Good skin care is important all year round, but especially now that the sunbathing season has arrived again, it is more necessary than ever to protect and care for your skin. After all, healthy skin looks and feels better. So remember to take good care of your face, hands, feet and the rest of your body: here are some tips.
Taking care of your skin: enjoy the shower!
Showering with hot water and (foaming) shower products can cause the skin to become quite dehydrated, especially if you shower more often per day, for example because the weather is warm. Therefore, do not use a shower product every time you shower, but only rinse with lukewarm water. If you do shower with a shower product, use one with an essential or caring oil that cares for your skin, for example one of Kneipp’s Shower Cream Oils. Also immediately good for the mind.
Exfoliate for smooth skin, apply for soft skin
After the winter months, in which large areas of skin were covered with warm clothing, the skin could use a boost.
If you want beautiful, even skin, it is best to scrub regularly to remove dead skin cells. The skin will shine again, have better blood circulation and feel nice and clean. All advantages. Especially if you want to use sunless tanning products, it is useful to first scrub your skin so that you do not get a spotty result. Do not exfoliate more than twice a week.
To exfoliate your body you need exfoliating cream or exfoliating salt, which you can use in the shower. Using circular movements, massage your entire body, especially where you can expect rough spots, such as knees and elbows. After rinsing with lukewarm water and drying, use a good body lotion. The lower legs in particular can often be dry, so apply more often and use a rich, nourishing body lotion in a scent that you like.
You need a separate facial scrub to scrub your face, you can also use it for your neck and décolleté. Do not touch the skin around the eyes; it is too delicate for that. After rinsing with lukewarm water and patting dry, use a good facial cream. Preferably use a day cream with sun protection factor, such as one from Nivea.
Caring for your skin in the sun
Many people like to enjoy the sun as soon as it gets sunny outside and the temperature allows it. To feel the warmth on their faces or to get the bit of color many people desire on their pale winter bodies. However, especially in the spring, the skin is not yet used to the sun and sunburn is likely. In any case, ensure good protection by using a sunscreen with the correct protection factor; the lighter your skin, the higher the protection factor. Not only does it protect the skin against burning, but also against premature aging, pigment spots and dehydration. Make sure that the sunscreen works against UV A and UV B rays. Some stores occasionally sell sunscreen at very low prices; These often do not protect against UV B rays. You will still get a tan when you use sunscreen, provided you have the type of skin for it, but you can stay in the sun for longer without burning.
When sunbathing, use a lip balm with a high protection factor, such as factor 30 (Labello Sun Protect), to protect your lips. Wear sunglasses to prevent squinting into the sun and unnecessary white wrinkles around the eyes. The advice applies to everyone: stay out of the sun during the hottest part of the day, between 12 and 3 p.m.
Don’t forget the feet: dry feet, calluses, cracked heels…
The feet have to endure a lot, but they are often neglected when it comes to body care. If you want to walk in slippers and open shoes again with beautiful, soft feet, you need to take care of them regularly. Especially when the skin of the feet comes into contact with the outside air in the summer, they can become quite dry, which can result in problems such as excessive calluses and cracked heels. Annoying, and not nice to see.
You can use a device intended for this purpose to remove calluses, but a sanding block made of pumice stone, such as from Scholl, is cheaper and just as effective. Use it several times a week, for example in the shower. For keeping the skin of your feet soft, my personal favorites are the foot cream from Vichy (pharmacy) or the Arnica gel from Weleda (actually intended for stiff muscles). If the skin is so dry that cracked heels appear or threaten to develop, apply moisturizer to the feet before going to sleep and put on cotton socks in bed. Continuing to apply the cream daily will help prevent dry feet.
Hand care: preventing dry hands and pigment spots
Dry hands are common. The skin on the backs of the hands is relatively thin and fragile and wrinkles quickly form. Pigment spots also often appear on the hands, especially as we get older. Therefore, take your hands with you when applying sunscreen, as they have always been exposed to the outside air. In any case, make sure you apply a hand cream to your hands as often as possible, such as after intensive hand washing; but at least before going to sleep. If your hands are very dry, you can use an extra nourishing cream and put on cotton gloves before going to sleep. Another personal favorite: Weleda Pomegranate Regeneration hand cream. For protection against pigment spots and premature aging; absorbs quickly and feels pleasant. Last year, this cream received the highest rating of ‘very good’ from Ökotest in a test of twenty hand care products. But the hand cream from Vichy and Arnica hand cream from Yves Rocher are also recommended.
Make sure that you wear gloves when doing jobs that cause your hands to become very dirty and/or dry out, such as disposable latex gloves, available at the hardware store. This is also better to prevent contact of your hands with aggressive cleaning agents.
Extra attention: chapped spots, red spots, sore spots, irritation…
Especially when it gets hot, people with sensitive skin can quickly suffer from red, irritated spots, for example in the groin due to a long bike ride, or due to tight clothing. The combination of heat and sweat can have a detrimental effect, especially on sensitive skin. This can usually be remedied quickly with a cream that helps against diaper rash in babies. An example of this is Sudocrem, which is most commonly used for chapped baby bottoms. This cream helps the skin to repair itself, softens it and protects against external influences. First rinse the skin, pat dry and apply a thin layer of cream. Give the irritated part of the skin enough air to promote recovery.
read more
- First aid for the skin: irritation, cracks, itching, dryness
- Properties and care of sensitive skin
- Spotner Pen: remedy against age spots (pigment spots)
