The warmer weather is here and it’s the perfect time to enjoy the beautiful beaches, mountains and other natural attractions our country has to offer. Like our facial skin, the skin on our bodies needs a little extra TLC during summer, especially as it’s been hidden under layers of clothing all winter and suddenly faces sun exposure, salty sea water and chlorinated swimming pools when the new season starts.
To keep our skin healthy and to feel confident while bearing a little more skin than usual, most of us follow the skincare basics of moisturisation and exfoliation, but did you know that there are some common mistakes many of us make, that may actually do our skin more harm than good? Here are 5 of the most common summer body care mistakes, and how to avoid them:
Shaving with soap
Almost all of us have used soap or shampoo when we want to shave and realise we’ve run out of our regular shaving product. For some of us this is a common occurrence – not just something that happens when we’re in a pinch! There are several reasons why this isn’t a good idea. For starters, soap, shampoo and shower gels can make skin slippery. This means your razor is more likely to slip, resulting in nicks and cuts, plus it can dull your razor blade, as soaps don’t rinse off easily. Also, have you ever noticed how tight your skin feels after shaving with soap? That’s because soap can be very drying on the skin if it contains drying ingredients like sulphates.
Tree Hut’s Allure Best of Beauty award-winning Bare Moisturizing Shave Oils are a shaving game-changer. Made with certified shea butter and a host of other nourishing natural ingredients (like jojoba oil, argan oil and more), they help to prevent irritation, nicks and cuts from shaving by enhancing contact between the razor and skin for a close, smooth shave. Plus, they are the perfect post-shave skin soother, as they help to prevent itchiness caused by hair regrowth and redness.
Exfoliating too frequently
Regular exfoliation is the key to softer, smoother skin, fewer bumps and ingrown hairs and a healthy glow. It leaves your skin looking energized and has you feeling great, but like all good things, there’s a risk of overdoing it. Exfoliating too often may lead to increased sensitivity and an impaired skin barrier. Most experts recommend once or twice a week – once if your skin is prone to sensitivity and twice if it isn’t.
Scrubbing your skin too hard
Whenever your skin is dry or dull, the temptation to give it a good, hard scrub is difficult to ignore. But, if you want to reap the full benefits of your scrub, you need to be gentle and take it slow. Gentle circular movements are best. Try not to tug or pull at your skin as you want to slough off dead skin cells and improve your skin’s texture, not damage it or make it more sensitive. Another thing to take into consideration is the type of scrub you’re using. Always opt for a sugar scrub rather than a salt scrub, as sugar crystals are rounder in shape and do not have the sharp, jagged edges that salt crystals do. This means sugar is much gentler on the skin and less likely to cause micro-lesions.
Tree Hut Shea Sugar Scrubs are the answer to gentle yet effective exfoliation. Made from nourishing shea butter and sugar, these invigorating scrubs gently exfoliate skin while offering moisturisation properties.
Skimping on moisturiser
We associate dry and dehydrated skin with winter, and as a result, many of us are great at applying moisturiser during the colder months to banish visible dryness, but skimp on it when the weather changes. The truth is that we need to moisturise our skin all year round. Exposure to the sun’s UV rays, salty sea water and chlorinated pool water may all result in dry skin during summer. To keep our skin soft and healthy, and to protect our skin’s barrier function, it’s essential to replenish that lost moisture with a good quality lotion or body butter.
Tree Hut Body Butters allow you to bring the spa into your home. Filled with the most incredible natural scents and skin-loving ingredients, these lightweight, airy formulas restore the skin’s moisture without the heavy feeling of traditional body butters. They’re the perfect skin treat after a bath or shower, post-shaving, or whenever you need a skin refresher.
Using skincare that makes your skin photosensitive
Certain skincare ingredients make our skin more sensitive to the sun. This includes ingredients that offer specific benefits (certain acids, for example), as well as harsh chemicals or additives that serve a purpose in a product without really benefitting the skin. During summer our skin is exposed to the sun more often, which means we need to take precautions when it comes to the types of ingredients we use. To ensure your skin doesn’t suffer from increased sensitivity or photosensitivity, it’s best to avoid harsh ingredients and opt for as many natural alternatives as possible.
It’s not always easy to find a natural body care brand that ticks all the boxes, but when it comes to Tree Hut, you know that you’re getting the very best in natural ingredients, sensoriality and quality. Their products are filled with the goodness of shea butter and other natural ingredients, and are free from sulphates, parabens, formaldehyde, gluten and other common irritants and harsh additives.
Trust Tree Hut to nourish and protect your skin this summer!
Ready for a feel good glow from head to toe? Sweeten your self-care routine with Tree Hut’s affordable, quality body care products and make every day a spa day.
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