Tan Skins, Late Nights and Summer Days

2013 has blessed Britain with actual season of Summer. It has actually been substantially warm, and even hot in London this year. Usually one week of Summer brings about three weeks of rain. Well not this year *touch wood*
Although it's the end of August, September in Britain tends to carry on with the heat.

So let's have a brief moment to think about what Summer means and what we expect from it. Come on, let's think of all the ideologies;

• Long days 
• Late  nights
• Parties
• Barbecues 
• Ice cream
• Beaches
• Road trips
• Warm tans
• Beautiful skin 

And the list could go on. But let's focus on the last point for now. Whilst winter usually brings about problems of dry skin, summer, by nature, does the opposite, which generally leads breakouts. With a city like London, where the air tends to carry a level of moisture and humidity, this along with heat and swear irritates your pores. Here are some of the usual problems we get in the warmer weeks of the year and some simple solutions:

• Summer Acne - Drink water, cleanse your face properly and DON'T skip your moisturiser. There seems to be an odd tendency to skip on face creams among people with oily skin in particular, but this just makes your skin dry, so your face produces more oil, making it even worse. Go to a local beauty counter and try some skincare specifically tailored to your skin type, very important.
• Dry skin - Also due to sweating, which leads to dehydration which dries out your skin. Basically don't sweat. Ever. Drinking more water will help, and using moisturiser. But don't sweat.
• Cracked lips - Same reason as dry skin. So don't sweat!
• Heat Rashes - Use sunscreen. Brits aren't used to getting lots of sun. We're just not made for this business. 
• Creepy crawly bites and itches - Insect repellent (obviously...) and moisturise!

Of course there are some precautions you can take and specific store bought moisturisers. But one thing that can really help your skin is a natural home made face mask. But first, here are a few plain and inexpensive ingredients you could use by themselves to start with:

• Coconut Oil - This baby can be used for so much all year round. Food, hair and skin. Yum for everything. In case you happen to have no sense of smell, coconut oil has been used in many commercial skin products throughout the years. It has been known to contain lauric acid, which is an antioxidant that fights inflammation and premature ageing. It also improves the moisture and lipid content of your skin. Have a look at this 101 uses for coconut oil to get a sense of it's versatility of uses.
• Witch Hazel - Commonly used to take the sting out of big bites and soothing rashes. It is also used to treat sun damaged skin, and wait for it, PREVENT SUMMER ACNE! Triple-Summer-skincare-win!
• Rubbing Alcohol - This weapon instantly takes the burning sting out of sunburns and also prevents poison ivy (another Summer pain) from spreading by drying it.
• Apple Cider Vinegar- Another kitchen ingredient that fights sunburn. It also contains malic acid, which is an anti-bacterial agent that not only treats summer breakouts, but prevents it too.

So now lets get to the fun DIY part. Don't forget to use ONLY organic products. These things are going on your one and only  face. And don't forget, it's usually all the pesticides that are causing us all this damage. 

1. Blueberry, Yogurt and Almond Oil:
   
   
   The benefits of blueberries could go on for years, but the gist of it that they are high in vitamins A and C and are high in antioxidants (hence their 'superfood' nutrition status). They are seen as a miracle skin fruit for a problems such as acne, blemishes and uneven skin tone as they normalise the skins oil level. The fact that it is high in vitamin C means it helps to strengthen our blood vessels and repairs broken capillaries, known as 'spider veins'. AND (yes, there's more) the high level of antioxidants makes it perfect to giving skin that fresh, young glow.
   To make the mask, mix an approximately equal amount of plain yogurt and blueberries, probably about 2 tablespoons of yogurt and mash the blueberries.Yes, blueberries and yogurt is a perfect Summer indulgence but we're not focusing food right now, so no, you can't taste it. Then add a teaspoon of almond oil, which has softening and moisturising qualities due to the Oleic Acid. The mixture should look something like this: 
   
