Every summer, it seems that temperatures are at a record high, but in 2018, it is actually true! Even sunny Los Angeles reached record high-temperature readings with some metro areas reaching as high as 118 degrees.
Heat equals sweat, dehydration, and worst of all, dry skin and hair. Just because it is a desert outside doesn’t mean that your beauty routine has to suffer. No Kyra Shea Queen has time for that (and yes, that’s you!) We’ve taken out the guesswork of having to create your own skin and hair regime this summer. (You can thank us by trying them!) Check out these beauty tips to protect that beautiful, brown skin and that glorious curly, kinky, wavy hair this summer.
SKINCARE
1- Take cool or lukewarm showers
Of course, there is an urge to take a hot shower after a long day, but resist! Hot water strips skins of the nutrients and vitamins it needs to be healthy. Instead, try a cool shower to avoid skin irritation and heat rashes.
2- Lather up with natural sunscreen
It is a common misconception that brown skin does not need protection from the sun. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Now yes, we do need the natural Vitamin D the sun provides, but overexposure to the sun’s UV rays can be damaging to all that beautiful melanin. Shea Butter is a natural protector from sun rays and harsh environments and Amazing Africa has a great list of all-natural sunscreens for people of color to use in the summer heat. You can feel good knowing your skin is protected using products you can pronounce!
3- Exfoliate but avoid over-exfoliation
OK, it’s summertime. You are probably going to want a bikini wax, which requires exfoliating with a loofah or all-natural scrub to loosen up hairs and soften skin. However, be careful not to go overboard. Too much exfoliating in the summer can lead to added skin irritation, inflammation, and discoloration.
4- Use natural cleansers and scrubs
Lather, rinse and repeat without soap that is. In the summertime, chemical-filled soaps can strip the skin of its natural oils. Instead, try a lightweight cleanser or scrub to cleanse, exfoliate and add moisture. KSM offers several 3-N-1 scrubs, like the Mango, Almond & Carrot, the Strawberry Mojito, and the Avocado & Vanilla, to add the moisture your skin needs.
5- Watch what you eat
That saying “You are what you eat” is true, and your skin will show it. Avoid unhealthy, high glycemic foods, which tend to release sugars rapidly and foster weight gain. Fried, fatty foods will leave your skin dry and dehydrated. Instead, eat foods that will enhance your summer glow like watermelon, berries, pineapple, cucumbers and citrus fruits. (Hint: They all contain a high percentage of water.)
@curlhawkqueen on IG
HAIR CARE
1- Avoid chlorine or excessive salt water
It’s a wide known fact worth repeating–Chlorine in pool water strips the hair of natural oils and nutrients. It also damages hair keratins, which can weaken and lighten hair. Tip: Protect your curls by applying a moisturizer or a leave-in conditioner then twist or braid them up into a protective style or wear a swim cap. This black- and woman-owned business makes swim caps, especially for curly hair.
2- Rock the protective hairstyles
Avoid heat styling at all costs. Repeat- Avoid the heat. It’s already hot outside. Your hair doesn’t need the added pressures of a flat iron, curling iron or blow dryer. Also, protect your hair from those UV rays as best as possible. In the summer, try a fun and fabulous, protective hairstyle like box braids, locs or twists.
3- Invest in a humidifier
This handy device will help to counteract the dryness your hair and skin are encountering in the dry summer months. A humidifier works to add external moisture back to the air. You can also try adding a steamer to your bedroom or home for the same purpose.
4- Decide which hair products to use based on climate
In the summer heat, it is a natural inclination to use moisturizing hair products. These natural humectants attract moisture from the air to your hair. However, in dry climates like California, Nevada and Arizona, humectants work in reverse to strip hair of moisture and add it back to air. In these climates, try a creamy product like KSM’s Strength + Emollient Butter Cream to add moisture and then seal it with an oil product like the Avocado & Vanilla Oil Medley.
5- Drink your H20
Just like your skin is a reflection of the food you eat, so is your hair. What you eat and drink is so important, especially during the summer when your body is dehydrated. Your hair is the last part of your body to receive nutrients and vitamins from what you eat and drink. So increase your water intake for lively and healthy hair this summer.
We greatly appreciate our community for trusting your skin and beauty care to Kyra Shea Medleys in the summer and all year long! Continue to shine like the queens and kings you are!
– Your KSM Family
For more from the author, Stephanie Taylor, check out her blog, Life as Told by an Upcoming, Twenty-Something.
P.S. If you want to be featured as a Kyra Shea Queen and share your natural journey, then please click here to fill out our KSM Queenin’ Survey. Of course, you will also receive something special for your participation!
