Summertime is fun time for most folks, and there is always a lot to do, especially in New England. But there are also things to watch out for during a New England summer, and we run into most summer problems because we’re exposing a lot more skin. Fortunately we know what they are, and we have lots of different ways to deal with them.
Smooth, soft, sun-bronzed skin… We all want that, but we need to be careful about how much exposure we get to the sun’s damaging rays. That’s why my moisturizers change with the seasons. I like coconut oil in the fall and well into the winter, but for summer I want something lighter, with SPF, and maybe bronzing. So for everyday use I am wearing daily shade SPF 15. It’s great for most summer days that I am not on the beach or by the pool.
On beach days I wear SPF 30. Again, I like light non-greasy lotions. My face and décolletage always get 20 to 50 SPF. Natura Bisse’ makes two that I love and sometimes mix together, depending on the coverage I want for the day: Cure Sheer an SPF 20 that is super light, shimmery and dewy; and Diamond SPF 50, which is more of a matte finish and has a bit better tinted coverage.
If I get too much sun, I always have the sunburn oil we specially formulate at Medicine World ready to go. Helichrysum and aloe make up this excellent product that puts out the fire, and heals without peeling or additional skin damage.
Of course, summer bugs and poison ivy are also on the loose, just waiting to drive you out of your skin.
Mosquitoes love me and they find me wherever I am, so the rule is I always use unscented lotions and apply a mixture of essential oils before I go outside. If I am going to be outside for long periods I use this mixture daily and reapply when I go inside for any quick breaks. Here’s a nice, natural recipe you can use to repel troublesome flying insects.
Ingredients:
- 12 drops of thyme oil.
- 24 drops of lemongrass oil.
- 12 drops of lavender oil.
- 12 drops of peppermint oil.
- 12 drops of citronella oil.
- 8 drops of rose geranium oil.
Mix well and apply to any exposed skin. Re-apply after swimming or strenuous exercise.
Ticks are an entirely different challenge. Products containing DEET are good at repelling mosquitoes and not so good at repelling ticks. Products containing Permethrin should only be used on clothing, and many people prefer to avoid Permethrin altogether. Some people report good results with Rose Geranium oil, but perhaps the best way to deal with ticks is to avoid tick-infested habitats, and to follow these tips when you do travel through places you think may be home to ticks:
- Wear light-colored clothing (so you can spot ticks on your body).
- Tuck your pants into your socks and your shirt into your pants.
- Wear a hat.
- Do a tick check after walking in high-risk areas.
- Put any clothes that might have live ticks on them into a hot dryer for ten minutes (to kill them).
- See your doctor if you develop the bulls-eye rash, fatigue, nausea, fever, headache or muscle aches that may be signs of Lyme disease.
Ingredients:
- 4 drops lavender oil.
- 4 drops chamomile oil.
- 4 drops thyme oil.
- 4 drops eucalyptus oil.
Mix well and apply to affected areas.
Summer can be a lot of fun, but remember… You can’t really replace that skin you’re in, so take good care of it!