Rihanna is fan of the hydrating properties of coconut water. The pop princess is even a spokesperson for Vita CoCo.
Sad but true, summer is half over. With temps soaring into the 100s and casual cocktails with friends a little too frequent, if you are anything like me you have slipped off the skincare bandwagon, or beach shuttle might be more like it, at least once this season. Being a “glass half full” kind of girl, the good news is there is still plenty of summer left to enjoy and it’s never too late to get back on track.
The most important thing you can do for your skin is hydrate from the inside and out! Water is your friend. In fact often times when you are exposed to extreme heat and you feel hungry you are actually dehydrated and are better off grabbing something to drink containing electrolytes than a snack.
Coconut water is my go-to drink of choice when I’m not in the mood for regular H20. A good rule of thumb is to drink half your weight (in ounces) a day. Example: if you weigh 120 lbs, then drink 60 oz of water, and add slightly more when it’s crazy hot or you are exercising.
Before I address hydrating from the outside, there is a key step that is easily pushed to the side as we slip into lazy summer routines: exfoliation. When you see someone with sexy arms or legs and get skin envy, I guarantee you they are exfoliating. It doesn’t have to be a production or done with expensive sea salt scrubs… although I LOVE a dead sea salt scrub… the $4.00 gloves from any drug store will work almost as well. The important part is sloughing off the old skin so you can properly hydrate what is underneath. If you have to shave, exfoliate first and make sure you don’t shave with soap, which can dry you out. If you are traveling, conditioner in a pinch is always a winner.
Have you tried SkinMedica? This intense moisturizing cream claims to replenish and hydrate extremely dry and cracked skin.
Now for the tough part… Everyone seems to have their favorite lotion or body oil, yet I still get asked all the time what works best. The truth is there is no one product that does miracles. I have a girlfriend with the sexiest St. Tropez skin ever. She is pushing 40 and I have never seen her look anything but radiant. I finally got her to dish on what she uses that can be purchased domestically. The products on her vanity are more diverse than the United Nations, but her two favs are still Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Skin Therapy Oil in the shower, followed by Curel’s Ultra Healing Lotion.
I have tried both and would highly recommend them. The cocoa oil has a delish scent, but can be a little slippery. I used it recently before I headed out for the evening and obviously used too much because my legs were slipping off each other every time I tried to cross them.
A few other products I would recommend are:
• Skin Medica’s Ceratopic Replenishing Cream for severely dry skin-available at RENU
• Australian Gold Hemp Nation with hemp seed oil
• Neutrogena Body Oil, light sesame formula
Last, but not least, for skin that literally glows like Beyoncé try one of the many new shimmer lotions to hit the market this year. I’m not talking about last year’s body glitter. None of us want to look like we just walked off the set of a Ke$ha video. This season’s products are much more subtle, but will give you just enough glisten.
Victoria’s Secret, Hawaiian Tropic and Jergens are just a few of the easy to find brands now making shimmer lotions. The higher end cosmetic lines also have some nice additions this year but my experience is that they are often out of stock this late in the season.
Beyonce's skin glows in this Sports Illustrated photo shoot.
What products do you use? I want to hear from YOU, the readers, about your favorite body moisturizers. Send me a message in the comments section below and I will try your suggestions. PLUS, I”ll give a $50 Renu Med Spa gift card to the person who suggests the product I like the most!!!
Enjoy the rest of your summer…and please, don’t forget your sunscreen!
Michelle Schoenfeld, “Beauty Buzz” expert for DC on Heels and co-owner of Renu Medspa and Plastic Surgery
301.652.RENU (7368)
www.renudc.com
Michelle Schoenfeld
I’m a fan of Neutrogena Moisture for my face and Carol’s Daughter Almond Cookie Shea Souffle for the body. 🙂
The body souffle sounds delish! Where do you get it? I will give it a try!
Michelle 🙂
I love the Neutrogena sesame oil. I go between that and the lavender oil from Trader Joe’s. I’m not entering the contest, I’m just sayin’ 🙂
I get mine from Henderson Hall at Ft Myer since I’m active duty, but you can get it at the Sephora online or the Carol’s Daughter Store in Pentagon City Mall.