Summer is in full swing and you’re enjoying all that the hot months have to offer: lazing by the pool, endless beach days, backyard barbecues and cocktails, and showing more skin in flirty frocks. After all, having hunkered down for well over a year, we’re eager to indulge ourselves a little, reconnect with friends, and live it up right!

Your precious skin has to play along and stay poised to handle all of that indulgence! How do you keep it protected, glowing, and smooth when faced with potentially detrimental factors such as very dry or humid air, increased UV exposure, sultry (and sweaty) social shenanigans outside, and stressors like chlorine?

Great skin is our passion, and, living in ever-sunny SoCal, we have perfected what we believe is a superb and very doable regimen for achieving a dewy go-to gorgeous look! It’s rather easy to avert aging, lines, dark spots, discoloration such as freckles and dark spots, and prevent dehydration to let your complexion match your radiant summer mood.

Here’s our easy-breezy summer guide:

SPF! The magic three-letter word of the summer (and, really year-round!)

Sunscreen is non-negotiable. It’s the foundation for preventing a slew of issues, as any dermatologist and skin care guru will preach relentlessly. It’s truly the most fundamental, important part of your skincare routine. We have investigated and researched this topic from all angles and come up with the most effective and safest products on the market. As a sustainable brand, we only recommend non-toxic, reef-safe sunscreen with at least 10% zinc. 

Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are mineral filters, which are safe and rarely cause any irritation. These broad-spectrum filters protect against both UV-B and UV-A radiation. Alas, many all-natural SPFs feel very heavy, leave an undesirable pasty white look, and clog pores, which turns into breakouts. We have a few recommendations below that will never do that…

1. Jane Iredale’s Powder Me SPF is perfect for non-messy re-application. A loose powder, it comes in a new convenient container with a magnetized brush that can be easily removed to wash. It comes in four different shades that allow you to brush the powder on top of your sunscreen or makeup. You keep the dispenser and brush all while being super sustainable, only purchasing a new SPF powder cartridge that easily inserts. This SPF does not contain zinc, only titanium dioxide. It won’t clog your pores and has a bonus: mineral powders do not expire, so you can leave them in your car without worrying that they might lose their potency.

2. We also adore Suntegrity, an award-winning brand that offers multi-tasking, beauty-boosting ingredients packed with antioxidants and non-nano zinc oxide. Start your day with “Impeccable” in your chosen tint. You’ll get Broad Spectrum SPF 30 protection that's good for your skin, doesn’t clog your pores, and delivers a luminous glow. Our teams personal favorite is their “Mineral Sun Sport Sticks”, great for outdoor activities and reapplying on the go! Both products at our Los Angeles/Silverlake flagship location Being in LA – Wellness Spa or you can purchase the sport sticks on our on-line store. Keep a sunscreen stick or powder in your purse or car!

More effective ways to keep your skin summer-proofed, clear, and lustrous:

Besides being liberal with sunscreen, you’ll want to combat sun and environmental damage with other preventative measures. Our skin-hugging Be Calm - Brightening C Serum is a great remedy to offset premature aging and pigmentation, even out skin texture, and reduce lines and sagging skin. Its strong dose of medical-grade soluble vitamin C oil takes away environmental stress and sun damage and boosts collagen production to deliver a firmer and more youthful glow.

Thanks to cold-pressed aloe vera gel, it also works as a superb superfood to calm, cool, and heal damaged and inflamed skin instantly, while antioxidant-rich pomegranate seed oil counteracts free radical damage from the sun and the environment. Our Be Calm - Brightening C Serum is the perfect partner, healing sun and environmental damage, improving skin texture, and reducing fine lines and wrinkles.

Breakouts are another pesky summer problem for many of us, and now we have to deal with “mascne” as we perspire behind our masks while shopping and running errands! Don’t sweat it! 

Be Clean - Detoxifying Toner packs detoxifying, anti-bacterial properties to launch the perfect attack on breakouts and acne. It also delivers deliciously cooling ingredients including probiotics, peppermint, basil, camphor, and clove.

Super healing and anti-aging, it is perfect for summer travel such as when flying or road trips, when you feel a summer virus coming on. All of our toners offer delightful aromatherapeutic benefits for when the summer heat is making you feel sluggish, moody, or headache-y. So mist copiously to keep your spirits up as the temps rise!

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. 

All hail hydration! Water is your best friend, and you already know that you should be drinking about 2.7 liters of fluids a day (men need a whopping 3.7 liters), as recommended by the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. We love our La Croix – in moderation – but your best bet for staying hydrated is non-carbonated mineral water.

Glam it up in fun and delicious ways by checking out our Water Wednesday tips on Instagram for delicious and refreshing concoctions and load up on natural sun-defense foods that can also help support your skin against harmful rays. We’re obsessed with pomegranate, pink grapefruit, green tea, rooibos, vitamin E, and watermelon. These all help protect, brighten and rebuild your skin in marvelous ways. 

Do I really need to moisturize even if it's 90 degrees out and my face feels oily? Yes! 

While replenishing moisture from within is vital, you will also want to keep your skin’s thirst quenched when the mercury rises. We have curated a true oeuvre for moisturizing and power hydration for any skin type. Our silky-smooth Be Nourished - Age Defying Moisturizer is a miracle worker for anyone faced with dull, dry, and uneven skin tone. It provides the ultimate all-day glow and works hard to repair and hydrate dull skin cells, brighten and prevent future damage. Trust us; it goes beyond skin deep to heal and repair on a profound cellular level. 

Pair it with Potion No. 2 - Age Defying Serum, our transformational, multi-tasking super serum to stay hydrated sans breakouts. It floods your skin with luxurious hydration to instantly provide deep nourishment and ravishing radiance. This is the perfect serum to wear under your sunscreen!

Last but not least, dress for summer success!

Shop around for a broad-rimmed hat with SPF, ideally one that’s been constructed from materials that are rated UPF 50+ to block out 98% of direct UVA and UVB. Make sure you clean the inside of your hat regularly. An easy way to do this is by misting it with our Be Clean - Detoxifying Toner. This multitasker will remove any bacteria that may be lingering while giving you an instant aromatic immune boost.

And make sure your shades aren’t merely diva-glam stylish but are labeled UV 400, which offers approximately 100% protection from harmful ultraviolet light rays. In addition, polarized lenses minimize discomfort caused by glare, preventing you from squinting and crinkling the delicate skin around your eyes.

Trust us, we could go on and on and wax poetic about the hot topic of lustrous summer-ready skin, but we know it’s time for you to go out and play and soak up all that mood-boosting sunshine. Just be mindful of your direct exposure to the sun. During 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., the UV rays are strongest. We recommend wearing SPF all day until the sun goes down and reapplying every 2 hours!

OK, beauties, enjoy the rest of the delicious dog days of summer in your backless tops and boho dresses! And be sure to follow us on Instagram for more tips on staying cool as a cucumber while treating your skin to some of the best, all-natural, sustainably and lovingly crafted products out there!