The weather is warming up, which means that the shorts and tank tops are getting dusted off and you’re stocking up on a good SPF (and tanning lotion, if we’re being honest). Every summer, the same thing stresses out women across the nation: is my body ready to be in a swimsuit all summer? And the answer? Absolutely YES.
The only thing that constitutes a summer body is that it is a body existing during the summer. Congratulations! You have a summer body. So, how do we take care of this summer body to the best of our ability?
GET YOURSELF A GOOD SPF
Spending time in the sun all summer should always be accompanied by a good SPF. Taking care of your body also means taking care of your skin! In addition to whatever skincare routine you currently use, you should also make sure you have a strong SPF worked in with your moisturizer to protect the skin on your face and decolletage.
The skin on your face and neck is the most sensitive on your entire body, so make sure you take good care of it! Because it’s so sensitive, you don’t want to use a regular sunscreen on your face, because it will clog your pores and leave you feeling greasy and gross. Be picky about the sunscreens you choose for the rest of your body, as well, but use special care for the SPF for your face.
Anytime that you are going to be outside for a substantial length of time make sure you give yourself a good layer of sunscreen. Not just when you’re at the pool, but when you’re hiking, going to concerts, and even that single hour when you’re sitting in the sun at the park while your kids’ play, use sunscreen!
INVEST IN A GOOD SWIMWEAR THAT YOU LOVE
When was the last time you got yourself a new swimsuit? If it was any longer ago than this summer, you deserve another one! Go to lots of stores, and try on lots of different types, until you find the one that makes you feel beautiful and confident in your skin.
EXFOLIATE. EVERYWHERE
Your skin deserves to be exfoliated. Regularly. You need different exfoliants for different parts of your skin. For the majority of your body, a good sugar or salt scrub will help to slough off dead skin and prevent ingrown hairs. Whether you choose a salt or sugar scrub is up to you, but if you’re someone who tends to have cuts or scratches often, we recommend you stay away from the salt.
For your face, you should have products in your daily routine that exfoliate, such as retinol and glycolic acid. A microdermabrasion product is great to act as a gentle scrub when you need to get a thorough exfoliant done once or twice a week. And just like with the sunscreen on your neck, make sure your neck and chest are exfoliated with the same products you use on your face.
BE CONFIDENT IN YOUR OWN SKIN
Summertime can be an intimidating season! When you drop your shorts at the pool, you feel like the eyes of everyone there are burning into you, judging your body, swimsuit choices, and skin. I’ll let you in on a little secret though – no one is judging you. In fact, the only person who is looking at your body and making any notice of it or judging it, is probably you.
You deserve to spend this summer having fun, enjoying yourself, and not caring about what anyone else thinks about your body. This doesn’t mean you have to force yourself into a bikini if you aren’t comfortable in it. The key is to find the things to wear and activities that make you feel beautiful and confident and happy in your own skin. Every body is a summer body.
All year long, you hear antidotes about “getting your summer body” or even “bikini body.” But the only contingency that requires you to have a bikini body, is putting a bikini on your body. Congratulations, you have a bikini body! Let yourself feel confident this summer!
