushes handy is key.
As for that other pesky hot weather problem – yukky underarm stains – one expert suggests using an antibacterial wipe under each arm.
Then there’s the upside of sweat. That nice dewy sheen on our arms and legs can pay off. So why not accent the positive, J. Lo style, by applying some shimmer products.
Most importantly, no matter where your skin is showing, never forget the one beauty tip that guarantees healthy looking skin: always wear sunscreen! There are many organic versions now so there is no excuse not to.
Happy sunning!
