Oh yes, summer is probably the most anticipated season of all. It is the season of traveling, discovery and excitement. It always seems a lot easier to venture outside of my comfort zone with nothing but a bright sun and blue skies up above me. It is also the season when a normal routine, which I always tend to crave and appreciate in my life, becomes a distant memory. It becomes challenging to stick to a healthy diet, drink plenty of water and entertain the thought of a proper skincare routine. I’ll be the first one to admit that I am guilty of all of the above. Having said that, I’ve also realized that I need to make time to take care of my mind and body, practice what I preach and what I encourage everyone to do, that is to live well and live a balanced and well-rounded life no matter the circumstances. So I’ve decided to look ahead, set some goals for myself and work towards achieving them. Here are my tips for living well this summer.
Stay Hydrated
This has got to be my number one tip! Water is life and I feel terrible when I’m not hydrated: my energy levels are low, my words don’t articulate well, my skin is dry and lifeless. There are a number of great apps that help you track down your water intake (see some here), but if that’s too technical or time demanding (and for me it is, mostly due to not having the time to input my water intake), there are other ways to ensure you’re staying well hydrated. The best thing you can do for yourself is to be prepared and never be caught without a bottle of water, especially during the hot, torrid summer days. A great tip is to infuse the water and my favorite combination is lemon, cucumber and fresh mint. This gives the water a refreshing taste and infuses the body with some much needed, revitalizing and detoxing health benefits. Another excellent way to ensure you’re staying hydrated is to opt for fruits and veggies with high water content such as watermelon, strawberries, grapefruit, cantaloupe, and peaches.
Adjust Your Skincare Routine
Your skin is your largest organ and it’s important to pay attention to how your skin’s needs change with the seasons. I plan an entire blog post dedicated to this topic, but a few key points are to be noted here. Even if your skin tends to get oilier in the summer months, don’t even think about skipping your daily moisturizer! Instead, when it’s warm and humid, opt for light moisturizers, oils and serums that can easily penetrate the skin. Some of my favorites are the Kate Somerville Nourish Daily Moisturizer, the Maya Chia Super Couple Oil Serum and the Rosalena Rock&Rose Face Oil (read review here). Exfoliating is an important factor of a proper skincare routine, as it removes dead skin cells from the surface, leaving you with fresh new skin that can better absorb all the goodness from your skincare products. You will never have glowy skin if you don’t exfoliate! Body exfoliation improves circulation and is also an important weapon in the battle against cellulite, as it diminishes the appearance of those stubborn dimple-like spots. My go to body moisturizer is the fast-absorbing and luxurious Maya Chia Revitalizer Body Oil, a true super food for the skin and a body product I can no longer live out. You do however need to exfoliate wisely and avoid over-exfoliating, which is detrimental to the skin, leaving it more vulnerable and sensitive to the sun. I typically exfoliate my face and body once to two times a week at the most (dry brushing is not included in this category, as you should typically aim to dry brush as often as possible, more on that here).
Protect From the Sun
SPF is the absolute priority of my skincare routine, especially this time of the year, when the heat is turned up to the max and the sun is at its strongest. One of the best things you can do for your skin is wear SPF with a protection factor of 30 or higher (I prefer SPF 50), which contains zinc oxide and titanium dioxide (do read labels). These ingredients act as barriers and protect the skin against the harmful UVA and UVB rays. Some of my favorite SPF products are from Clarins and La Roche Posay. Exposure to the sun can also cause fine lines as well as accentuate wrinkles, so opting to wear a hat and sunglasses especially during the summer months should be essential.
Meditate and Journal
It’s usually not easy to set aside time for yourself period and for most of us the last thing we have time for is meditating and journaling, while there are deadlines to be met, places to go, people to see. My heart starts racing just thinking about it. However, a wise man once said An unexamined life is a life not worth living, and I happen to agree with Mr. Socrates. I’ve personally found tremendous value in sitting in stillness, learning to calm my racing mind and practicing an attitude of gratitude, especially when times are hectic and life gets stressful. In the mornings, I try to practice guided meditation using an app called Calm (read my review of it here) at least three times a week for 5 minutes each time. It doesn’t seem like a lot of time when I see it on my computer screen and think about it, but it hasn’t been easy to schedule this time especially when traveling and away from my normality. However, I’ve made it a priority to work this time into my schedule as I find I’m more productive, tolerant and less reactive when I take 5 minutes at the beginning of my day to just be. In the evenings, typically before I go to bed, I aim to reflect upon the day that just ended and write in my gratitude journal (read about it here), a short sentence about something that I experienced during that day and that I am grateful for. Not every day might be good, but there is something good in every day and I choose to focus on the positive things that I experience. It calms my mind and allows me to enjoy a restful sleep.
