When summer rolls around, it's easy to get caught up in the excitement of longer days and more time spent outdoors. We have margaritas, micheladas, the beach, Mexico, live music, and sunshine on our minds. Unfortunately, your skin can suffer from too many sunshine-filled days. High temperatures, humidity, and UV rays can all leave your skin feeling dull and damaged. Fortunately, we have easy tips and high-quality products to keep your glow all summer long. Developing a consistent summer skincare regimen, healthy habits, and using all-natural nopal-based skincare products (also called prickly pear) with other natural ingredients, are the key to healthy skin that shines through the heat of summer—and beyond. Besides being good for your skin, these products will make you feel luxurious on the outside and the inside.
Here are five tips—backed by our abuelas—to help your skin look (and feel) great all summer long:
Drink Water:
The easiest way to achieve healthy skin is simply by drinking more water. It's that simple. The skin is the body's largest organ, and approximately 60% of the human body is made up of water, so it makes sense that hydration would have a major impact on your appearance.
- Dehydrated skin that lacks moisture causes wrinkles and fine lines.
- Dehydration can cause fatigue; fatigue makes skin appear dull and inflamed.
- Water helps to flush out toxins from your body while also hydrating you and making sure that any nutrients you take in are readily available for proper absorption.
Exfoliate:
When you exfoliate, you're removing dead skin cells and helping your skin to regenerate itself. Exfoliating doesn't have to be a painful process: with the right products and technique, you can use exfoliation as an effective way to brighten your complexion and even out texture without causing irritation or redness.
Exfoliation is different from scrubbing or buffing because it's not meant to remove layers of skin—instead, it works on the surface level of your epidermis (the uppermost layer) by sloughing off dead cells that tend to build up over time. This allows for better absorption of other products used after exfoliating because those ingredients are able to get down into the deeper layers of skin more easily than if there were still more dead cells clogging pores.
Our Cactus Flower Exfoliants are the perfect gentle exfoliants for regular use. A three-in-one oil cleanser, exfoliant, and moisturizer that leaves your skin feeling silky soft. You will not need to apply a moisturizer afterwards.
Nopal cleanses and hydrates the skin while safflower oil infused with achiote seeds soothes. The subtle scent of tangerine oil helps to awaken the spirit.
Typical usage: Twice a week.
Good for: Face and body.
Wear SPF:
As you're probably aware, sunscreen is a must during the summer months. The sun's UV rays penetrate deep into the skin, causing damage that can lead to wrinkles and premature aging. Fortunately, it's easy to find all-natural products that provide protection against those harmful rays—all you need to do is look for something labeled "broad spectrum" or "water-resistant."
Look for products that are non-greasy and fragrance-free; this will help keep your skin clear of breakouts while still allowing your pores some breathing room.
Our signature Cactus Soaps are great for layering under unscented lotions to enjoy the subtle fragrance of Mexican-inspired scents. Handmade with skin-nourishing plant butters and oils that cleanse but do not dry out your skin.
Great for: All skin types. Whole body & face.
Noche Clara (black soap): Good for oily / acne-prone skin. Charcoal provides gentlest exfoliation. The subtle scent of sage and eucalyptus oil.
Planta Futura (green soap): Good for all skin types. The subtle scent of lemongrass oil to bring clarity of mind.
Flor De Mayo (pink soap): Good for sensitive and dry skin. Pink clay creates a creamy lather. Allow the subtle scent of Jasmine oil to anoint your body.
High-Quality Products:
One of the most important steps to getting glowing summer skin is using high quality products. We recommend all-natural nopal-based body care products inspired by the beauty and richness of Mexico to bring out the beauty and richness of YOU. Sound good?
When it comes to natural beauty, the keyword is “natural.” You should always look for products made with ingredients that are from the earth such as:
- Nopal cactus + nopal seed oil (for skin softening oils)
- Shea Butter (for its high concentrations of fatty acids and vitamins)
- Jojoba Oil (for anti-inflammatory properties)
Our products are vegan, cruelty-free, palm oil free, contain no synthetic fragrance or dyes, and use ingredients that are included to benefit your skin.
Moisturize Before And After Sun Exposure:
Moisturizing before sun exposure is just as important as the treatment afterward! Moisturizing daily is recommended so that your skin will always be hydrated and better able to retain water. If you have time for more thorough skincare treatment, do it after your morning shower or bath when your pores are open and the heat from the steam helps soften the tissues in your skin.
You should also moisturize after sun exposure.
After being in the sun, apply another layer of moisturizer to hydrate and cool down any areas that might be overheated or irritated by UV radiation. Always choose all-natural products without harmful chemicals or synthetics.
Our vegan solid Moisturizing Botanical Bars are uniquely formulated with plant butters, oils, and Mexican botanicals to bring deep hydration to the skin. Replacing the need for plastic bottles of lotion, our bars come in gorgeous reusable/recyclable tins for safe storage.
Both bars feature Nopal Oil (prickly pear oil), which is high in Vitamin E, K, and omega fatty acids, that keep your skin healthy.
Good for: Very dry skin. Whole Body.
By taking a few minutes out of your day to treat yourself with these all-natural products, your skin will thank you. It's important to note that these tips are not just for the summer but can be used year-round as well. Nopal products are great for your summer skincare routine, but they’re also a great addition to any beauty arsenal. They have vitamins and minerals that promote skin health and anti-aging properties that can make your skin look and feel younger. Plus, they’re packed with antioxidants and amino acids to help keep your skin moisturized all day long–something we could all use during these hot summer months!
