5 summer skin resolutions (and how to stick to them)

If you’ve been following our #JuneIsTheNewJanuary campaign, you’ll have already known that at healthy, we’re all about the mid-year re-vamp. Just like our diets and our fitness regimens, making extra effort to take care of our skin is so much easier in the sunshine than in January’s chilly gloom.

To help your summer skin reach its glowy, clear and calm peak, we quizzed healthy‘s skin doctor, Flavio Refrigeri. He came back with these five resolutions that are genuinely oh-so simple – we’re definitely all out of excuses.

1. Be a mindful boozer
Invitations to post-work drinks and weekends in beer gardens are plentiful as temperatures increase, but alcohol dehydrates your skin leaving it dry and causes bloating in your face.

Try to limit alcohol intake to one day per week, or special occasions. If you are having a boozy day with friends, delay the onset of dehydration by drinking a glass of water in between alcoholic drinks.

2. Drink more water
You skin is your largest and fastest growing organ. Water helps to flush out toxins which cause it to look dull and tired. The easiest way to boost your water intake is ensuring you have it to hand – a glass on your desk, a bottle in your bag, your car – everywhere!

If you find water ‘boring’ on it’s own, try adding a slice of lemon or lime – it can give your tastebuds an extra kick without the sugar spike of some flavoured waters.

3. Stay well away from sugar
You’ve all heard sugar is the number one nutritional baddie when it comes to weight loss. But it’s not just our waistlines that suffer as a result of excessive sugar intake. The white stuff breaks down your skin’s collagen and elastin, leaving it sagging and wrinkled.

Sweets, chocolate and ‘bad’ or simple carbs, such as white bread or white pasta, are a big beauty no-no. But if you think you simply can’t go cold turkey without ending up in a binge spiral, allow one meal a week to indulge your craving.

Try switching these for ‘good’ or complex carbohydrates. Sweet potato and grains like rye and buckwheat provide slow-release energy to avoid the insulin spike that leaves you crashing later on.

4. Shed your skin
Your skin can shed an incredible 30,000 – 40,000 dead skin cells per minute naturally (I hope I haven’t put you off your lunch). Regular exfoliation removes dead skin cells which build up on the skin’s epidermis. It also helps unclog your pores, increase circulation and leave your skin feeling smoother.

But a word of caution – it’s important not to over-exfoliate, especially in the summer when UV ray levels are higher. You risk impairing the skin barrier and in turn upping your risk of skin damage. Give your skin time to recover by exfoliating for three days on, then three days off.

5. Get naked
Too much make-up accelerates your skin’s ageing process by damaging elastin and collagen – the things that make us look youthful.

If future wrinkles aren’t enough to motivate you to go slap-free, spare a thought for your pores. Make-up also clogs the oil glands and increases their size. I know it can be daunting, but just letting your skin rest twice a week can really make a difference.

Got a skin problem that’s getting you down? Make June your month to make a move! Covent Garden’s Clinica Fiore Skin Medica are one of the few clinics who offer a whole range of both non-invasive and cosmetic procedures. From acne facials to thread face lifts, the specialist team are able to develop a bespoke treatment plan to deliver amazing results! Visit clinicafiore.co.uk to find out more.