Do you have any tips for living well this summer?
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Great article Cat love it and no one could have said it better, on each and every point you made. Drinking water , applying SPF even for darker skin tones it’s an uphill struggle telling men & women of colour to wear sunscreen ?. My tip for living well this summer is to leave a full life, be content find happiness and live in the moment.
This type of post is right up my street you know that, thoroughly enjoyed it ??. X
Thank you so much for stopping by Esnath. I am a big fan of your blog, http://www.prettypeachblossom.com, so your feedback means more than you know. Thank you! ~ Cat L.
Cat you are so beautiful and your photos are stunning! What an amazing place you live in! I agree that it’s important to set goals and aim to reach them! I also find meditation and journaling very helpful. Beautiful post!
Thank you very much, Paula. Yes, I feel so blessed to live in such a wonderful place and have the opportunity to see nature in all its beauty. I really appreciate your comments. ~ Cat L.
I’m so glad it’s not just me! I’m finding the summer to be the hardest time to stick to a routine. With my wife teaching now, we have a pretty consistent schedule during the year but now that summer is here (just like last summer), I’m all thrown off. Having that daily routine makes it much easier to keep track of what and when I eat but I can already see that changing. Especially with an up-coming trip, keeping a routine will be harder—but I guess it’s good to embrace a little chaos every now and then!
Thank you for stopping by. Your blog, http://www.SmithAndFritzy.com , is one of my favorites to read. Your posts are well written and inspiring, your photos are simply breathtaking and incredible. I really appreciate your comments. Your feedback means more that you know. ~ Cat L.
Beautiful photos and such an inspiring post!
Thank you so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed the post! ~ Cat L.
Such a beautiful post and a calming place you’ve chosen. I used to struggle with my water intake but since moving to Dubai a number of years ago, that all shifted. I guess my body just craves it even more! I too love the sunblock by SkinCeuticals as well as Institut Esthederm and now recently Herbal Essentials. Have a wonderful day beautiful. Xxx
Thank you for your comment and for the SPF suggestions. I’m always on the hunt for a good SPF and I trust your recommendations. I’m an avid reader of your beauty blog, http://www.thatluxuriousfeeling.com , I find your reviews very well written, easy to follow along and spot on. The products that you test are some of the most lush and luxurious out there, so now I’m very intrigued by Institut Esthederm and Herbal Essentials. Have you reviewed any of these already? I will check the blog right now. ~ Cat L.
Oh my goodness Cat I totally agree with you and for the last couple of weeks I’ve been skipping my yoga, meditation and I’m very sure I’m not drinking enough water because of I’m so so so busy BUT I know its not an excuse to skip on taking care of myself especially hydration and meditation. I will definitely make time to take care of myself again. Thank you for this lovely post.
Thank you for stopping by and reading my post. Your comments and feedback mean more than you know. I am also guilty of not sticking to my usual routine when times get hectic, which is why I’ve decided to set some goals for myself this Summer. I’m hoping by setting these goals, the routine becomes engrained in my mind and I’m more likely to stick to it. I strongly believe that it is these little acts of self-care that allow us to keep going and live a balanced and well rounded life. Thank you again for reading and commenting! ~ Cat L.
What a wonderfully useful post! I love LaRoche Posay! Their SPF is effective and always so light! I try to exfoliate but now I will knowing that it helps the skin care for the body soak in better! I really need to get the Maya Chia oil!!!! I am rationing my super couple serum because I never want to run out!!!! XOXO
Hi Kate, thank you for stopping by and commenting. I am such a fan of your blog http://www.makeupbrew.com so your feedback means more than you know. I definitely recommend exfoliating once or twice a week, so in moderation. It does make a visible difference. And paired with the Maya Chia Body Oil, it’s such a luxurious experience. If you get a chance to try this product, hope you enjoy it as much as I have. And I know what you mean about the Super Couple Serum! ~ Cat L.
Hi Cat!