   You're going to want to leave it on your skin for about 20 minutes and then rinse it off with lukewarm water and pat your face dry with a clean towel.
   Easy, quick and cheap. And the best part about this is that you can substitute the blueberries for other fruits which may have other vitamins that'd you yourself require. 
2. Avocado, Honey and Coconut Oil:
   
   Avocado is another superfood for our body, hair and skin, but let's focus on the latter for now. Avocados are rich in vitamin A, meaning it helps clean our skin, like the blueberries and removes dead skin cells. The amino acids in the fruit also protects our skin from environmental damage. If you live in the city, this is a major benefit. We all know avocados are high in healthy oil and fat, but what's great about the avocado oil for our skin is that it's easily absorbed, so by penetrating the layers of our skin, its helps to soften it and to restore nutrients. It also stimulates the growth of new skin sells. The oil can also be used as protection against sunburn, as it can protect your skin, and hair, from UVB and UVA rats, The antioxidants in avocados helps to rid our skin of toxins which lead to premature ageing and wrinkles. If this is one of your main skin concerns, even applying one mashed avocado as a face mask for 20 minutes will do wonders.
   

   
   

   
   For this mixture, mash half a ripe avocado until it's smooth and creamy. Next add 2 tablespoons of honey and half a teaspoon of coconut oil. Once it's ready, apply to your face and leave it on for about 15 minutes. Rinse with warm water, or use a damp cloth to remove it.
   
3. Mocha Mask:
   I am so craving a mocha. Mmmm. BRB. Need my coffee fix.
   
   
   The benefits of caffeine are too often overlooked. Ground coffee has a potent anti-inflammatory properties, so it can be used to reduce swelling and puffiness, therefore leaving you a beautiful even skin tone. It can also be used under your eyes to reduce puffy and dark circles. The antioxidants in cocoa help to reduce ageing and the yogurt acts as a replenishing moisture ingredient. 
   To make the Mocha mask, blend together 2 tablespoons of freshly ground coffee, 2 tablespoons of pure cocoa powder, 1 tablespoon of honey and 3 tablespoons of yogurt or sour cream. Once it's all mixed, apply it to your skin and leave it on for about 10 minutes. Rinse with warm water. 
4. Oatmeal mask:
   
   
   Oatmeal seems to be a little underdog character in the world  of skin care. The benefits of oatmeal isn't as commonly known as some of the other ingredients. What's so great about it is that it is hypoallergenic and it has plenty of amino acids which can improve scarring and will hydrate your skin.
   Start by grinding 1/4 cup of oats, so that you don't have random lumps of oat on your face. You could skip this and cook it or let it soak for a bit too. Mix this with 1/4 cup of water and then add 2 teaspoons of honey, which removes the bacteria on your face. Keep this on your face for about 15 minutes and rinse it off with warm water.
5. Egg, Lemon and Honey mask:Eggs are nutritious little byproducts with many healthy proteins and a range of benefits. One of these benefits is that it helps to keep virus' under control, due to an ingredient called albumin in the egg white. They also contain an enzyme call lysozyme, which is aids the skin by digesting the cell walls of bacteria. Regularly applying egg whites to the face can also narrow your pores, which in affect, prevents the accumulation of dirt, thus preventing acne breakouts. Additionally, the tightening properties of egg whites can reduce the appearance of wrinkles on the skin and it also leaves your skin soft, radiant and glowing. However, it removes excess oil from the skin, so it is great for people with oily skin, but not for people with dry skin.
   
    

   Mix the juice of 1/2 a small lemon, or about 2 teaspoons, with 1 egg white.  You can save the yolk and whip up a double yolk breakfast, go on! Add 1/2 tablespoon of honey.Beat the mixture well, for good few minutes. Leave it on your face for about 20-30 minutes. It should dry up and feel tight on your face. I've heard that it's best to lie down with this mask, and other tightening masks. Apparently something to do with how while it dries, gravity will pull it down... Not sure how plausible it is, but why say no to a lie down?  Rinse your face with water and pat dry. Pretty as a picture. 

So there you have it, another satisfying summer coming right up!