As we begin to pack away our sweaters and jeans and exchange them for shorts and swimwear, it is just as important to make some adjustments to your summer skincare routine. These easy swaps give your skin an added boost of hydration and protection, helping you to enjoy healthy, radiant skin all season long. 

While it is so important to protect your skin from the sun throughout the whole year, it is even more important to protect and defend your skin during these hot summer months. That is why our first, and most important tip is to invest in a high quality, mineral SPF for your face and body. Why mineral sunscreen, you ask? Two reasons, really! One, the mineral used in these high quality sunscreens –zinc oxide — physically blocks the sun from burning your beautiful skin, while chemical sunscreens  absorb directly into your skin causing negative reactions such as breakouts. Secondly, mineral sunscreen is filled with skin-loving agents that condition and care for your skin, helping to improve its overall appearance. Our two favorite mineral sunscreens for the face are Eminence’s Tropical Vanilla Day Cream ($70) and Rhonda Allison’s eZinc SPF ($50), while Eminence’s Lilikoi Mineral Sport Defense ($60) is perfect for protecting the skin on your body. 

Now that you have taken the most important step in protecting your skin from the hot summer sun, it’s time to add in hydration to your daily routine. Naturally when it is gorgeous outside, we can be found spending time enjoying the beautiful weather — and if it is warm, our bodies are likely sweating. In order to maintain soft, supple, happy skin, it truly does need to be properly hydrated. My go-to’s to ensure proper hydration in the summer are to carry my water bottle with me at all times (I really enjoy infusing my water with different fruits for a refreshing flavor), and to make sure I have ultra hydrating snacks nearby such as fresh watermelon, cantaloupe, grapes, or cucumber slices. 

Speaking of fresh, juicy snacks — our next tip is to head to your local farmer’s market this summer season to fill your plate with local, organic foods. Summertime is filled with delicious foods like brats, buttery corn on the cob, chips, treats, and tasty beverages, and while indulging in this from time to time is perfectly fine, adding in healthy foods that prevent and repair damage to your skin is so important. Try adding this intention to your beauty routine this summer and enjoy a naturally gorgeous glow! 

Another glow boosting step for your summer skin? Regular exfoliation. That’s right, you heard it here. Exfoliation isn’t something that should only be done for dry winter skin. To maintain that radiance all year long, it is so important to slough away build up like dead skin, dirt and debris by using an at-home exfoliant 2-3 times per week (like Eminence’s Strawberry Rhubarb Dermafoliant — $65) and coupling it with a professional exfoliating treatment, like our Wake Up and Glow, every 4-6 weeks. Maintaining this routine helps to clear up your skin, minimize the appearance of sun damage, even out your skin tone, and aid in a host of other pro-youth benefits. 

Last, but certainly not least, a “lit-from-within” look can’t be possible without a healthy mind. Use this season to enjoy the mood-boosting benefits of being outside and in nature. Head to your local wildlife preserve, take your shoes off and run through the grass, bask in the sun with your best girlfriends (fully SPF’d, of course), or take a relaxing swim. When we take care of our bodies and mind, we are actually creating a type of internal calm, helping to reduce the manifestation of inflammation and encourage that physical glow.