You are beautiful and so are your photos! My tips for living well in summer are: always wearing Spf, as you wrote, drink a lot of water and eat fruits, prepare your skin for tanning by exfoliating it and using moisturizer after you have sunbathed. You mentioned all of these things and I totally agree with you. I also try to wear little make-up in summer so I mix my spf with a bit of foundation, set with powder, blush and mascara…but only if it’s not too hot, otherwise I’d just opt for no make-up because I hate when my face sweats and I think is bad for the skin if you are clogging your pores with lots of products.
I had tried to start meditating, but I wasn’t consistent so that didn’t last long. It’s definitely one of those things that I would like to do because I’m sure it would improve my life, but then I never find the time to start.
Love this kind of post and your writing, as always!
xx
Silvia
Hi Silvia, thank you for stopping by. I always get excited to see your comments as it’s clear to me you that you put a lot of thought into what you write. That plus I’m also a big fan of your blog, http://www.theskincabinet.com I love your topics, your writing style, your product choices. I agree with everything you mention in your comment, even though in reality I sometimes do wear makeup when it’s hot and humid and I think I probably shouldn’t. I think it’s a great idea to mix SPF with the foundation of your choice given that most of us already have these two products handy. I also find that in the summer I prefer to use cream products (blush, eyeshadows) over powders. They blend so easily and feel light on the skin. I would encourage you to figure out a way to stay consistent with meditation. I would recommend starting with 5 minutes of guided meditation, even while you’re doing your skincare routine. It’s soothing and will eventually become engrained in your mind. It’s advice I wish I would have followed in my younger days. I feel it would have allowed me to become less reactive to situations, more tolerant of circumstances and people and more aware of how I truly felt inside, despite all the noise around me. Ultimately though, I think you will know when meditation should become a constant in your life. It’s such a personal choice and way of life. Thank you again for reading my post and commenting. ~ Cat L.
Thanks a lot for your suggestion Cat, I really appreciate when you answer to my comments and I see the effort you put in every post of your blog. xx
Such a lovely blog post to read Cat! I love your images as you look so calm, serene yet uber glam of course i.e. looking gorgeous!
I am nodding and clapping as I read every word. Such important key steps such as hydration, spf, working with your skin in climate changes … such simple steps that people always need a kick up the bum to get doing! This twinning thing is getting out of hand as we even have the same sunscreens lol I am a massive ‘SPF pusher’ for spreading the word to protect your skin as I for one know the danger.
Love it <3 Kelly xxx
http://www.kellilash.com
Thank you for stopping by, Kelly. So glad you agree. You are a skincare expert by training so coming from you, it means a lot. I could not stress enough the importance of spf, staying hydrated, adjusting the skincare routine as the climate changes and working on feeding the mind with positive thoughts! I felt so strongly to get the message out! Thank you again for reading and for always leaving the nicest comments. ~ Cat L.
Awesome post Cat! This summer I’ve decided to take part in the gallon a day challenge and at first it was a little challenging but I’ve become a pro now! Lol. But honestly speaking drinking enough water is so important and a necessity for bodies and like you mention doctoring it up with lemon, mint or any type of fruit. Btw love the pics !
Thank you so much, Nina! I really appreciate your comments. The gallon a day challenge sounds so interesting and a great way to take care of your body, especially now in the summer when the heat is turned up to the max! So glad you enjoyed the post! ~ Cat L.
Mind and body is something I try to work on everyday . It’s very important ! Thank you for the tips Cat ! Great article !
Thank you so much, Kristen! Yes indeed, the mind and the body are things we should all be making a priority in our day to day existence. It is important to take time out of our day to focus on our mind and nourish it with positive thoughts and exercise and feed our body healthy foods. Glad you enjoyed the post! ~ Cat L.
Wonderful post I love all your images, so peaceful and relaxing I love all the blues and greens such a beautiful place to live ?? I really loved your section on meditation I am going to try doing more of that this summer. It has been a very busy couple of months and I do think medication is the perfect tool to balance body and mind. Thank you for sharing all these great tips xxx Sarah
Oops I meant meditation on medication ????? xxx
Hi Sarah, thank you so much! I do feel tremendously blessed to live in such a beautiful and serene place. I’d read about and researched meditation for years, but actually practicing it consistently is something I only started a few months ago. I’ve found tremendous value in learning to calm my mind, especially when times get hectic and life gets stressful. Definitely a drug-free way of feeling better and something I cannot recommend enough. Glad you enjoyed the post! Hope you have a great rest of the summer! ~ Cat L.