The best summer accessory? Your skin.

[MelMel]

Each season, people search for new trends that will keep them stylish and up-to-date.  But the most important element that will help you look and feel your best is often overlooked -- your skin.  Here are some methods that will help your skin looking radiant for the hot summer months:

1.  Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate!
The recommended intake of water a day is 8-10 glasses, or 64 fluid oz.  For a Floridian it should be even more.  Because of the scorching heat we are exposed to on a daily basis, we are constantly losing electrolytes and moisture.  Though this task may seem daunting, its benefits are extraordinary.  To keep the intake from getting boring try the following:
-slice up fresh fruit and add it to your glass for a sweet refreshment
-eat water-enriched fruit like watermelon, oranges, grapefruit and pineapple
-eat water-enriched veggies like cucumber, broccoli, spinach and other greens
-drink a glass of flavored sparkling water (my favorite is Sparkling Ice, available at Publix and other grocery stores)

With all of these possibilities for H2O intake, there's no reason why Floridians shouldn't flushing out toxins and restoring their health with 8 glasses a day.

2.  Eat 10 blueberries a day
The saying "big things come in small packages" couldn't be more true for this tiny fruit.  The berry holds the highest antioxidant capacity of all other fresh fruit.  Incorporating these into our diet is an easy way to get many of your essential vitamins for the day, and they are a delicious add on to many meals.  A few yummy suggestions:
-Throw them in your cereal, they won't get soggy and are sweet, yet subtle enough to not overpower the flavor of your favorite breakfast brands.
- Add them to your yogurt
- Add them to your breakfast to-go!  Most of our mornings are too rushed to worry about breakfast at home, but even if you stop at McDonald's for your morning intake, put a few blueberries in a plastic bag before you leave and eat them with your morning meal.
- Take them as a pre-snack.  Unless you have a very low appetite, I can bet 10 blueberries as a "snack" is not going to be filling.  But try packing a handful into a bag and eating them on the way to lunch with your friends.
- Throw them in a smoothie!  No matter what the flavor, adding a few blueberries won't make a huge difference in the taste.

3.  Go to the Gym
I know, not every bad word has to be four letters.  The mere mention of this three letter one sounds like the devil to a lot of people (including myself) BUT the benefits outweigh the negatives.  For me, it's more of a matter to actually get to the gym than it is to work out while I'm there.  If you ever find yourself with a similar mentality, just remember that a 30 minute walk on the treadmill will heighten your energy and burn about 100 calories.  Weekly exercise has proven to increase blood flow and reduce stress, so doing this just three days a week will help clear your skin, and your thoughts.

4.  Wear Sunscreen Daily
Health buffs and dermatologists say this all the time, but for Floridians this is especially necessary.  Most face moisturizer is already equipped with SPF, but most of the time that won't due unless it's reapplied.  Thankfully, makeup that is made to improve skin (like Bare Minerals, bareminerals.com, Ulta, Sephora) also has SPF, so there's no need to apply the thick, white lotions on your face every time you step outside.  However, for your skin, it is necessary.

5.  Exfoliate Once a Week
Women and men, it is important to invest in a good exfoliator to give skin a chance to restore itself.  By rubbing this over your skin in a warm bath once a week, you are wiping away dead, excess skin cells that can give you a scaly appearance.  For skin, try a gentle exfoliator like Bath & Body Works Stress Relief Sugar Scrub (the eucalyptus and spearmint scent is great for calming the nerves) for $16.  For your face try St. Ives Invigorating Apricot Scrub for $4.50 at your local drugstore.
Sidenote for Men:  Exfoliating helps face's hair follicles, allowing a better shave.

6.  Moisturize
Daily!  This will help your skin achieve a younger appearance as daily moisturizing minimizes fine lines and wrinkles.  It is also important to apply after exfoliating since skin is at its most fragile.  The best time to moisturize is within 3 minutes of showering and at night, since these are the times skin soaks up the most moisture.  Always use unscented lotion for your face and during the night because scented lotion may contain harsh ingredients and will block the essential vitamins and soothing extracts lotions include from penetrating deep into the skin. Also, don't forget to moisturize your lips!

7.  STOP TANNING
There are many safer methods to tanning than rubbing oil on your body and baking in the sun, or even worse, laying inside of a tanning bed.  Lotions such as Jergens Natural Glow products give skin the natural glow its name claims to do.  And again, we are Floridians, even when we cover ourselves in SPF, if we take a trip to the beach, there is no doubt we will still get sun.

8.  Visit Steam Rooms
Or create your own at home.  Everyone  can use a few minutes to themselves, so the next time you're in need of some, lock yourself in the bathroom, turn the shower on hot for long enough to create a good amount of steam and just relax.  Keep a towel under the door to keep heat from rapidly escaping, and for an added bonus, play some of your favorite music and light some candles for some private spa time made just for you.

9.  Eat Your Vitamins the Right Way
Even if you take your daily vitamins, you may not be reaping their benefits to the fullest depending on the rest of your diet.  Read the directions carefully to know what the vitamins work well with.  For instance, B-12 vitamins helps release energy from carbohydrates, so make sure you are getting your dose of healthy carbs.  Vitamin D works with calcium to develop strong bones and teeth, so chase it down with some milk or orange juice.

10.  Stop Smoking
We all know this one is true, but some of us (myself included) never wanted to hear it.  I quit smoking this year and since then I've seen a reduction in the puffiness of my face (eyes especially), and have had more energy to go to the gym. Smoking damages collagen, circulation, constricts blood vessels, and leaves your skin looking dull.  I know it's a seemingly impossible habit to break for some, but the benefits outweigh how terrible you feel on day three of no smokes.

11.  Get Sun-kissed Highlights
Bleaching your hair blonde is not for everyone, and with how damaging it is to your hair, it should actually be for no one.  However, there are other (and better) alternatives that will give you that "I just spent a summer at the beach" hair, and will help the skin around your face look softer.  Try getting highlights two shades up from your natural color and stick to warm shades to brighten your facial features.

These are just a few of the many steps to a healthy summer glow that can fit right in to anyone's schedule.  Anyone have any other tips they treat their skin with over the summer?

[gjosephunf]

MelMel these are excellent tips, to keep us looking good but also feeling good as well. I definitely, need to start increasing my  water intake

[MelMel]

Thanks, GJoseph!  People can spend hundreds of dollars trying to get restore the glow, hydration and elasticity in their skin, but the most inexpensive and necessary regimen is definitely one's water intake.  A little H20 can go a long way.