Prepare to bare your summer skin

With last year’s washout summer the wettest in 93 years, we’re all hoping that a long, hot summer is on its way in 2008. But as the sun starts to shine many of us lack the skin confidence to bare all. And to make matters worse, at a time when the body is most under scrutiny, the sun, sea and sand can wreak their own havoc on the skin, triggering conditions such as prickly heat and causing sunburn.

However, help is now at hand in the form of some summer skin tips from Karen Jessett - author of ‘Clear Skin’ and founder of acne-advice.com. Offering diet and exercise tips, essential sun protection advice and simple changes to your skin care regime, the following ‘Summer Skin Commandments’ will ensure healthy skin to be proud of this summer:

Savvy Sun Protection

The importance of sun cream is widely known, but protecting the skin against the sun’s harmful rays with a natural, SPF15 sunscreen each day is essential. Choose a non-comedogenic cream as this does not clog pores and cause spots. Better still, cover up. Burning or getting too deep a tan not only increases the risk of skin cancer and premature ageing, but it can also make it difficult for the skin’s cells to naturally exfoliate as quickly, leading to blocked pores and blemishes.

Avoid exposing the skin to the summer sun when it’s at its most powerful – between 11am and 3pm.

For added protection, you can also use a moisturiser with added sun protection.

Wear large good quality UV-protective sunglasses that fully cover the delicate eye area, or a wide brimmed hat, as this can help reduce skin damage and premature ageing. When buying sunglasses, look for the CE mark which certifies European safety, and go for brown, bronze or grey tinted lenses which are said to offer the best protection.

Healthy Skin from within - Diet & Exercise

Be more active - 30 minutes exercise a day not only improves your physical health, but also helps to reduce stress, which can enhance skin health. Exercise also boosts circulation which delivers oxygen and nutrients to the skin

Feed your skin from the inside out:

Evening Primrose Oil supplementation has been shown to improve skin elasticity, moisture, smoothness, firmness and to ease irritated skin, great if you’re prone to dryness during warm weather or sun exposure. Try Efamol Evening Primrose Oil.

Antioxidants such as selenium play a crucial role in repelling and reversing sun damage, but we don’t get enough of this vital nutrient in our diet. The average intake of selenium in the UK has fallen from the recommended intake of 60 micrograms per day to just 34, due to low levels in our food. This has lead for calls to enrich soil and fertilisers with selenium to boost public consumption. Selenium-ACE is a convenient one-a-day supplement to help boost intake of selenium and the antioxidant vitamins A, C and E, which are known for their anti-ageing properties.

Silica – which is found naturally in the skin - has been shown to improve skin elasticity. Wassen Silica-OK combines silica with nine other nutrients which help enhance skin, hair and nail health.

Avoid eating too much flour, bread, and meat such as beef and pork. Too much of these foods can make the digestive system sluggish and may cause the build up of toxins, leading to acne.

Instead, incorporate skin boosting ingredients into your diet. Foods with high levels of antioxidants are particularly beneficial to the skin - try avocados and olives in salads, fresh fruit juices, and blueberries or strawberries in smoothies.

We are often told that drinking water is good for our skin, but in the summer it is particularly important to keep hydrated. When the skin is dehydrated pores can become blocked and this can cause spots. Remember that herbal teas also count toward your recommended eight glasses of water a day - try chamomile as this is also known to have a calming effect, which can help combat stress.

Summer Skin Regime

Avoid washing your face in hot water. The heat can remove sebum from the skin's surface, leading to capillary damage and dehydration - always wash your face using lukewarm water.

Your daily ‘cleanse, tone and moisturise’ regime is even more important in the summer months due to the increased build up of oil and sweat produced by the body in response to the heat. Cleansing opens pores which helps to detox the skin.

Use a gentle exfoliating cream or brush on the body to remove dead skin cells and boost circulation, which helps the skin to detox.

Beauty Sleep & Relaxation

Try to limit stress as this affects both the quality and appearance of the skin. Ensure you take time out to relax and consider ways to diminish stressful situations or triggers.

Ensure you are getting good quality sleep. This will not only help reduce tired circles around the eyes, but sleep also gives skin the chance to recuperate by ensuring faster cell growth and renewal.