5 beauty must-haves for summer

June 10, 5:51 PMGrand Rapids Styles and Trends ExaminerKara Brace

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The perfect summer hat! Protects against the sun, while remaining extremely stylish!

We have all been warned about the sun’s dangerous rays, so now that summer is here it’s time to be proactive about protecting that beautiful skin of ours.

1. A Hat-Wearing a hat or visor is one of the most important tips I can give you for your summer days on the lakeshore. Not only does the hat protect your face from harmful rays, but it protects your scalp as well. Many people forget about their scalp when applying sunscreen and if this area burns it can be very painful to brush/style your hair, not to mention the potential negative effects a sunburn can have on your health. The other great thing about hats is that there are so many different styles to choose from; this means you can be stylish, while protecting your skin!
2. SPF 30 (or higher) Sunscreen-It’s not a surprise that sunscreen makes the list for summer must haves, but it’s very important to use an SPF that is 30 or higher. This is especially important for your face or if you are fair complected. There is a misconception out there that if you tan easily or have dark skin sunscreen is not necessary. This is a myth! Everyone should be using sunscreen to protect their skin from the sun. Just because you don’t burn doesn’t mean you skin isn’t getting damaged. Always throw a bottle of sunscreen in the beach bag and always re-apply after getting wet!
3. Sunless Tanner-Everyone looks better with a little bit of “color.” This is why so many young girls are going to tanning salons and putting their bodies in danger of skin cancer. There is an extreme pressure to look beautiful and everyone tends to push their health aside if it means they’re going to “look good.” This is the beauty of sunless tanner! You achieve that sun-kissed glow of being at the beach all day without putting yourself at risk for the possibility of developing skin cancer. The great thing about sunless tanner is that some of them do double or triple duty! You can purchase some with an SPF so you’re ready to hit the beach after you apply and some contain moisturizers so you can apply right after a shower!
4. Water-I can’t stress enough the importance of staying hydrated during the summer months. Whether you’re planning on hitting the beaches, taking a walk or working in the garden, it is extremely important to have a bottle of water nearby. Water not only keeps your skin looking fresh and healthy, but it prevents dehydration. The sun can be very intense during the summer months and this makes it very easy for people to become dehydrated, especially if they playing a sport or being active.
5. Aloe-Let’s hope that after you apply your sunscreen and wear your hat you won’t need to apply aloe, but if you do get burnt its extremely important to soothe that burn with an aloe product. Whether it’s an aloe lotion or a medicated spray, you want to do this as soon as possible. The aloe helps to ease the pain and starts to heal the burn immediately. Also, aloe is a great moisturizer, so even if you don’t get burnt but feel dry after being in the sun all day, aloe is a great product to re-hydrate your skin.

If you follow the mantra of these 5 tips, you will be able to maintain healthy and beautiful skin for many summers to come!